ʻOni: Disturbances & Resilience

Guest Juror Kanani Daley (Curator of Ola Nā Iwi at East Hawaiʻi Cultural Center in Hilo) invites artists to explore the concept of ʻonipaʻa—steadfast, resolute, determined. The roots mean to be firm and solid (paʻa), and able to move, stir, and shift (ʻoni). As part of Queen Liliʻuokalani's motto, ʻonipaʻa references the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi and has been adopted as the name of the annual ʻOnipaʻa Peace March commemorating the Queen's forced removal from the throne on January 17, 1893. In Hawaiʻi, outside cultures, species, economic models, and technologies have dramatically altered the landscape and people's relationship to ecosystems. Resilience reflects the capacity to adapt to these shifts without losing the foundational integrity of the original.

This juried exhibition invites artists to explore ʻOnipaʻa and to consider foundation, adaptation, and evolution through the lens of ecological, environmental, and cultural shifts. The 1893 overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom initiated political, geographical, and ecological changes that favored foreign interests and marginalized Hawaiians, drastically altering the landscape and relationships to ecosystems. Ecological resilience refers to an ecosystem's ability to absorb disturbances—whether natural or human-induced—while retaining its essential structure, functions, and identity. Artists are encouraged to submit works that reflect resilience, resistance, and transformation as part of this ongoing dialogue between place, culture, and self.

Entry deadline: Monday, December 16, 2024. Artist notifications will be made via email by Friday, December 20, 2024. Shipped artwork must be received by Wednesday, January 8, 2025, or can be dropped off in person on Saturday, January 4; Tuesday, January 6; or Wednesday, January 8. Entry fee: $25 for first sample, $5 for each additional media sample. Work samples may include up to 10 images, 6 audio files, and 6 video files (minimum 1 total sample, maximum 20 total). Artists must be 18 or older. The Hawaiʻi State Foundation on Culture and the Arts' Acquisition Award Selection Committee has been invited to review the exhibition to consider artworks for purchase for the SFCA Art in Public Places Program. Cash prizes will be awarded to selected artworks. Artists are responsible for shipping artwork to and from Kahilu.