Honolulu Weekly

Honolulu Academy of Arts is launching an extravaganza of modernist works featuring interactive exhibits, technique displays by local artists, a film series, mini art courses and lots of tours.

Why modernism? Theresa Papanikolas, the Academy’s curator of European and American art, dug deep into the museum’s storage facilities and was delighted by what she found.

“I was absolutely blown away by the Academy’s particularly strong holdings in Modernism,” she says. “Every major artist and movement is represented, concentrations in key areas are strong and landmarks of modern printmaking are abundant.”

To the art lover worried about being in over his or her head when it comes to appreciating the scope of modern art history and the nuances of varied concentrations, Papanikolas breaks it down.

“For the layperson, it’s a great show because it’s a mini-history of modern art as it unfolded,” she says. “It’s also visually a great show and includes works that have never been shown before.”

The exhibit visits all of the phases of Modernism in the paper medium, beginning with a treatment of works by James McNeill Whistler, the man who pushed etching to the status of painting in the 1800s. First art lesson for the layperson: The term Modernism does not imply contemporary.

The exhibit takes you from Whistler through many other artists (100 masterworks will be displayed), right on up to the mid-20th century, when artists took printmaking to the next level with photo-mechanic processes. Enter Andy Warhol, a name that might set some bells ringing in your head.

Visit the Academy’s Web site to get details on the film screening schedule, a variety of tours, modern art mini-courses and any other aspect of the exhibit you wish to know about. Here’s to enlightenment via appreciation of the arts.