Orvis Artist in Residence Program

The Honolulu Museum of Art is no stranger to artist-in-residency programs. From 1965 to 1973, high-profile artists such as Adja Yunkers, Kurt Kranz, Matsumi Kanemitsu, Cleve Gray and John Hultberg came to the Museum where they taught classes, created work in a studio, and had a solo exhibition.

In 2009, the Honolulu Museum of Art revived the tradition, but this time for artists just starting their careers, with the Orvis Artist-in-Residence (AIR) program.

Organized by the museum with support from the Arthur and Mae Orvis Foundation, Inc., the three- to six-week residency is open to University of Hawai‘i graduate art students in their second year or later, and recent BFA and MFA recipients. Participants are chosen by a committee comprised of staff from the museum and the University of Hawai‘i-Mānoa Department of Art and Art History.

In a time and place where opportunities for young artists are few and far between, the Artist in Residence program gives fledgling art professionals the push they need to get started.

Four artists are chosen for the year. The artists have access to the grounds and gardens of Spalding house, where they create a body of work. The public is invited to observe, engage and interact with the work and the artists. Artists in Residence also receive studio visits and critiques from curatorial staff and local arts professionals.

In 2011, the Museum expanded the program to include music with the Orvis Musicians in the Museum Program. Open to University of Hawai‘i Department of Music students, Musicians in the Museum is designed to give aspiring musicians and composers a professional venue to present their compositions and to perform, while aurally enhancing the museum’s visitor experience. Artists can apply in the categories of Composers or Individual performers and small ensembles.

For information on the program, contact Aaron Padilla, Curator of Education, at apadilla@honolulumuseum.org or 808-237-5217.

2012 Artist in Residence schedule

Eva Enriquez: Inhabitants

February 4-March 11, weekends
See Eva's blog about her project.

See Eva working on these dates:
Saturdays, Feb 4, 11, 18, 25, March 3, 10, 11: 10am-4pm
Sundays Feb 5, 12, 19, March 4: noon-4pm

Update: A starling has laid eggs in one of Eva's bird houses! Come and see.

Robert Reed: Unnecessary Seduction

March 17-April 6, Tuesdays-Sundays
Does a place like Hawai‘i really need to create flashy luaus and build fake lagoons to be alluring? Robert Reed looks at the tourism industry's false promotions of naturally beautiful paradises on earth.

Special event:
Sunday, March 25 + Saturday, March 31 at 1pm: Robert will perform "opening ceremonies" for his interactive installation. The performance will be conducted in and around the Spalding House swimming pool. Robert will be in full regalia comprised of elements from his installation—a wig made of segmented pool noodles, inflatable animals, and helium balloons. Accompanied by two back-up dancers and a dog on the 31st), Robert will sing his renditions of Un Tout Petit Petit Bikini and La Vie En Rose (Grace Jones' 1979 version accentuated with cawing parrots).

See Robert working on these dates:
March 17 10am-4pm
March 18 noon-4pm
March 20-24 10am-4pm
March 25 noon-4pm
March 27-31 10am-4pm
April 1 noon-4pm
April 3-6 10am-4pm

Andrea Jonna Charuk: Take the Bait

April 28-June 3, weekends

Andrea Jonna Charuk explores the absurdity of labor outsourcing by facilitating a collaboration between visitors and the museum's permanent residents—its ant population. (See black and white image above.)

Writes Charuk: "As artists, we have a unique opportunity to work within the system to change people's perception, whether we focus on the positive or negative is our choice. I like to focus on the lighter side of life to encourage everyone to keep fighting the good fight. I plan to create a model of outsourcing by the acquisition of art laborers that can not readily understand my intent through conventional methods of communication. They do not speak my language, or even participate specifically in the commerce of the global economy. However, this class of creature is involved in every chain of command worldwide, and often begrudgingly so. We often view ants with disgust and disdain, but there is no greater labor force in existence. I hope to expose the power structures at play as well as celebrate the ants' collective genius by luring them to create works of art."

See Andrea working on these dates:
Saturdays April 28, May 5, 12, 19, 26, June 2: 10am-4pm
Sundays April 29, May 6, 13, 20, 27, June 3: noon-4pm

Mark Maresca

July 21-August 26, weekends

See Mark working on these dates:
Saturdays July 21, 28, August 4, 11, 18, 25: 10am-4pm
Sundays July 22, 29, August 5, 12, 19, 26: 1-5pm