Bishop Museum Opening “Tatau: Marks of Polynesia”

# Bishop Museum Opening "Tatau: Marks of Polynesia"

New exhibit showcases the work of traditional tatau masters alongside that of younger practitioners and artists utilizing new media and art forms.

Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum will open a new exhibit in its J. M. Long Gallery on Saturday, November 13, 2021: Tatau: Marks of Polynesia will be on view through July 4, 2022.

Media Preview Opportunity

Bishop Museum invites members of the media to a pre-opening, closed-door preview of Tatau: Marks of Polynesia, with access to the exhibit, as well as interview opportunities with the exhibit curator, photographer, advisors, and Bishop Museum management.

• Tatau: Marks of Polynesia Media Preview
• Thursday, November 11, 2021
• 2-4 p.m.
• Bishop Museum | J. M. Long Gallery (adjacent to Hawaiian Hall)

Available for interviews (only during the Media Preview):

• Clement Hanami, Japanese American National Museum
• Takahiro Kitamura, Exhibit Curator
• John Agcaoili, Exhibit Photographer
• Steve Looney, Exhibit Curatorial Advisor
• Danielle Looney, Exhibit Curatorial Advisor
• Brandon Bunag, Bishop Museum vice president of public programs and interim director of education

Please RSVP with Lance Aquino via the contact information above.

Tattooing has long been held as not just a practice in art but also a way to tell stories through art, through the intimate painting of one's body. Sāmoa's tatau is one of the world's most distinct tattoo traditions. An indigenous art form, it dates back 2,000 years and has played a pivotal role in the preservation and propagation of Sāmoan culture.

Through photographs taken in a studio and on location in Sāmoa, Tatau: Marks of Polynesia will showcase the work of traditional tatau masters alongside that of younger practitioners and artists who are adopting tatau's motifs and styles for new media and art forms.

This exhibition is an opportunity to learn what tatau signifies in Sāmoan culture, and how it helps Sāmoans and other Polynesians living abroad stay connected to their identity and heritage.

"Storytelling is key to fulfilling Bishop Museum's mission. Through stories, we're able to open doors to our past, better understand the present, as well as prepare ahead for the future," said Brandon Bunag, Bishop Museum vice president of public programs and interim director of education. "Bishop Museum understands that storytelling comes in many forms, whether through the spoken word, musical performance, or visual symbolism. We're proud to share this exhibition with our local ʻohana and visitors alike, and showcase an art form that resonates with many different cultures around the world."

Additional photographs featured in the exhibition, taken in Hawai'i, New Zealand, California, and Nevada, demonstrate the spread of the tatau art form outside of Sāmoa and some of its newer interpretations.

Like tatau, Japan's irezumi is also a distinct living tattoo tradition. This exhibition is curated by master tattoo artist Takahiro "Ryudaibori" Kitamura, who previously curated Perseverance: Japanese Tattoo Tradition in a Modern World for the Japanese American National Museum, which organized Tatau.

As the Tatau exhibition highlights Sāmoan tattooing implements, Bishop Museum has also curated its cultural collection items to highlight implements from both Hawaiʻi and Samoa, as an added feature to the exhibition. Through this effort, the Museum aims to show the connections between the cultures of Polynesia through the lens of tattooing practices and traditions. These select items are rarely on view from Bishop Museum's collections.

Tickets to Tatau: Marks of Polynesia are available at BishopMuseum.org/Tatau.

The traveling version of Tatau: Marks of Polynesia is organized by the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles, California, and is supported, in part, by Mariko Gordon and Hugh Cosman.

Bishop Museum would like to thank the following generous sponsors:

Contributing Sponsor: Pasha Hawaii

Media Sponsor: FLUX Hawaii

Bishop Museum Admission, Parking, and Hours

To control museum capacity, we will be offering a maximum of 125 tickets per hour of operation. Timed General Admissions can be booked on the hour from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at BishopMuseum.org/Tickets.

Once a timed admission is booked, please arrive at any time during your check-in hour. Arriving after your hour reservation check-in window by more than 15 minutes may require entry on a space-available basis. All admissions once checked in, are welcome to stay until close of business.

If you currently hold a pre-purchased Admission ticket that is still valid, those tickets will be honored on a space-available basis on the day of attendance.

The safety and health of our visitors and employees remains our highest priority, and new measures have been enacted to keep the Museum a safe place to visit. Please visit our Health & Safety page.

Per the City & County of Honolulu's recent order*, effective Monday, September 13, 2021 all visitors to Bishop Museum age 12 and older must provide the following:

• Proof of full COVID-19 vaccination, and a valid photo ID; or
• Proof of a negative COVID-19 test taken within 48 hours, and a valid photo ID

Proof of vaccination includes:

• A hardcopy of a Hawaiʻi State-approved vaccination card (photocopies and digital copies are acceptable); or
• A Hawaiʻi State-approved app confirming full vaccination status

A map of COVID-19 testing sites can be found on the City & County of Honolulu's OneOahu.org website. Not all sites offer free testing and their hours may fluctuate from day to day, so please call them to confirm their hours and pricing.

Please note that the negative test result required must be from an FDA approved, or FDA EUA approved, molecular or antigen test. The Museum is not able to accept any undated negative COVID-19 test results.

Prior to entering the Museum, guests will be asked to undergo a temperature check. Guests are also asked to wear face masks and practice social distancing, both indoors and outdoors, during their visit.

*Order 10, Sections A and B, of the City and County of Honolulu Emergency Order No. 2021-11 dated August 30, 2021. More information can be found here.

General Admission Adults: $24.95 Seniors (65+): $21.95 Youth (4–17): $16.95 Children (3 and under): Free

Hawaiʻi Residents, Hawaiʻi College Students & Military with ID Adults: $14.95 Seniors (65+): $12.95 Youth (4–17): $10.95 Children (3 and under): Free

Children age 16 and younger must be accompanied by an adult.

Bishop Museum Annual Membership levels include free general admission and parking for 12 months. Learn more at BishopMuseum.org/Membership.

Parking Rates Daytime Rate: 6 a.m.–5 p.m. $5.00 Evening Rate: 5 p.m.–10 p.m. $3.00

Hours Open every day from 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Closed on Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day

Bishop Museum Café by Highway Inn offers a limited menu of bowls, sandwiches, and snacks from 10:00 a.m.–3:30 p.m. daily. Bishop Museum Members receive a 10% discount with their membership card.