Say ‘Aloha’ to New York Botanical Garden’s Georgia O’Keeffe: Visions of Hawaii Exhibit

Get a taste of Hawaii life at the New York Botanical Garden this summer with a new exhibition called Georgia O’Keeffe: Visions of Hawaii.

The exhibition will feature a lush flower show of plants native to the islands in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, along with more than 15 of O’Keeffe’s paintings that have not been viewed in New York since 1940. These paintings were commissioned by the Hawaiian Pineapple Company in 1939 and will be on display in the LuEsther T. Mertz Library Art Gallery. The paintings depict the islands’ topography, landscapes, and exotic plants and were curated by art historian Theresa Papanikolas, Ph.D. of the Honolulu Museum of Art. 

Throughout the exhibition’s run, the botanical garden will feature Hawaii-inspired programming for families, such as hula performances and artisan demonstrations of kapa- (bark cloth) and lei-making on weekends; performances by musicians from Hawaii; and a special exhibit for kids called A Closer Look: Georgia O’Keeffe and Hawaii to get a close-up look at flowers and fruit, along with a Hawaiian sandscape to play in and a potting tropical ginger plants to take home at the Everett Children’s Adventure Garden.

A unique, technological component to the exhibit will be an Interactive Mobile Guide, allowing visitors to watch 360-degree videos of the plants and locations O’Keeffe visited in Hawaii, with views of the land then and now. There is also a painting feature for visitors to create and share their own masterpieces. 

The New York Botanical Garden is currently hosting a sweepstakes for a chance to win a one-night stay for two at the Grand Hyatt New York on May 19; admission to the opening weekend of the exhibition; lunch at the Hudson Garden Grill at the garden; and round-trip tickets to the garden on Metro-North. Tweet or share a photo on Instagram of your own “vision of Hawaii” using the hashtag #nybghawaiivisions. The sweepstakes ends on April 27.

Georgia O’Keeffe: Visions of Hawaii will be open from May 19 through October 28. Visit the New York Botanical Garden’s website for the complete list of programs and schedule of events.

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Main images: Waterfall, No. I, 'Iao Valley, Maui, 1939 (left) and Hibiscus with Plumeria, 1939 (right)
Courtesy Georgia O'Keeffe Museum / Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York