HT25 Film Screening: Homegrown

RSVPs are requested here!

Join us for a special film screening and discussion about Homegrown (2024), a short artist video offering a dynamic portrait of HT25 artist Russell Sunabe, a Japanese-Okinawan painter and community educator. Born in Hakalau, Hawaiʻi Island, and currently based in Honolulu, Oʻahu, Russell’s journey as both an artist and educator sheds light on the challenges and triumphs of maintaining a creative practice in Hawai‘i, as well as the broader cultural implications of his work.

This film features excerpts from Russell’s unpublished writings (1989–2000), delving into his thoughts on art, pidgin/local culture, and the concept of Hawai‘i as “homegrown.” Interwoven with his childhood memories and current reflections on sustaining a creative practice in Hawai‘i today, the video highlights the unique cultural and artistic identity that defines Russell’s approach to his work and life in Hawai‘i.

Following the screening, there will be a discussion moderated by members of kekahi wahi, a grassroots film initiative dedicated to documenting transformations across Hawai‘i and Moananui. The collective, co-founded in 2020 by HT25 artist Sancia Miala Shiba Nash and HB17 artist and HT22 associate curator Drew Kahu‘āina Broderick, aims to preserve and share stories of culture, change, and artistic expression.