An exhibit of 40 portraits from artists across five islands will be on display at Capitol Modern, the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum, located in Downtown Honolulu, through July. The art is part of the Schaefer Portrait Challenge, a statewide juried exhibit that encourages artists across the Islands to create portraits of people and their communities.
The Schaefer Portrait Challenge has been held every three years, since 2003. Portraits from the challenge were previously on display at the Maui Arts and Cultural Centerʻs Schaefer International Gallery. Art for the exhibit was selected by jurors Sonnet Coggins, Mina Elison and Wendy Kawabata, with cash awards for the Jurors’ Choice Award, Gene Freedman Artists’ Choice Award, and Ruth Freedman People’s Choice Award.
The exhibit at Capitol Modern also includes portraits from the State Foundation on Culture and the Artsʻ Art in Public Places Collection. The exhibit opened Jan. 2 and runs through July 4. Admission to the Capitol Modern is free.
Artists who contributed artwork to the current Schaefer Portrait Challenge took this photo together. (Maui Arts and Cultural Center) 
The Schaefer Portrait Challenge is visiting Capitol Modern, the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum, through July. This work of art depicts portrait subject John Kalei Matthew Ho'opai, left, and was created by artist Damian Smith, right. (Maui Arts and Cultural Center / J. Anthony Martinez) 
Portrait subject Lili Townsend, left, with artist Jett Green, right. (Maui Arts and Cultural Center) 
Schaefer Portrait Challenge features the work of artists from five islands: Maui, Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi Island, Kauaʻi and Lānaʻi. (Maui Arts and Cultural Center) 
The Schaefer Portrait Challenge will be on display through July at Capitol Modern, the Hawaiʻi State Art Museum. (Maui Arts and Cultural Center)
Portraits from the Schaefer Portrait Challenge were created by artists from five islands across the state. Of the selected artists, 16 are residents of Maui, 12 are on Oʻahu, seven represent Hawaiʻi Island, four are on Kauaʻi and one is on Lānaʻi.
Capitol Modern is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. The museum has extended evening hours on the first and third Fridays of the month, with galleries open from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on those days.
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Katie Helland can be reached at katie@alohastatedaily.com.
