Hayv Kahraman participates in ALOHA NO, Hawai’i Triennial 25 curated by Wassan Al-Khudhairi, Binna Choi, and Noelle M.K.Y. Kahanu. The biennial is on view at multiple venues across Hawai'i from 15 February to 4 May 2025.
At Honolulu Museum of Art, Kahraman presents a new series of paintings on shaped flax substrates woven meticulously by hand. Inspired by tessellated patterns found in Kurdish and Iraqi rugs, the geometric surfaces are painted with organic elements such as plants, hands, eyes, and snail shells from an endangered species native to Hawai’i. Collectively, the works explore themes of extinction, ecocide, war, and colonialism, drawing inspiration from ‘The Louse and the Flea,’ a story her great aunt told her during childhood. This "extinction story" illustrates a world of interconnected beings, emphasizing our mutual reliance for survival on this planet.
Now in its fourth iteration, Hawai‘i Triennial 2025 (HT25) is the largest, periodic exhibition of contemporary art in Hawaiʻi, involving dozens of artists, key venues and organizational partners. For the first time, HT25 will also expand beyond the island of Oʻahu, to the islands of Maui and Hawaiʻi. ALOHA NŌ is a call to know Hawaiʻi as a place of rebirth, resilience, and resistance; a place that embraces humanity in all of its complexities — with a compassion and care that can only be described as aloha.
To learn more about the Hawaii Triennial 25, click here.
