2003 UV film laminated protectant print on board, linen matting, gold fillet, Ohia wood frame.
Size: 1'5" x 1'9" (43.18cm x 53.34)
Framed: 1'10"5/16 x 2'2"5/16 x 3" (56.675cm x 66.835cm x 7.62cm)
by Arthur Johnsen, 1952 - 2015
A famous work of art associated with the Hawaii Volcanoes Park is a painting of Pele, the Hawaiian goddess of fire and volcanoes. There was some controversy relating to the installation of this painting because it replaced an earlier painting of Pele, by famed Hawaiian artist David Howard Hitchcock, which depicted her as a white woman. Pele being shown as a white woman was controversial because, in Hawaiian mythology, she is a native Hawaiian. According to StarBulletin’s 2003 July issue, “‘The new painting is intended to represent the volcano deity’s deepest cultural meanings,’ park officials said in a release.” Johnsen's depiction of Pele replaced the previous one by David Hitchcock in 2005.
