Hō‘ikeākea Gallery
Our brand new art gallery was designed to showcase works from our students, faculty, and artists from Hawai‘i and beyond.
The gallery name, Hō‘ikeākea, was inspired by a Hawaiian Studies exhibit in the Leeward CC Library. Hō‘ike (to show, to exhibit, to reveal), contains the word “‘ike” which has deeper meanings that convey knowledge, feeling, recognition, experience, and revelations from the gods (to name a few). Ākea (broad, expansive, spacious) is also a short form for the god Wākea, of Papa and Wākea, the couple that connects all of Polynesia. Thus the word Hōʻikeākea means the broad expanse of knowledge—to exhibit, reveal and inspire.
View photos from our Grand Opening.
Hours and Contact
Open Tuesday through Saturday: 10:00am – 2:00pm
Special access may be requested by calling (808) 745-5993
Free Admission and Parking – please park in visitor stalls (marked in green) in Lot 1A and Lot 3
Leeward Community College, AM 101 (map to gallery)
Currently Showing
The Curator’s Choice, Hāpai i ka Mālamalama
Showing December 6, 2025 – March 1, 2026
Hō‘ikeākea Gallery is proud to present an innovative and participatory winter exhibition.
We invited 10 respected figures from Hawai‘i’s art scene to each select an artist they wish to celebrate and uplift. With complete freedom and no gallery oversight, these curators made deeply personal choices reflecting their commitment to the arts and belief in the artists they support.
This initiative is envisioned as a biannual event, featuring a new group of 10 curators each time and offering fresh perspectives on contemporary art in Hawai‘i.
By strengthening direct relationships between curators and artists, The Curator’s Choice, Hāpai i ka Mālamalama amplifies local voices, supports emerging talent, and fosters dialogue, mentorship, and public engagement—contributing to a more connected and vibrant Hawai‘i art community.
Curators: Tia Castro, Ka‘ili Chun, Debra Drexler, Carl Jennings, Phil Jung, Bryzane Lagmay, Katherine Love, Johnny Macas-Freire, Maya Portner and Allison Wong.
Featured Artists: Yvonne Cheng, Megan Ridings, Naomi Santoki, Hal Lum, Chris Rohrer, Darold Ramelb, Kirsten Rae Simonsen, RD Manzano, Chris Ritson and Wendy Kawabata.
Exhibition opening reception:
5:00pm – 8:00pm, Saturday, December 6, 2025
Location: Art Building, AM 101, Leeward Community College
If you need an auxiliary aid/service or other accommodation due to a disability, call (808) 745-5993 as soon as possible. Requests made as early as possible will allow adequate time to fulfill your request. Upon request, this notice is available in alternate formats such as large print, Braille, or electronic copy.
Previous Exhibits
FALL 2025 - My Monumental Summer Live, Love, Paint: Summer Edition
Five local artists create monumental works of art through live painting—a living experience, capturing the fleeting yet powerful spirit of summer through scale, spontaneity, and creativity.
SPRING 2025 - The Hawai‘i Triennial ALOHA NŌ
The state’s largest contemporary art exhibition showcases 49 artists across O‘ahu, Hawai‘i Island, and Maui, reimagining aloha as an active, transformative cultural practice.
SPRING 2025 - The Swell is Coming
Get ready, the swell is truly on its way—a wave of creativity and passion, a refreshing surge eager to carve out its own artistic identity.
FALL 2024 - Bittersweet
“Bitter Sweet” emerges as the inaugural gathering of some of the most important and impactful young women painters in Hawai‘i today.
SPRING 2024 - Hō‘ike Haumāna Ākea
The first-ever Leeward Community College student show, featuring drawing, painting, ceramics, photography, printmaking, and digital arts and media.
SPRING 2024 - Float On
Set amidst the richly diverse backdrop of Hawaiʻi, the work celebrates the varying positionalities of those who grew here and those who flew here.
FALL 2023 - Ghosts of War
A vital reflection on how issues of war infiltrate our lives overtly and discreetly.
FALL 2023 - Facing Future: Faculty Exhibition Past & Present
Celebrating creative expressions from Leeward faculty past and present.
SPRING 2023 - ‘Ai Pōhaku, Stone Eaters
Paying homage to Hawaiian artists and culture bearers.
Videos and 360 Views
Speed Painting at L’ulu
At the 2024 L’ulu Culinary Arts Gala, guests were invited to witness “Speed Painting” – a type of performance art that involves creating a work within a limited amount of time. This innovative concept was hosted by Leeward CC art faculty, Kosta Kulundzic and the Hō‘ikeākea Gallery. The resulting pieces, created by Kosta and guest artists, Eric Maurus and Mikaila K. Ng were available for bidding and sold through the evening’s silent auction event.