Salon5 presents "Level"

Five multimedia artists unite to collaborate and share tricks, shortcuts and long views earned and learned since their initial collaboration in the jungles of Maui over a quarter century ago. Their tools are image and text, photography, craft, painting, sculpture and combinations of all of the above. Their separate messages are integrated through collaboration, and presented as individuals practicing accountability to the group. salon5 started underground, with quarterly happenings in the 1990’s and surfaced later as an official gallery in Honolulu’s Chinatown. It was inspired by Gertrude Stein’s famous salon 100 years ago in Paris and influenced by interactive performance art and artists like Barbara Krugar and John Baldesari. Many people participated in and at salon5 but these five artists were the original core. ● Michael Takemoto has been working on his current series Kovid Kreatures since 2020 on Maui. ● St. Marko conceived of his new signs in Florida and had them produced and shipped by others to the show without even touching it. ● Buck Silva works from Los Angeles are about memory, memories, and loss of memories as her life is affected by her father’s Alzheimer’s disease. ● Rich Richardson builds fake signs in Kalihi Valley with galvanized metal, velvet flocking and a belief in human potential. ● Wilma Nakamura recently reinvigorated salon5 and died peacefully at her home in Kula on Maui while preparing her work for this show. Her signs point towards the mysteries of life and death. LEVEL is dedicated to her...may she Rest in Peace. salon5 is a story of creative community born from a common interest in art, cross-cultural camaraderie and a mixed-media celebration of industriousness.The dynamic, socially engaging recipe of cutting-edge visual art with themed performances, refreshments and entertainment directly influenced programming at The ARTS at Marks Garage and indirectly the arts and community development of Hawaii. Virtual tours will be posted at manifesthawaii.com.