35th Annual MOA Museum of Art State Awards Ceremony

Friday, March 22, 2024

The 35th Annual MOA Museum of Art Children’s Painting Hawaiʻi Exhibition will be displayed in the Courtyard of Honolulu Hale from March 19 through March 28. Reflecting the theme “Beauty Through the Eyes of Our Children”, this exhibition showcases 28 painting from exhibitions held in East and West Oʻahu, and Maui districts. Additionally, this exhibition is in part of the Honolulu-Nagaoka Sister City Children’s Painting Interchange and represents a continuously growing partnership following the cities’ shared tragic war history.

On December 7, 1941, a sneak attack on Pearl Harbor had been led by Admiral Isoroku. On August 1, 1945, Nagaoka fell victim to American B 59 bombers with Napalm incendiary bombs – ultimately destroying 80 percent of the city. To contribute to world peace, Honolulu and Nagaoka established their Sister City relationship in 2012. The Nagaoka fireworks would be launched on the last day of Honolulu Festival every year since the start of this partnership. Their reconciliation and creation of goodwill and friendship demonstrates significance not just on the city level, but between both countries.

To further cultural exchange, both cities participate in the Honolulu-Nagaoka Sister City Painting Interchange (established in 2016) as well as the MOA Museum of Art Children’s Art Competition. Displayed in this year’s exhibit are 19 Award Winning Paintings from Nagaoka. Hawaii’s top paintings are to be displayed in Nagaoka’s MOA Children’s Painting held at the Niigata Museum of Modern Art.