{"id":241834,"date":"2026-10-08T11:49:54","date_gmt":"2026-10-08T21:49:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=241834"},"modified":"2026-10-08T11:49:54","modified_gmt":"2026-10-08T21:49:54","slug":"windward-cc-puka-exhibition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2026\/10\/08\/windward-cc-puka-exhibition\/","title":{"rendered":"Windward CC<\/abbr> photography students emerge in PUKA exhibition"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading time: <\/span> 2<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>
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Detail of ʻ\u0100paʻapaʻa<\/em><\/span>, by Richard Heirakuji<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Three Windward Community College photography students are taking their work beyond the classroom and into a public exhibition alongside their professor and mentor, Native Hawaiian artist and photographer Kapulani Landgraf.<\/p>\n

\"PUKA
PUKA features Windward CC<\/abbr> photography students and professor Kapulani Landgraf.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Richard Heirakuji, Lily Kam\u0101lamalama Kelly-Jervis and Shiloh Perkins are featured with Landgraf in PUKA, a photography exhibition at the First Hawaiian Center in downtown Honolulu.<\/p>\n

The opportunity grew out of the students\u2019 work with Landgraf. After teaching the three in ART 207, she invited them to continue their development through ART 299, an independent study course.<\/p>\n

While the possibility of exhibiting at the First Hawaiian Center was an incentive, Landgraf said it was never guaranteed. The students had to develop cohesive bodies of work that met the standard for public exhibition.<\/p>\n

Beyond taking photographs<\/h2>\n

Heirakuji\u2019s work explores his relationship with Kohala, the birthplace of his ancestors. He said Landgraf challenged the students to think beyond individual photographs through research, community connections and storytelling.<\/p>\n

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In the Time Before, In the Time After<\/em>, by Shiloh Perkins<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Kelly-Jervis developed her technical skills in black-and-white film photography and darkroom printing while exploring her relationship to hala through her moʻok\u016bʻau<\/span> and Keanahala, a community weaving program under Puʻuhonua<\/span> Society.<\/p>\n

Perkins\u2019 Paʻa<\/span> is a portrait series rooted in her family\u2019s ties to Waiʻanae<\/span> Moku and offers a perspective of a place she says is too often defined externally by what it lacks.<\/p>\n

“PUKA<\/abbr> marks a moment of opening,” Landgraf said. “It is an opportunity to share work publicly, to step into visibility, and to begin the lifelong journey of developing a visual voice.”<\/p>\n

PUKA<\/abbr> is on view through March 25, 2027, at the First Hawaiian Center, 999 Bishop Street<\/a> in Honolulu. The exhibition is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.–4 p.m.<\/p>\n

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K\u016b Moe<\/em>, by Lily Kam\u0101lamalama Kelly-Jervis<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Waiohunu<\/em>, by Kapulani Landgraf<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Three students exhibit alongside professor Kapulani Landgraf at First Hawaiian Center. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":241838,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[105,1000,71,66],"class_list":["post-241834","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-news","tag-art","tag-photography","tag-uh-community-colleges","tag-windward-community-college","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t