The Honolulu Museum of Art (HOMA) is joining other major museums in stepping up to bring art into our lives while we’re necessarily lying low in hopes of avoiding either falling victim to the coronavirus or unintentionally transmitting it to others.

The museum itself closed yesterday and will remain closed at least for the rest of the month.

But in a separate email, the museum announced its participation in the #museumfromhome movement.

We are firm believers in the power of art to connect, educate, empower, delight, or simply encourage us to think about the world in different ways. While HoMA is temporarily closed—and we all get used to spending a lot more time at home—we’re joining others in the museum community and taking part in the #museumfromhome movement. Stay tuned to our Instagram and Facebook channels over the next couple of weeks, where we’ll be bringing art to you! We’re hoping to keep things interesting, uplifting, and thought-provoking as we embark upon this brave new world of social distancing, and we’re looking forward to staying connected with you digitally….

What we’re up to this week:

While Doris Duke Theatre is temporarily closed, we’re getting our cinema fix by catching up on films from February’s Honolulu African American Film Festival 2020. Two festival favorites are available online: The Burial of Kojo is currently on Netflix, and you can rent Waves through Amazon Prime Video.

Check out this New York Times video about artist Sam Gilliam’s (featured in Presence) approach to his work and process, in conversation with artist Rashid Johnson (featured in the 30 Americans exhibition).

We’re working through cabin fever with more visual inspiration from Artnet, who compiled a list of artworks that celebrate the joys of being at home.

And today we got the latest news.

We hope you are all staying healthy and safe during this time. Since we were not able to hold A Think and A Drink this month, Stephen Salel, Robert F. Lange Foundation Curator of Japanese Art, very thoughtfully put together a presentation on Hokusai’s “Great Wave Off Kanagawa”.

Thanks to all the staff and volunteers of the museum for sharing these different ways we can continue to enjoy the collections, and the broader world of art, from the relative safety of our homes.