August 30, 2005
MEDIA CONTACT: Caroline Witherspoon
or Jocelyn Collado
Becker Communications
(808) 533-4165
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BISHOP MUSEUM SHOWCASES THE BEAUTY AND TRAGEDY
OF THE NORTHWESTERN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS WITH ARCHIPELAGO
HONOLULU – Award-winning photographers and environmentalists David Liittschwager and Susan Middleton showcase a breathtaking selection of the native flora and fauna of the remote Northwestern Hawaiian Islands , both terrestrial and marine in Bishop Museum ’s upcoming exhibit, Archipelago: Portraits of Life in the World’s Most Remote Island Sanctuary. The exhibit opens in the Castle Memorial Building , 2 nd floor on October 15, 2005 with guided tours through the exhibit at 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. Visitors are invited to the gallery for an informal walk-thru of the exhibit with exhibit creator Susan Middleton, where she will provide further insight into the amazing photographs. The exhibit will be on display through December 18, 2005.
Extending more than 1,200 miles from Honolulu , the beautiful Northwestern Hawaiian Islands are designated refuges of rare seabirds and marine life. Middleton and Liittschwager have combined artistic and scientific concerns to illustrate the richness and value of this older, remote portion of the Hawaiian archipelago and the importance of its future protection. The exhibit will provide a forum for education and increasing public awareness by contrasting the beauty of these hidden wonders with the ecological damage caused to the islands by refuge.
Archipelago: Portraits of Life in the World’s Most Remote Island Sanctuary is made possible with support from the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and is sponsored in part by Sheraton Hotels & Resorts in Waikiki . The exhibit coincides with the release of the book by the same title. The newly published book will be available at Bishop Museum ’s Shop Pacifica and other fine bookstores.
Middleton and Liitschwager are internationally known for their arresting portraits of endangered North American plants and animals. They have published three books and they won an Emmy in 1997 for the National Geographic television documentary America ’s Endangered Species: Don’t Say Goodbye.
A treasured resource of Hawaiian history and heritage Bishop Museum was founded in 1889 by Charles Reed Bishop as a tribute to his wife Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop, the last descendant of the royal Kamehameha dynasty. Located at 1525 Bernice Street , the Museum is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $14.95 for adults; $11.95 for youth 4-12 years, special rates for kama ‘āina , seniors and military; children under 4 years and Bishop Museum Members are free. For information, call 847-3511 or visit www.bishopmuseum.org.