Collectors throughout the world have long been fascinated with Hawai'i's beauty, its tropical location, and its unique history and culture. Objects reflecting many aspects of Hawai'i are found not just in museums but in private collections around the world, and they are the subject of Finding Paradise. Spanning the period from pre-Western contact to statehood, this book examines in text and images the art, the culture (both high and low), and the mystique of the Hawaiian islands.
A lavishly illustrated book that includes over 500 color photographs, Finding Paradise features extensive coverage of paintings and painters, prints and printmakers, and a valuable discussion of "The Hawai'i One Hundred," a list comprised of one hundred essential books printed before the end of the nineteenth century. There are also essays on surfing, the 'ukulele, the promotion of Hawai'i as an island "paradise" in printed materials and popular kitsch, and the development of the Hawaiian quiltmaking tradition, as well as sculpture and the decorative arts (ceramics, furniture, and jewelry).
