Georgia O’Keeffe at the New York Botanical Garden

Pioneering American modernist Georgia O’Keeffe (1887–1986) conveyed a distinct sense of place with innovative depictions of her surroundings, from stark New Mexican landscapes to New York cityscapes. Yet flowers and plants were subjects that engaged O’Keeffe throughout her career. Curated by Theresa Papanikolas, Ph.D., of the Honolulu Museum of Art, this landmark exhibition will offer a rare focus on 20 of O’Keeffe’s depictions of Hawai‘i from a nine-week sojourn in 1939 while on commission to produce images for a Hawaiian Pineapple Company promotional campaign.

A lush exhibition in the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory of Hawaiian flora and a stunning display in the LuEsther T. Mertz Library Art Gallery that includes more than 15 of O’Keeffe’s Hawai‘i paintings—not seen together in New York since their debut in 1940—will spotlight a transformative experience in the legendary artist’s life, revealing O’Keeffe’s deeply felt impressions and the enduring influence of the Islands’ dramatic landscapes and exotic plants.