The Painted King: Art, Activism, and Authenticity in Hawai’i
by Glenn Wharton
University of Hawai'i Press, 2011
Available through Amazon.com
The Painted King presents a model for community-based conservation. Dr. Wharton’s account of his ethnographic and participatory research in conserving the famous sculpture of King Kamehameha reads almost like a detective novel. He excavates public memory and stimulates critical thinking among local residents who take on the responsibility of deciding how to represent the Native Hawaiian past. There are clear parallels to conserving contemporary art as conservators, artists and other stakeholders combine forces to research and negotiate conservation decision-making.
“The Painted King will be essential reading for creators, curators, and devotees of public art.” – David Lowenthal, University College London; author of The Past is a Foreign Country
“Glenn Wharton combines a deep knowledge of art conservation and its professional problems, an intensive study of a statue, and a profound sociological understanding of community structure to tell a compelling story of the conflicts that lie behind the practice of conserving works of art.” – Howard S. Becker, author of Art Worlds