Moemoeā

Through fantasy and found materials, Maui-based Noah Harders’ first museum exhibition invites viewers to peer into another world. Moemoeā—which, roughly translated, means “to dream” or “fantasy”—reveals Harders’ technical skill in fabricating surrealist, haute-couture creations out of flowers, leaves, lobster shells, fish bones, and other found organic materials. See his artistry expressed through self-portraits shot in his home studio along with several of his signature mask sculptures. 

Harders was born and raised in Waikapū, where he lives on land inhabited by his ancestors for hundreds of years. Having attended the School of The Art Institute of Chicago, Harders returned home to Maui where he began to create enticing wearable art made of discarded flowers and found plant materials. The artist describes his growth spanning multiple practices—installation, traditional basket weaving, fashion design, and photography—as a “crazy progression of finding myself.” 

Exhibition trailer

Moemoeā: A Conversation with Noah Harders