Many Hands Make Light Work

This year our HIFF archival screening night honors Ruthadell Anderson and all those that helped her create the massive tapestries that hang on the walls of the Hawaiʻi State Capitol. For nearly 50 years they have adorned the Senate and House chambers, quietly  providing color, background, style, and decoration – but it took a village to create them.

This program opens with an excerpt from the documentary “Hawaii State Legislature: E Komo Mai, The House Is Yours” directed by George Tahara (1969) and followed by archival film of the making of the State Capitol tapestries directed by Web Anderson (1970).

Join us as we take a look back in time to see the many hands that made light work.

The Weavers:

Ruthadell Anderson, Lynn Beveridge, Eva Marie Judd, Shelley Osborne, Frances Olsen, Catherine Lenox, Morlee Walters, Mary Mitsuda, Marie Yamaguchi, Paulette Petrowsky, Kathryn Tsushima, Kirie Tateishi, Margaret Dinell, Hedy Karasow, Caren Lee, Charles Myers, Janice Kagihara

Credits:

Program excerpt:
“E Komo Mai : The House is Yours” Hawaiʻi State Legislature, George Tahara Collection, 1969

16mm Tapestry footage:
Ruthadell and Web Anderson Collection, 1969 - 1971

Audio of Ruthadell Anderson:
“Artist of Hawaiʻi” - Hawaiʻi State Department of Education, 1984
“Spectrum, Ruthadell Anderson” - KHET-TV, 1993
“Creation of the Hawaii State Senate and House Chamber Tapestries,” 2012