Alison Moritsugu’s concern for the rapidly changing landscape of Hawai‘i led her to explore the loss of endemic species that have been overwhelmed by modern transplants. Plants introduced to the islands for commercial and ornamental purposes have become so widespread that even residents consider them to be island natives. Using decoration as a metaphor, Moritsugu has created lush floral wallpaper patterns for each alcove of the Glyndor entrance foyer. Floral motifs are the basis of wallpaper design, but here they convey a distinct message about the interconnection between plants, animals and people. The floral in each alcove features an introduced flourishing transplant. Hidden within the negative space is the ghost-like native, a threatened or endangered plant that has been overtaken. Look closely to find the title of each floral within the design and the birds that are endangered or extinct. As the shelter of the native plants disappears, birds, which are key pollinators, are threatened. The endemic plants and animals survived for centuries making each island a unique ecosystem. Today, many are extinct replaced by sprawling development and opportunistic replacement species.

Alison Moritsugu is known for her Luminist landscapes painted on log slices that caution about impending destruction of the land. Her work has been exhibited throughout the country, including solo exhibitions at the Beacon Project Space, Beacon, NY; Littlejohn Contemporary, New York, NY; Knoxville Museum of Art, Knoxville, TN, and the John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Sheboygan, WI. She received a New York Foundation for the Arts Painting Fellowship, and has participated in residencies such as the MacDowell Colony for the Arts, and the AIM Program at the Bronx Museum of the Arts. For more information www.littlejohncontemporary.com.