Name/Title
Hawaiian Iwa (Great Frigatebird) StatueEntry/Object ID
MK_0341Description
Posed majestically outside the Mauna Kea's Manta restaurant, is this grand bronze statue of an Iwa bird, crafted by renowned architectural sculptor Edward Brownlee.
Born in Oregon, Brownlee moved to Hawai‘i to complete his Master of Fine Arts in 1954, where he developed a distinctive modernist sculptural approach influenced by the art of Oceania, Asia, and the Pacific Northwest. This great Iwa bird, a type of great Pacific frigatebird, reflects his unique style, drawing together Hawaiian heritage with his more modernist and abstract style. The stylised bird, wings outstretched, evokes Hawai‘i’s enduring traditions and their transformation over time.
Brownlee , a longtime friend of the Mauna Kea, also crafted the bespoke display for the hotel's collection of Asian bells and gongs, housed on the 3rd Floor of the Beach Wing.
This treasured piece has been in the Mauna Kea’s collection since 1965, when Laurance Rockefeller developed the hotel, and was recently restored.Made/Created
Date made
circa 1965Place
State/Province
Hawai'iCountry
U.S.A.Continent
North AmericaDimensions
Height
51 inWidth
36 inLength
49 inLocation
Room
Manta RestaurantFloor
Promenade LevelBuilding
Main Tower