Tommy Hite is a contemporary artist born and raised in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. His work centers around the concept of contrast, drawing inspiration from his experiences growing up in an urban environment on a tropical island. A child of the late 1990s and early 2000s, Hite’s artistic voice is shaped by the cultural influence of hip hop and skate culture, two worlds that have deeply informed his visual language, sense of movement, and creative independence.
Of mixed Caucasian and Filipino heritage—referred to in Hawai‘i as “Hapa”—Hite inherently embodies contrast, and his work often reflects this duality as a symbol of cultural identity. He creates imagery and scenes that echo his environment, merging the prestige and tradition of fine art with recycled materials, found objects, and everyday relics.
This interplay of classical and contemporary, personal and cultural, results in work that is both visually grounded and conceptually open-ended. Through this, Hite invites viewers to not only engage with what is present on the surface, but also to explore the layered meanings within.
Tommy Hite received his BFA in Painting from the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa in 2017. Since then, he has continued his professional practice as a contemporary artist, participating in numerous group exhibitions and producing several solo shows. He is currently based in Brooklyn, New York, where he continues to expand his practice and engage with new creative communities.
2023
“Wow Look At That”
Solo Exhibition at Kaiao Space Gallery, Chinatown, Honolulu
“Flesh and Bones”
Group Exhibition at Mori Gallery, Honolulu, Hawai’i
“artXchange”
Group exhibition at the Royal Hawaiian Center, Waikiki, Honolulu
2020
“Stock Keeping Unit”
Solo exhibition at Manifest wall Gallery, Chinatown, Honolulu
“Quo Vadis”
Group exhibition at Van Dar Plas Gallery, New York City, New York
“Why Are You Painting”
Group exhibition at Honolulu Museum of Art, Honolulu, Hawai’i
2019
“Artropocene : iBiennale MMXIX”
Group exhibition at the Y center for Visual Arts, Iwilei, Honolulu
“Honolulu Social Realism pt.2”
Solo exhibition at Ars Gallery, Kapahulu, Honolulu
2018
“Contact Zone”
Group exhibition at Honolulu Museum of Art School, Honolulu
“Art In Time”
Group exhibition at Hawai’i State Art Museum, Honolulu
“Semi-Neoclassical”
Solo exhibition at Aupuni Gallery, Kaka’ako, Honolulu
2017
“Contact 3017”
Group exhibition at Honolulu Museum of Art School
“Systems: BFA 2017 Show”
Group exhibition at The Art Gallery, UH Manoa
“Urbanity Honolulu”
Group exhibition at Aupuni Place Gallery, Ward Warehouse, Honolulu
“More Cops Than Rainbows”
Solo exhibition at Information’s wall Gallery, Chinatown, Honolulu
“Untitled”
Solo exhibition at Manifest’s wall Gallery, Chinatown, Honolulu
2016
“Honolulu Social Realism”
Solo exhibition at Hound and Quail’s Outpost Gallery, Chinatown, Honolulu
2013
“T-Galleria”
Group installation at the DFS Galleria, Waikiki Honolulu