Which 1939 travel destination inspired Georgia O'Keeffe to paint a series of works commissioned by the Hawaiian Pineapple Company?

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Hawaii inspired Georgia O'Keeffe to paint a series of works commissioned by the Hawaiian Pineapple Company in 1939.

The company, later associated with the Dole Food Company, invited O'Keeffe to travel to the islands and create images connected with pineapple production. During the trip she painted plants, flowers, landscapes, and other aspects of the Hawaiian environment.

The commission expanded the geographic range of her subject matter. O'Keeffe was already closely associated with New York and New Mexico, but the Hawaiian paintings introduced tropical vegetation and unfamiliar landscapes into her visual vocabulary.

The project is sometimes confused with her later trips to Mexico, which became another important source of inspiration. Hawaii was the destination for the commercial commission, while Mexico was connected to a different period of her artistic travel.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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