Doris Duke and James Cromwell pose by the Jali Pavillion at Shangri-La
Review by Julie Z. Russo
Two North Carolina universities are sponsoring the work of Islamic artists this summer providing audiences with a perspective of cultures spanning several continents and created over more than a thousand years. The exhibits encompass a wide range of artifacts and artworks that convey an aesthetic idealism of beauty. From the vision of a garden of Eden and the earthly paradise bestowed upon a man and woman, stories unfold from the artwork. Objects speak of the traditional customs of dowry jewels, rose petals in water sprinkled from delicate flasks, and ornate archways and doors of temples transporting guests to ethereal plateaus during ceremonies. This majestic and idyllic version of life captivated the passionate and wealthy collector Doris Duke (1912-1993) and she embarked on a lifetime of collecting to extoll this splendor.
Construction of her Hawaiian estate called Shangri-La, started in the 1930s, and its development continued for 60 years during her lifetime. For the first time in the U.S., the public will get an overview of this beautiful and rarefied life, as well as an appreciation for the disciplined, elaborate and time intensive labors involved in the fabrication of artwork and architecture. It is the largest private collection of Islamic art ever on display at Duke University’s Nasher Museum of Art in Durham. Challenging traditional art forms with fluid "trans-national iconographies (and their attendant idealogies)", A Leaf from my Rose Garden, featuring the work of contemporary Iranian-American Hedieh Jaanshir Ilchi, is on display at the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art (SECCA). The exhibit is sponsored by the University of North Carolina School of the Arts in Winston-Salem.
Audiences learn that Islamic art is actually a very broad term including both religious and secular works spanning many countries including Africa, Asia, India, Indonesia, and the Middle East that evolved as the Muslim religion spread throughout these regions over hundreds of years. During her honeymoon traveling abroad, Doris Duke was first inspired by the beauty of Islamic art. In the secluded and exclusive Honolulu, Doris found the perfect place to house her treasures. She embarked on an architectural project to build Shangri-la to reflect her passion for eastern art and bearing the name of the paradise of James Hilton’s 1933 novel Lost Horizon.
19th Century Northern Indian Hand Mirror © 2006 David Franzen
Today Shangri-la serves as a public educational foundation for Islamic arts, and several of the artists who have spent time there in recent years will be conducting presentations at the Nasher Museum between now and December. Alongside traditional calligraphy, music, and dance performances, contemporary arts share space with 60 Islamic works created between the 900s and the 1900s. The traditional pieces include ceramic Turkish pottery, ornate and detailed Iranian painting and woodwork, jeweled Indian ornaments and glassworks, and an Uzbekistani tapestry, a stark contrast when compared to the playful or irreverent socio-political paintings of contemporary artists like Ms. Javenshir Ilchi.
Large-scale photographs of Shangri-La along with architectural paintings provide an understanding of the size and detail of the 14,000-sq. ft. estate. Workshops are being held at both Nasher and SECCA in order for teachers’ to learn about how to integrate Islamic art making practices in their classroom. Student lesson plans at Nasher include learning about the art of collecting, designing doors, dance and music techniques, or telling stories with artwork. Leaf from my Rose Garden at SECCA runs through Sept. Shangri-La at the Nasher Museum opens Aug. 29 and runs through December 29, 2013.
Photo Credits for images on homepage and above article:
1. Iranian (Isfahan), Lunette, 1938-39. Stonepaste: monochrome-glazed, assembled as a mosaic; (28.6 x 57.8 x 8.9 cm). © 2011, Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art, Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Photo by David Franzen.
2. Doris Duke and James Cromwell pose by the Jali Pavillion at Shangri La, 1939. Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Historical Archives, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Duke University. Photo by Martin Munkacsi.
3. Northern Indian, Hand mirror, 19th century. Jade, gold, gemstones and mica; 9.125 inches diameter (23.18 cm). © 2006 David Franzen. Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art, Honolulu, Hawai‘i.
4. Artwork by Hedieh Javanshir Ilchi: A leaf from my rose garden. Organized by SECCA; Curated by Steven Matijcio