GALLERY
On View In The Islands

The Head of Asura, a gift of John Young in 1991, is about 19.5 inches tall and dates to the 12th century. An "asura" is a demon and can usually be identified by its fangs.

Academy to return
Angkor statues

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Star-Bulletin Staff

The NINth-century stone head of Shiva and the 12th-century stone head of an "asura," or demon, are prime examples of the rich artistic legacy of Angkor civilization in Cambodia. But the means by which the two gifts came to the Honolulu Academy of Arts is less stellar.

Although the donors purchased the sculptures through reputable sources, the artifacts turned out to be goods stolen from a temple in Angkor during a period of political and civil unrest. The academy confirmed the thefts after extensive research, and the museum trustees voted unanimously to return them to Cambodia.

The two stone sculptures will remain on view through this month in the academy's newly opened John Young Gallery of Southeast Asian Art. They will be repatriated in April when museum director George Ellis and a delegation of trustees travel to Cambodia. The artifacts will eventually be on exhibit in the National Museum of Phnom Penh.

The academy is open 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and 1 to 5 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $7, $4 to seniors, students and military. Admission is free to members and children 12 and under, also free to everyone the first Wednesday and Sunday of each month. Call 532-8700 for more information.

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