Shangri La to open
for public exhibition

The late tobacco heiress Doris Duke
left her estate to promote Middle Eastern art

Mecca marker

---

By Nadine Kam
nkam@starbulletin.com

It's been nine years since tobacco heiress and philanthropist Doris Duke died, leaving more than 90 percent of her estate to "promote the study and understanding of Middle Eastern art and culture."

Her wish will come true Nov. 6, when tours of her Islamic-style estate begin.

Shangri La was Duke's home from 1938 until her death in 1993 at age 80. Situated on five acres of oceanfront property at the base of Diamond Head, the estate houses Duke's extensive collection of Islamic art, featuring more than 3,500 objects.

Deborah Pope, executive director of Shangri La, said she was speechless when she first stepped into the home.

"I realized there was a whole dimension to this woman besides what we've read and what we've seen in made-for-TV movies," she said.

"The way things are arranged, set up, framed -- she was able to put major emphasis on what she knew were significant pieces of work. I would call those curatorial decisions.

"I thought that anybody who could do this has a whole side to them that has yet to be revealed," Pope said.

Great pains were taken to restore and refurbish, rather than alter, the home.

"It's still very much Doris Duke's home," Pope said.

In addition to glass, ceramic ware, textiles and chests with mother-of-pearl inlay, many works of art are embedded in the structure of the house, including carved wooden doors, marble screens and tile murals reflecting both secular and religious aspects of Islam. The objects reflect the presence of Islam around the world, from Uzbekistan and Iran to Spain, France, China and Indonesia.

Tours will run at intervals between 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Wednesdays to Saturdays. Because of the fragile nature of the property, tour groups are limited to 12 people and are not appropriate for children under 12.

Ninety percent of the estate went to the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation and the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art.

Tickets cost $25 per person ($15 with proof of local residency) and include van transportation to and from Shangri La from the Honolulu Academy of Arts.

Reservations are required and can be made by visiting www.honoluluacademy.org or by calling 866-DUKE-TIX (385-3849).

Tours will run 2 1/2 hours, beginning with a video presentation at the academy about the life of Doris Duke, with 1 1/2 hours spent at Shangri La.

With a $3 million grant from the DDFIA, the academy will also develop programs and activities focusing on Islamic and Hawaiian art and culture.

The academy will unveil its new "Arts of the Islamic World" gallery on Oct. 27, which will serve as the orientation center for Shangri La tours. For more information about the academy's programs, call 532-8700.