Heiress' home nearing goal of public display
By Suzanne Roig
Advertiser East Honolulu Writer
The Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art has formed a partnership with the Honolulu Academy of Arts that addresses neighborhood concerns and moves the tobacco heiress's estate one step closer to its goal of opening the mansion and its priceless art collection to the public.
David Franzen • Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art
The opening is tentatively set for October 2002.
Doris Duke often played the Steinway piano in the central room of the Playhouse, which features a fanciful mix of an Islamic-style painted ceiling, Indian draperies and Persian paintings of the late 19th century.
Neighbors of Shangri La, the name given Duke's home on Papu Circle in the exclusive Black Point area of Diamond Head, had expressed concern over traffic once the mansion is opened to the public. But under the partnership, the foundation will start tours from the art center on Beretania Street and restrict vehicles to two vans that will take visitors to Shangri La.
The limited number of vans is part of the city's conditional use permit that allows the foundation to bring about 100 people a day four days a week, but no more than 24 at a time. The limitations go a long way toward satisfying neighbors.
"The partnership fulfills the terms of the will to provide access to scholars and students and to promote Islamic art," said Deborah Pope, executive director of Shangri-La.
"This place is so unique that the art is imbedded into the house.
"We recognize we have a lot to share and to teach about the diversity of Islamic art and culture."
As part of the agreement, the foundation gave the academy a $3 million grant, in part to be used to build a gallery of Islamic art that will feature aspects of Duke's collection, create multi-disciplinary programs related to Duke's home, renovate the 300-seat theater and rename it in honor of Duke.
Public meeting
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What: The status of the Doris Duke Foundation's plans for the heiress' mansion and Islamic art collection and how that will affect the neighborhood will be discussed before the Wai'alae Kahala Neighborhood Board.
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When: 7 p.m. tomorrow
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Where: Wesley United Methodist Church, 1350 Hunakai St.
"I'm very happy with this arrangement," said Charles Goo, a Papu Circle resident. "I see the foundation and the academy as embracing the same vision, sharing the same goals. It perpetuates the dream of Doris' through the medium of education."
Duke, the only child of American Tobacco Co. founder James Buchanan, died in 1993 and left behind a $1 billion estate, most of which was given to charity. Her will stipulated that her Honolulu home be opened to the community. Since her death, the New York City-based foundation has been working out the details to honor her wishes. The foundation, which operates properties in Hillsborough, N.J., and Newport, R.I., has assets totaling $1.5 billion.
Duke's Black Point home features an extensive collection of Islamic art including tile work, painted ceilings, carved doors, marble screens, textiles, ceramics and paintings.
David Franzen • Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art
The partnership was essential to staying within the confines of the city permits allowing the foundation to open the 4.9- acre estate to the public for a meeting facility. Between now and October 2002, the foundation will be busy with $2 million in art restoration, upgrading the home's security to meet museum standards, upgrading the sewer system to meet city requirements and hooking up the home to a larger water main, another city requirement, Pope said.
The Playhouse, which served as a guesthouse, is modeled after the Chihul Sutun, a 17th-century garden pavilion in Isfahan, Iran.
The restoration work will take place in the main house and on parts of the grounds, she said.
"We wanted to reach a broader audience, so by using the academy as part of the origination, we address the concerns of the neighbors and the permit requirements," Pope said.
The museum is looking forward to the partnership, said George Ellis, executive director of the Honolulu Academy of Arts in a written statement. "We are fortunate to have access to one of the most extensive collections of Islamic art in the United States."
Reach Suzanne Roig at sroig@honoluluadvertiser.com or 395-8831.
