Join us in June when we journey to Oahu for curator-led tours of two extraordinary exhibitions at Honolulu Museum of Art:  Divine Disruption: The Art of Tsherin Sherpa, in which the acclaimed Nepalese artist aims to recontextualize traditional Himalayan Buddhist art with a new contemporary relevance through paintings, sculptures, and a carpet; and Worlds Within, a retrospective of work by Toshiko Takaezu (1922-2011), most noted for her “closed form” ceramic sculptures but also works in painting, textile, and bronze.  The curatorial team will also bring into focus the museum’s rich Pan Asian Art and Japanese Woodblock Prints collections; while an Asian art researcher will give a talk on Quiet Luxury: Subversive Fashion in the Edo Period.

We are thrilled to have two Society for Asian Art members provide a personal introduction to their beloved home city and also host a reception featuring Hawai’ian delicacies at their home:  Fred Sheng, Asian Art Museum Storyteller; and Robert (Bob) F. Oaks, PhD, independent historian, and former Asian Art Museum and Honolulu Museum of Art Docent. 

Other Tour Highlights

Ø  Exclusive tours at two extraordinary house museums:

·       Shangri La Museum of Islamic Art, Culture & Design, the former home of heiress Doris Duke (1912–1993), whose travels through Egypt, India, and the Middle East in the 1930s inspired her to design a home (completed in 1938) that reflected the beauty, diversity, and craftsmanship of Islamic art and architecture while also complementing the natural landscape of Hawaiʻi.  Its collection was assembled over a period of nearly 60 years and numbers approximately 4,500 objects and cultural resources; today it continues its commitment to deepening the understanding of Islamic art, culture and design through ongoing acquisitions.  (see above left)

·       Liljestrand House, the former home of Dr. Howard and Betty Liljestrand (he was the son of missionaries and grew up in China) and designed by famed Hawaii architect Vladimir Ossipof.  The house (completed in 1952) incorporates Chinese/Japanese-inspired modern design to complement a fine collection of Japanese, Chinese and Hawaiian art and memorabilia.  (see above right)

Ø  Guided visits to three shrines and temples for immigrant communities from East Asia:

·       Izumo Taishakyo Mission, erected in 1922 by a master builder from Japan and one of the few active Shinto shrines in the U.S., where we will receive a private blessing

·       Hsu Yun Temple, built in 1956 and possibly the oldest Chinese temple in the West

·       Mu-Ryang-Sa Korean Buddhist Temple, the largest Korean temple outside of Korea, surrounded by replicas of pagodas and statues dating to the 5th century, and designed for monk retreats and meditation

Ø  Tours focusing on Hawai’i’s complex history, including:

·       Bishop Museum, which has the world's largest collection of pre-contact Polynesian cultural artifacts as well as natural history specimens; we will also see a planetarium show that highlight Polynesian voyaging and celestial navigation, and enjoy lunch with the museum’s historian, who will share insights into Hawai’ian foodways

·       Hawaiian Mission Houses Historic Site and Kawaiaha’o Church, both built by early missionaries in 1821 and 1842, respectively

·       Iolani Palace, built in 1845 as the official residence of the monarch until the 1893 overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawai’i, and featuring an architectural style found nowhere else in the world, combining imported Western styles with unique Hawaiian traits (see image above)

Ø  Visit the studio of a local artist who lives in the hills near Diamond Head

Ø  Stay five nights at the Prince Waikiki, a stylish, four-star hotel occupying a pair of 28-story towers facing the Waikiki Yacht Club, where our rooms all have stunning ocean views (see images below)

A final, updated Itinerary will be sent to you two weeks prior to the tour. 

MODERATE

This trip involves boarding and disembarking from a coach or van, and standing and walking for extended periods during museum visits and tours.  Participants should be in good health and with overall good mobility, and should be comfortable participating in at least three to five hours of activity each day.  Each participant is responsible for his/her own health, mobility, and personal care for the duration of the tour.  If a participant requires special assistance, he/she must be accompanied on the tour by a companion who will provide such assistance.  Any condition that requires assistance or special medical attention or devices must be disclosed at the time of registration.  

Travel insurance is recommended for this tour if there is any chance of a health event for you or a family member prior to or during the tour dates.