OVER 2,500 PIECES OF ISLAMIC ART ARE EXHIBITED THROUGHOUT THE HOME. THE MAZE OF HALLWAYS WEAVE THROUGH INDOOR AND OUTDOOR SPACES THAT ARE DECORATED WITH INTRICATE HAND CARVED FURNITURE AND PAINTED TILES. THROUGHOUT THE CREATION OF SHANGRI LA, DUKE WAS VERY INVOLVED IN THE ENTIRE PROCESS. SHE CREATED THE ORIGINAL LAYOUT OF THE HOME, TRAVELED OFTEN TO ACQUIRE MORE ART AND EVEN DID HANDS ON WORK TO PRESERVE AND PERFECT EACH SPACE. TODAY, SHANGRI LA IS RECOGNIZED FOR ITS HIGH ARTISTIC VALUE AND OPENS ITS DOORS TO THE PUBLIC TO PROMOTE THE STUDY AND UNDERSTANDING OF ISLAMIC ARTS AND CULTURES.
A RECENT FIELD TRIP TO SHANGRI LA WAS AN ENLIGHTENING EXPERIENCE THAT GAVE ME INSIGHT TO ISLAMIC ART AND THE LIFE OF AMERICAN HEIRESS AND PHILANTHROPIST, DORIS DUKE. SHANGRI LA IS LOCATED IN AN AREA THAT I VISIT FREQUENTLY, YET I HAD NO KNOWLEDGE OF ITS EXISTENCE UNTIL RECENTLY. PERHAPS THIS IS BECAUSE THE HOUSE WAS BUILT TO BE DUKE'S PRIVATE SANCTUARY. IT WAS A PLACE TO ESCAPE THE MEDIA ATTENTION AND PUBLIC SCRUTINY SHE GREW UP WITH DUE TO THE WEALTH SHE INHERITED FROM HER FATHER.
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