Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art at Shangri La
Honolulu, HI
Deadline: 7 June 2010

CURATOR OF ISLAMIC ARTS
DORIS DUKE FOUNDATION FOR ISLAMIC ART at SHANGRI LA
The mission of the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art is to promote the study and understanding of Islamic arts and cultures. Shangri La is the Foundation’s center for Islamic arts and cultures, which is housed in the former Honolulu residence of philanthropist and collector Doris Duke (1912 – 1993).

The Collection
Shangri La was built between 1936 – 1938 as Doris Duke’s private estate and to house her growing collection of Islamic art. The collection is comprised of approximately 3,500 objects ranging from pre-Islamic material to early 20th century commissions, in a wide variety of media. The collection is particularly strong in material from the 17th through 20th centuries, and in ceramic tiles and vessels. It additionally includes household furnishings, clothing, archives, and a small working library. A significant portion of the collection is integrated into the historic architecture.

The Position
The Curator of Islamic Arts has primary responsibility for the research and interpretation of the collection, and will provide the vision for and manage collections-based activities that support the organization’s mission, including:
On-site, travelling and Web-based exhibitions
Print and Web-based publications
Collections-based public programs and symposia
Visiting scholar and artist programs
Conservation of Shangri La’s art and architecture

The Curator will work closely with the Programs Manager and Collections Manager, conservators and a variety of consultants; participate in meetings of the DDFIA Board and Advisory Council; and develop strong relationships with other museums and academic institutions. S/he will be active in the field of Islamic arts and culture, represent the Foundation at conferences and symposia, and stay abreast of and contribute to current research and developments in the field.

Qualifications
The successful candidate will hold a PhD in Islamic Art, or have equivalent work experience. S/he will exhibit the capacity to employ an interdisciplinary approach to his/her work and to develop innovative programs that reflect current research and engage diverse audiences. Proven success at providing leadership, building supportive relationships and working as a team player is essential. S/he must demonstrate curatorial and conservation knowledge as well as advanced research and computer skills; familiarity with The Museum System (TMS) is desired. A working knowledge of Arabic and/or Persian is also desired.

Candidates at various levels of experience and expertise will be considered; compensation will be commensurate with experience.

While the position is envisioned as full-time, more flexible part-time or seasonal schedules may be feasible.

The Curator will report to the Executive Director of Shangri La and be a member of the leadership team charged with implementing the strategic plan to strengthen Shangri La as a center for Islamic arts and cultures.

For further information on Shangri La and its Collections, visit: www.shangrilahawaii.org.

How to Apply
To be considered for this position, forward your resume and cover letter via e-mail to SLCurator.hr@ddcf.org. Indicate your interest in this position, your salary requirements, and whether or not you are currently eligible to work in the United States.

Applications will be accepted beginning May 1, 2010, and ending June 7, 2010.
All candidates will receive a response.

No Phone Calls Please
Do Not Apply in Person

Doris Duke Theatre, Honolulu Academy of Art, Honolulu, HI, USA
$25; $20 Academy members; $10 students with ID

April 16 & 17 at 8 p.m.
April 18 at 4 p.m.

Honolulu’s diverse dance communities are integrated in this innovative program showcasing professional and semi-professional dancers, who will perform either in pairs or in concert with a musician. The program includes the premiere of a new contemporary ballet piece Minou Lallemand choreographed for Duets; Japanese dance set by Gertrude Tsutsumi; Korean dance by Halla Huhm student Mary Jo Freshley; Balinese dance by Desiree A. Seguritan, and a special appearance by Los Angeles-based Simeon Den, back in town to perform a poignant modern-dance duet about mortality. Three sets of three duets (no longer than five minutes each) will be performed, with two brief intermissions.

more info | purchase tickets

Curated by Gina Caruso
Sponsored by the Philippine Medical Association of Hawai’i
Doris Duke Theatre, Honolulu Academy of Arts, Honolulu, HI, USA

20 – 30 April 2010

Once again Film Curator Gina Caruso scouted the best in new Filipino film, including Last Supper No. 3, winner of the Best Film award at the 2009 Cinemalaya Film Festival, the Philippines’ Oscars. Details about opening and closing nights of festival to come.

Many thanks to The Philippine Medical Association of Hawaii; Edward Cabagnot, the Division Chief of CCP Media Arts Division and Programmer of Cinemalaya and Culture, Vicky D. Belarmino, Arts Officer and Film Archivist of the CCP Media Arts Division and the Assistant Festival Coordinator for Cinemalaya; Jing Racelis and Ellen Ongkeko-Marfil for the Philippine Independent Filmmakers Multipurpose Cooperative.

LAST SUPPER NO. 3 – HAWAII PREMIERE | trailer
Director: Veronica Velasco
2009, 83 mins.
Tagalog with English subtitles
April 20 and 21 at 1 p.m., 4 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.

Based on a true story, this film is a hilarious satire about Wilson Nañawa’s nightmarish odyssey through the Philippines’ corrupt legal system. Working as an assistant production designer, he is assigned to find a Last Supper wall hanging, which adorns the walls of many Filipino homes, to use as a TV commercial prop. He finds three but misplaces one of them, and Wilson, an obsessive perfectionist, is catapulted into a bureaucracy that spins out of control. GMA News film critic Melissa de Los Santos writes, “Last Supper No. 3 proves to be a movie one cannot pass up. It is humor with brains…a look at society and its imperfections without being too dark and depressing. It is a testament to the Filipino spirit, how one copes despite hardship and coming out triumphant in the end.”

COLORUM – HAWAII PREMIERE
Director: Jon Steffan Ballestero
2009, 110 mins.
Tagalog with English subtitles
April 22 and 23 at 1 p.m., 4 p.m,. 7:30 p.m.

After 30 years in prison, the aging Pedro re-enters the world and encounters Simon, a young, ambitious policeman, who earns extra cash as the driver of a colorum FX, an illegal taxi owned by his godfather. When Simon kindly offers to drive Pedro to a bus station, the two become involved in a hit-and-run accident and go on a sudden “road trip.” The journey and moral dilemma, entwined with Filipino history and an odd cast of characters, are symbols of a nation at a crossroads.

DINIG SANA KITA/IF I KNEW WHAT YOU SAID | trailer
Director: Mike Sandejas
2009, 88 mins.
Tagalog with English subtitles
April 24 and 25 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 7:30 p.m.

A powerfully charming indie teen romance about wealthy, rebellious teenager Niña and hearing-impaired orphan Kiko. While Niña, the lead singer of a rock band, is alienated from her family, Kiko, a dancer is desperately seeking his mother. The two meet in a police station where they’ve both been detained for brawling. Kiko’s gentle demeanor calms Niña, and in a camp for the hearing impaired, they build a friendship based on their passion for music. But they find that life is different outside the camp. “A gem of a film that delights and inspires,” writes Darwin Chiong, film critic for GMA News. This film received 4 stars at the Hawaii International Film Festival 2009.

CONCERTO
Director: Paul Alexander Morales
2008, 114 mins.
Tagalog with English subtitles
April 27 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 7:30 p.m.

Set in Davao during the Japanese Occupation of the Philippines, this film is based on the historical events written in the diary of Lt. Col. Anastacio Campo, Diary of the War: Memoirs of WWII. A family flees the bombing of Davao and moves to a farm. While they attempt to maintain normalcy in a pastoral landscape, they befriend some soldiers in the Japanese camp. And music ultimately fosters a deeper, more poignant connection between the family and the soldiers.

BIGTIME – HAWAII PREMIERE | trailer
Director: Mario Cornejo
2005, 105 mins.
April 28 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 7:30 p.m.

In this clever, fast-paced film two small-time criminals attempt to kidnap a teenage girl who dreams of stardom, while he mother tries to marry her off to a local politician. The kidnappers botch the job and find themselves in over their heads when they encounter their victim’s suave, manipulative boyfriend, who is the son of mob boss Don Manolo, who fashions himself after The Godfather. Film critic Oggs Cruz writes on his blog, Oggsmoggs, “[Big Time] is easy to enjoy, blanketing its genre affiliations with its extraordinary grasp of pop culture. The film’s vocabulary, composed of references to mass culture, both past and present, is used to communicate its effective brand of humor, dark yet wildly efficient.”

DED NA SI LOLO/GRANDPA IS DEAD | trailer
Director: Soxy Topacio
2009, 90 mins
Tagalog with English subtitles
April 29 and 30 at 1 p.m., 4 p.m., 7:30 p.m.
Purchase tickets online.

A family is forced to reunite and put up with each other during the wake for their dead father in this brilliantly cathartic, entertaining comedy, which was a hit at the 2009 Hawaii International Film Festival. Although the Hernandez family is famous for being drama queens, their compassion for each other is revealed in private moments. As we get to know family members through their personal stories, we see that in life and in death, Filipinos have the best strategy for coping with tragedy: together.—Synopsis adapted by Siege Malvar. (Details about opening and closing nights of festival to come)

more info | film festival flyer