Doris Duke's Islamic Treasures at Nevada Museum of Art

RENO GAZETTE-JOURNAL
By Johnathon Wright

Islamic architecture, gardens, religion and art, and Doris Duke’s collection. Courtesy of Nasher Museum

NEVADA---An urge to preciseness, to aesthetic numeration, comes over me as I walk through "Doris Duke's Shangri La," the exhibit of Islamic art running through Aug. 31 at the Nevada Museum of Art. Exactly how many tiles are in that stonepaste panel? How many arabesques (repeating geometric shapes) compose that screen? "There is a purpose and meaning behind everything," said Amanda Horn of the NMA, who guides my tour. Take those arabesques. Their sheer multiplicity often is used to symbolize the infinity of God. [link]

Nevada Museum of Art: "Doris Duke's Shangri La: Architecture, Landscape and Islamic Art," (Ends Aug. 31); 160 W. Liberty St., Reno, NV; nevadaart.org