"Mauna Kea Beach Hotel in the island of Hawai'i houses an extraordinary collection of over one thousand art works of Asian and Oceanic cultures. Laurance S. Rockefeller assembled the collection while designing and building the hotel, with the objective of making art and integral and influential feature of the resort environment. The collection provides an opportunity to study and appreciate the rich and diverse artistic, religious, and cultural traditions of Asian and Pacific cultures. Through historical commentary and stunning color photography, this book presents some of the most important pieces in the collection. The art works profiled here reveal the creativity of the peoples of India, Southeast Asia, China, Japan, Melanesia, and Polynesia." [from inside the front flap]