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"The Mystique of Sandalwood"
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5/3/2005  ATLANTA — The Savannah College of Art and Design, in association with Chan Lai Wa and the China Red Sandalwood Museum of Beijing, presents "The Mystique of Sandalwood" May 3–June 18 at Savannah Gallery, 3096 Roswell Road. The exhibition features unique red sandalwood furniture and sculpture never before exhibited in the United States and is free and open to the public. Several pieces in the exhibition-including ornate screens, benches, footstools, tables, armchairs and an intricately carved canopy bed-will be available for sale. Each piece reflects the aesthetic and geometric balance associated with classical Chinese furniture design, and is authenticated and certified by the curators of Beijing's Forbidden City Palace Museum. Native to southeast Asia, red sandalwood is considered a rare and precious timber that is highly prized for its rich crimson hue and floral scent. It can take up to a century for a sandalwood tree to mature, making an inch of the wood worth an inch of gold, according to one Chinese proverb. Sandalwood is even attributed with medicinal qualities, with some believing it can stanch bleeding, cure respiratory disorders and balance digestion.  Sandalwood was first popularized in the 14th century when the Ming Dynasty began using it in palace furnishings and sculpture, and it was nearly exhausted due to its high demand. Sandalwood pieces became priceless artifacts that were passed down from generation to generation, and the artistry of sandalwood sculpture nearly vanished with the near-extinction of the wood. Chan Lai Wa, a prominent member of the People's Republic of China whose family lineage includes several skilled sandalwood artists, started the China Red Sandalwood Museum in Beijing in 1999 to support the preservation, research and exhibition of the ancient Chinese art of sandalwood carving and sculpture. Her collection of dynastic sandalwood art and furniture is now one of the most significant in the world, and Chan is internationally recognized as one of the foremost experts on ancient sandalwood sculpture. As a highly respected cultural leader and arts patron in China, Chan works to promote the appreciation of art through educational exchange and philanthropy. In addition to the China Red Sandalwood Museum, she established an apprentice studio in Beijing, where artists are trained in traditional Chinese furniture craftsmanship to ensure the passage of this ancient art form.  Chan is also the chair of Fu Wah Furniture Enterprises Ltd., a Beijing-based company that specializes in the reproduction of traditional Chinese furniture, and Fu Wah International, a real estate, tourism and electronics development firm based in Hong Kong. Chan serves as a member of several of China's leading business and political agencies including the National Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, Beijing's People's Political Consultative Conference, the Central Democratic Unifying and Promoting Committee, the China Industrial and Commercial Committee, and the Beijing Municipal, Industrial and Commercial Committee. Forbes Magazine recently named her as one of the wealthiest entrepreneurs in China. In recognition of her contributions to art, history and culture, Chan was awarded an honorary doctorate of humanities by SCAD in 1999. Chan was elected to the college's board of trustees in 2000, and this spring the college will formally dedicate an administrative building located at 622 Drayton St. as Lai Wa Hall.
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