August 12, 2010
Is London a safer location for the Parthenon Marbles?
Matthew Parris in The Times has (although I am still hoping the remarks were made tongue in cheek) sadly descended to the level of many other commentators in the past, who claim that London is a far safer location for the display of the Parthenon Marbles. Notwithstanding any other issues associated with this argument, the fact remains that even the supposedly safe places can become unsafe – meaning that there is no form of guarantee that London is any safer than Athens for the display of artefacts. This fact is evidence by such things as the huge number of artworks destroyed in the collapse of New York’s World Trade Center in 2001.
If the argument is taken to its logical conclusion, then surely all artefacts should be located in secure underground vaults – perhaps only viewable by video cameras. If this was the case though, it should be determined by some sort of international body, by the voluntary consent of the parties concerned, not post-rationalised bay a single party without any sort of real consent from the original owners.
From:
The Times
May 20, 2010
Never mind the oil slick, just watch our carpet
BP should take a wider view when it comes to health and safety
Matthew Parris[…]
Losing their Marbles
Speaking of mayhem, I see a silver lining to the cloud of rioting and destruction in Athens. I’ve always felt that there was merit in the argument that, as the Elgin Marbles were part of the Parthenon, they should be reunited with it, but I’m equally impressed with the argument that they were brought to Britain for safekeeping, and are ours now. It is at last clear how these two may be reconciled. Bring the Parthenon to London, too, for safekeeping.
[…]
- Ridiculous statements about the Parthenon Marbles in letter to Metro : April 16, 2012
- Lord Elgin’s great great great grandson on the Marbles : January 8, 2009
- A compelling reason why the Parthenon Sculptures should be reunified in Athens : October 30, 2010
- A home fit for the Parthenon Marbles : December 5, 2008
- The Parthenon Sculptures in the British Museum : November 29, 2007
- Bishop calls on Church of England to support return of Marbles : March 31, 2015
- The best location for the Parthenon Marbles : July 2, 2009
- Select committee findings on the Elgin Marbles : June 16, 2007
DR.KWAME OPOKU said,
08.13.10 at 4:31 pm
This is a strange way of thinking. If things are taken to a place for safe-keeping, and we know that this was not the intention of Lord Elgin when he brought the Parthenon Marbles to London, they do not, by that act change ownership. Change of ownership surely involves more than the broken duty of safekeeping. Imagine the banks and other financial institutions adopted this stance.
Dr.Kwame Opoku.