More coverage of the exhibition of recovered Afghan Artefacts at the British Museum. Neil MacGregor talks about reunifying these pieces & the story that they tell – but seems far less concerned about the welfare of many other artefacts already in his collection.

From:
Time

Lost and Found: Afghan Treasures Reunite at the British Museum
By William Lee Adams / London Sunday, Mar. 27, 2011

In the minds of many outside the country, Afghanistan occupies a space somewhere between war and chaos. But millennia before the Soviet invasion kicked off 30 years of conflict and upheaval, and well before the Taliban began to brutalize its own people, Afghanistan flourished as a hub along the Silk Road. From as early as the first century B.C., the region was known as a meeting place for artisans and traders, not warlords and insurgents.

That’s the implicit message of the British Museum’s latest blockbuster exhibition, Afghanistan: Crossroads of the Ancient World. Running until July 3, it brings together 230 objects that have survived bombings and lootings and deliberate destruction by the Taliban. “I hope this exhibition will introduce our ancient civilization to the British people, who usually hear stories of killing in Afghanistan,” says Omara Khan Masoodi, the director of Kabul’s National Museum, which has loaned all of the artifacts on display while it is being rebuilt following years of war. “Afghani people aren’t just fighting with each other. They love their culture, their art, and know the value of these things.” (See pictures of Afghan art.)
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According to this article (I haven’t read the longer article that it refers to), the British Museum would be willing to “rent” the Elgin Marbles back to Greece. Whether or not they would in practise though is unlikely to be put to the test, as engaging in such an agreement would be unacceptable to the Greeks, as in many ways, it endorses the UK’s claims of ownership over the sculptures.

I have a feeling that any rental agreement would be full of so many pre-conditions that it would never be acceptable & would never go ahead – it seems that until such offers take a more palatable form, they are nothing but talk – the Museum knows that they will not be taken up on what they are saying.

From:
Greek Reporter

British Museum Offer to “Rent” Parthenon Sculptures to Greece
Posted on 24 March 2011 by Anastasia Miskedaki

The British Museum is not willing to give back the Parthenon Sculptures to Greece, stated Neil Macgregor, the Museum’s director. But, Greece can rent them if it wants.

A two page tribute and an interview with Neil Macgregor is included in the Spectrum insert of The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper. The museum’s director will offer the speech that he is going to give at the Art Gallery in Sydney, for the presentation of his new book.
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The Koh-i-Noor diamond might be the artefacts from India that grabs the most headlines, but there are many other artefacts from the country also located in museums & private collections abroad.

From:
Times of India

National treasures scattered across the world
Reema Gehi, Mumbai Mirror Mar 19, 2011, 12.48pm IST

As the Pearl Canopy of Baroda goes up for auction soon, we take a look at other such national treasures scattered across the world

The remarkable objet d’art — Pearl Canopy of Baroda — will soon be auctioned at Sotheby’s, New York. It is estimated to fetch $5 million (about Rs 22.51 crore).
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British Museum director Neil MacGregor talks in Grand terms about an exhibition of rescued artefacts from Afghanistan, describing their existence as part of the overall story. Why is it then, that so little is made of the stories behind the acquisition of so many artefacts in the museum’s collection, focussing instead only on how the objects were created in the first place.

From:
Edmonton Sun

Karzai opens London show of rescued Afghan treasures
By Stefano Ambrogi, Reuters
Last Updated: March 6, 2011 10:00pm

Even in the chaos and violence of war there is hope. That is the message running through a new British Museum exhibition of Afghanistan’s ancient treasures thought lost, destroyed, or looted over the past 30 years.

The collection of 200 priceless artefacts spanning 4,000 years of history, from enameled Roman glass goblets, stunning solid gold headdresses and polished stone tableware from Egypt, were saved by a handful of Afghan officials who risked their lives hiding them.
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This review of the British Museum aptly describes the Parthenon Sculptures as “Most Contentious Artefact of all time”. While this is currently the case, it does not need to continue this way. They are notorious because of the actions of Elgin & the continued retention by the British Museum – something which distracts from being able to see them as works of art in their own right.

from:
Spoonfed

The British Museum

A few steps north of Soho this huge and entrancing museum tells the history of the world through the medium of stolen or borrowed artifacts, snaffled up by British explorers in the 18th and 19th century and preserved forever in this magnificent British setting.

The award for ‘Most Contentious Artefact of all time’ is held by the Elgin Marbles which adorn a purpose built section of the Museum. There’s also a fabulous collection of Mummies and other Egyptian treasures stolen with equal audacity, including the Rosetta stone which is worth a look – a translating tool that looks like it fell out of the hold of a space ship. If you feel like moving beyond the more popular rooms, then have a look at the trove of Saxon treasure, including intricate gold work from our own shores.
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Andrew George MP, Chair of the Marbles Reunited campaign, explains some of the reasoning behind his request that the the British Government return the Parthenon Sculptures.

From:
politics.co.uk

Comment: No bailout, but will the Elgin marbles do?
Tuesday, 28 June 2011 10:35 AM
We might not want to be involved in the bail out, but returning the Elgin Marbles would show we are Greece’s friend.
By Andrew George MP

Whilst the current financial crisis dominates all current press coverage relating to Greece, there is no reason why we should use this as an excuse to ignore other key Anglo-Hellenic issues.

At present, news coming from Greece is predominantly negative – returning the Parthenon Sculptures (popularly known as the Elgin Marbles) would give people there something positive – a reason to celebrate and something that would increase the tourist draw to the country, helping to revive their economy.
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As if, being encumbered by anti-deaccessioning rules, yet continually trying to find ways around them (when it suits), isn’t enough, the British Museum’s director is objecting to the sale of artworks from a private collection. This is despite the fact that the acquisition of the paintings were from a ship that was seized – and therefore, not exactly intended to be a part of the history of the Church of England when they were created.

From:
Typically Spanish

Church of England plans to sell 12 works by Zurbarán
By h.b. – Feb 8, 2011 – 1:37 PM
There are protests about the planned sale in the U.K.

The Church of England plans to sell 12 works from the Spanish painter, Francisco de Zurbarán, considered to be one of the moral symbols of the institution.

A row is breaking out over the future sale of Las doce tribus de Israel, Jacob y sus hijos, which have been decorating the halls of Auckland Castle in Durham since the 18th century.
The works date from about 1640 and were headed for the United States, but the boat carrying them was attacked by British pirates who then reportedly sold them to the best bidder.
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Looting of artefacts, particularly during invasions & times of occupation, is something that has gone on for thousands of years. More recently though, some cases have gained a much higher profile & in some instances, this has led to the disputed artefacts being voluntarily returned.

From:
The National (UAE)

Homelands seek to reclaim art gone astray
Anna Blundy
Last Updated: Feb 1, 2011

According to the Book of Chronicles in the Bible’s Old Testament, “King Shishak of Egypt attacked Jerusalem and took away the treasures of the Lord’s temple and of the royal palace. He took everything, including the gold shields that Solomon had made.”

Seizing the artworks of a country or a people has always been used as a politically motivated cultural rape in times of conflict. Thus, artworks of disputed ownership have always been in the news. Just last week Germany again rejected Egypt’s demand to return its 3,350-year-old bust of Nefertiti, and there have been battles over ancient Etruscan artwork and Aztec artefacts, not to mention the Elgin Marbles, a collection of classical Greek marble sculptures, inscriptions and architectural artefacts that were part of the Parthenon and other buildings on the Acropolis of Athens. They were brought to Britain by Lord Elgin in the early 1800s, remain in the British Museum and look likely to stay there.
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Deaccessioning is a problematic topic for many museums – particularly those in the UK, where the law prohibits many of them from disposing of artefacts except in certain very specific circumstances. It is however, an issue that remains on the agenda – not least because whilst budgets of museums are cut, the size of their collections is ever increasing, yet much of it is never on public display. Institutions such as the British Museum hide behind the anti-deaccessioning clauses in their governing act of parliament, as a way of avoiding any sort of serious debate in many restitution cases. Surely though, there should be some more easy mechanism for downsizing vast collections, or loaning the items out on a more long term basis.

Many museums arguing that by keeping items in the public realm, they are serving an important educational purpose. It must be considered however, that if many of the items are not on display, the public is generally unaware of their existence (yet at the same time continues to pay for their storage & upkeep).

From:
BBC News

19 January 2011 Last updated at 06:30
London museums urged to show more ‘hidden’ artefacts

Museums in London are being urged to get more of their collections out of storage and on display as funding cuts will mean fewer landmark exhibitions.

Many museums in the capital keep more than 90% of their collections stored away.
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Despite, or maybe because of the current controversy surrounding its ownership & loan, the Cyrus Cylinder has attracted large numbers of visitors, during its temporary return to Iran.

From:
Tehran Times

Cyrus Cylinder draws about 190,000 visitors to National Museum of Iran
Tehran Times Culture Desk
January 27, 2011

TEHRAN — About 190,000 people visited the Cyrus Cylinder exhibit at the National Museum of Iran (NMI). The artifact was loaned by the British Museum on September 10, 2010 to the National Museum of Iran for a four-month show that ended on January 10.
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Whilst the loan (& hopeful extension of the loan) of the Cyrus Cylinder to Iran should be welcomed, there is an issue to consider, that in the context of Iran, President Ahmadinejad is trying to use it in some ways to give himself an additional sense of legitimacy within the country. There is no right or wrong answer, but in the end, whilst the location of artefacts is a political issue, this does not necessarily justify them being used as a political pawn to suit other motives.

From:
CAIS

Cyrus the Great Cylinder and Ahmadinejad’s quest for legitimacy
Saturday, 08 January 2011 10:18
By Amir Taheri

LONDON, (CAIS) — Hoping to regain a measure of legitimacy in the wake of the disputed presidential election in 2009, Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad may be trying to recast himself as a nationalist leading a struggle against foreign foes.

We have already noted this trend in previous columns as, slowly but surely, the president abandoned the standard Islamist discourse in favour of a nationalist one.
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Contrary to other recent reports, it appears that there is still doubt about whether the loan of the Cyrus Cylinder to Iran will be extended for three months as requested.

From:
Tehran Times

Monday, January 10, 2011
Cyrus Cylinder show extension not confirmed
Tehran Times Culture Desk

TEHRAN — The National Museum of Iran (NMI) curator said on Wednesday that so far, the report on the extension of the showcase for the Cyrus Cylinder in Tehran has not been officially approved.

Bloomberg and several other foreign websites published a report on Wednesday announcing that the British Museum has agreed to extend its loan of the artifact for three more months in response to a request by Iranian authorities.
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