Australian Aboriginal activist, Dr Gary Edward Foley gave a talk about the restitution of the Parthenon Marbles yesterday, comparing the restitution of Aboriginal cultural artefacts to the ongoing campaign for the return of the Parthenon Marbles.

Parthenon Marbles in British Museum

From:
Greek Reporter

Aboriginal Activist to Give Lecture on Parthenon Marbles’ Return
by Ioanna Zikakou
Mar 4, 2015

Starting this Thursday, the 2015 Greek History and Culture Seminar series, organized by the Greek Community of Melbourne for the fifth consecutive year, will take place in the community’s new building. The seminars’ inaugural lecture is on March 5 with Aboriginal activist Dr Gary Edward Foley and Greek-Australian University of Melbourne professor Nikos Papastergiadis.

During his speech, Foley will focus on the recovery of cultural heritage and the return of Aboriginal antiquities, alongside the Parthenon Marbles case. This will be the first time that an Aboriginal will present his speech before the Greek Community of Melbourne.
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Katherine A Schwab’s drawings of the Parthenon Sculptures will go on display at Creighton University’s Lied Art Gallery in Omaha, Nebraska. The exhibition opens on February 21 and runs through to March 29.

Parthenon sculptures drawing by Katherine A. Schwab

From:
Greek Reporter

Parthenon Secrets ‘Unleashed’ in Nebraska
by Katerina Papathanasiou – Dec 17, 2014

Visitors from across the world will have the opportunity to steal a glance at a lesser-known side of the ancient Greek Parthenon, its severely deteriorated metope sculptures, on the occasion of the exhibition “An archaeologist’s Eye: The Parthenon Drawings of Katherine A. Schwab’’ that will be hosted at Creighton University’s Lied Art Gallery in Omaha, Nebraska, from February 21 through March 29. This marvelous collection, organized by the Bellarmine Museum of Art at Fairfield University (Connecticut), Creighton University (Omaha) and the Timken Museum of Art (San Diego), consists of thirty-five drawings of Dr. Katherine Schwab crafted on paper with the use of graphite and pastel pencil.

Through her personal drawing project, the American art historian of Fairfield University provides her audience with her own interpretations of the ancient Greek world by disclosing an amazing representation of some, previously damaged, fabulous metope sculptures of great narrative push. The drawings, casting light on the connection Schwab seems to have developed with the original sculptures’ creators of the most protuberant sanctuary of the Athenian Acropolis, are divided into three thematic units. The first one, embracing the popular Greek mythology theme of the fight between Olympian gods and earthborn giants, consists of sixteen graphite and pastel depictions of the east metopes. The second unit illustrates twelve graphite drawings inspired by the Sacking of Troy, while the third, based on a careful selection of figures from the Parthenon pediments and frieze, includes seven graphite sketches.
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Susan Woodford is giving a gallery talk on the Parthenon Sculptures. It will take place in the Duveen Gallery at the British Museum on Friday 12th December (tomorrow).

From:
British Museum

Gallery talk
The sculptures of the Parthenon

Friday 12 December,
13.15–14.00
Room 18
Free, just drop in

A gallery talk by Susan Woodford, independent speaker.

Gallery talks last 45 minutes.

They are given by Museum staff or guest speakers and are suitable for all levels of knowledge.

More coverage of the Promakhos movie which is now scheduled to open in Greek cinemas from November 27th onwards.

Promotional image for the Promakhos movie

from:
Kathimerini (English Edition)

Monday November 24, 2014
New film, ‘Promakhos,’ makes case for return of Parthenon Marbles

Two lawyers fight for the return of the Parthenon Marbles from the British Museum to Greece in a film produced by Greek-American brothers Coerte and John Voorhees, due to open at theaters on Thursday, November 27.

The brothers were in the Greek capital last week to promote “Promakhos,” which they have also written and directed, and spoke to the press about the project and what they hope it can achieve. John and Coerte are the sons of a US-based lawyer who has been an active campaigner for the return of the Parthenon Marbles to Athens. Coerte studied history and classics at Georgetown University. “Promakhos” is their first film.
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I was fortunate enough to see a preview screening of Promakhos a few months ago. It is now going to be possible for the public to see it, in both Sydney & Melbourne as part of the Greek Film Festival.

The Sydney screening will be followed with a Q&A session with David Hill, chair of the International Association of the Parthenon Sculptures.

Promotional image for the Promakhos movie

From:
Greek Film Festival

CLOSING NIGHT EVENT: Promakhos
Greece/USA/UK, 2014, 91mins (Drama)
Director Coerte Voorhees and John Voorhees

Someone needs to stand up for Greece, make a case for her…”

For over two centuries, the legality behind the removal of the Parthenon Marbles from the Acropolis has been the subject of much controversy and passionate debate. Very credible cases against the British Museum have been put forward by a number of lawyers – including the father of this film’s makers – however, Greek governments have steered clear of any involvement.
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A lecture by Alan Read at the Dulwich Picture Gallery (with a somewhat controversial choice of title) looks at how the significance of the Parthenon Marbles has changed over time.

From:
Dulwich Picture Gallery

The Elgin Marbles: looted or rescued?

The Parthenon sculptures have been the subject of controversy since their creation 2,500 years ago. How did a Scottish aristocrat acquire the very best of them, and how did the British Museum buy them in 1816? This lecture celebrates their magnificence, and examines how their significance has changed, from decorations on an ancient temple to disputed cultural objects in the present day. Lecturer: Alan Read

Date: 18 November 2014, 7pm
Price: £12 / £10 Friends (includes a glass of wine)

Professor Dario Siegle is organising a one day conference on the Parthenon Sculptures, taking place in Rome on Wednesday 8th October 2014.

There are various speakers from Greecec & Italy taking part in the event.

You can view the programme for the event here.

Conference flyer

This story interests me, a it shows the growing level of support for re-thinking ownership of disputed cultural property. Gradually, it is becoming harder & harder for museums to just completely ignore the subject & pretend it doesn’t exist.

Miniconjou chief Spotted Elk lies dead after the Wounded Knee Massacre

From:
Rock River Times

NIU exhibit addresses looting, repatriation as they relate to museum collections
April 2, 2014
Online Staff Report

DEKALB, Ill. — The Northern Illinois University (NIU) Art Museum will present Looting, Hoarding, Collecting …, an exhibition curated by students in the Museum Exhibitions and Interpretation class as a part of the Museum Studies Graduate Certificate Program at NIU. This exhibition will be on view in the North and Hall Case Galleries of the NIU Art Museum from April 3 through May 23; a public reception will be from 4:30 to 7 p.m., April 3.

This exhibition explores historic and current issues of looting and repatriation as they relate to museum collections. These issues have just begun to be examined in depth, and continue to challenge museum curators as they attempt to sort through the murky provenance of looted artifacts to determine whether objects should be returned to their original owners.
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Professor Dusan Sidjanski of the Swiss Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Sculptures is giving a talk to the Association of Greek Academics in Switzerland. The talk is titled “Europe & the Marbles – a common cause”.

For more details, see the flyer below.

Flyer for the talk

Katherine A. Schwab, a professor of Art History at Fairfield University is exhibiting her drawings of the Parthenon Marbles. The exhibition opens in New York City on January 16th. See the article for further details of other dates after that.

Parthenon sculptures drawing by Katherine A. Schwab

From:
VirtualStrategy.com

National Tour of Parthenon Drawings by Fairfield University Professor Opens in NYC on Jan. 16. 2014
PRWeb
Monday, January 13th 2014

An exhibition of drawings of the Parthenon by Fairfield University professor of art history Katherine A. Schwab, Ph. D., opens it national tour from January 16 through Feb. 13, 2014, at the Greek Consulate General in New York. Comprised of thirty-five works on paper, “An Archaeologist’s Eye: The Parthenon Drawings of Katherine A. Schwab,” combines art, history, and archaeology to powerful effect and will travel the U.S. through 2017.

Fairfield, CT (PRWEB) January 13, 2014

Combining art, history, and archaeology to powerful effect, “An Archaeologist’s Eye: The Parthenon Drawings of Katherine A. Schwab,” a new exhibition of drawings by Katherine A. Schwab, Ph. D., Fairfield University professor of art history, provides a glimpse into a world once inhabited by the ancient Greeks. Comprised of thirty-five works on paper, the exhibition opens to the public at the Greek Consulate General in New York on January 16, 2014, and is on view there through February 13, 2014. It then will tour nationally through 2017, marking the first time this collection of drawings travels in the United States. (full exhibition schedule follows). The Greek Consulate General in New York is located at 69 East 79th Street, New York, NY. Visiting hours are Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Admission is free.
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I meant to post about this ages ago – but the arrival of our first child has rather disrupted my daily routine.

Anyway – in Sydney at the moment (their final day is about to start around now), is a round table event to discuss the Parthenon Marbles issue, organised by three different pro-restitution organisations from the USA, Australia & UK.

Further details of the programme for the event can be found here.

From:
Archaeologia

International Colloquy about the Parthenon marbles opens on Friday
Tuesday, 12 November 2013

Only few days are left before the opening of the International Colloquy: “Parthenon. An Icon of Global Citizenship”. The event will be opened on Friday the 15th of November 2013 by the Premier of NSW, The Hon Barry O’Farrell MP. The opening function will take place inside the Nicholson Museum at the University of Sydney.

“Colloquy” is the latin word for “speaking together” and the organisers of this event are trying to extend this conversation out of the limiting boundaries of a lecture hall. Using popular Social Media platforms like Facebook and Twitter they will try to include a larger number of participants on the four key workshop topics: Education, Litigation, Activism and Economy. Participants will be able to follow the online conversation and discuss/comment in real time.
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A bit late posting this, as the event has already started.

The Third International Conference of Experts on the Return of Cultural Property is currently taking place in Greece, with events at a variety of locations.

If you want further details of the event, have a look at this web page.

3rd International Conference of Experts on the Return of Cultural Property

From:
Greek Ministry of Culture

3rd International Conference of Experts on the Return of Cultural Property

4/10/2013

As a follow-up to the Second International Conference of Experts on the Return of Cultural Property, held in Seoul, Republic of Korea, 16-17 October 2012, the Hellenic Ministry of Culture and Sports organizes the Third International Conference of Experts on the Return of Cultural Property.
The Conference will be held from Wednesday 23 until Saturday 26 October 2013. The opening ceremony, as well as the procedures of the first day will be accommodated in the auditorium of the Acropolis Museum, while the rest sessions from Thursday 24 to Saturday, October 26, will take place in Ancient Olympia (SPAP Conference Center).

The conference program is divided into two main areas:
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