Open Letter to British Museum Director Neil MacGregor @britishmuseum
It is an egregious mistake to continue lending artifacts which were ill gotten, looted or stolen from various cultures around the world in an attempt to expand the original mission of the British Museum when created by your Parliament in 1753, to "allow every citizen to explore the whole world in one building."
Most recently, the decision to loan the statue of Greek river god Ilissos, part of the Elgin Marbles, has been derided by some as controversial while sanctions are imposed upon Russia by Britain. Others cite the appearance of Putin celebrating it as a sign of his power. Others say it is a representation of a bridge to understanding.
I see it as a defiant ignoring of the Greek government's request for its return in a manner that equates to thumbing your nose at the culture and people from where it came.
As a United States citizen of Greek descent, I am offended by your institutions use of a Greek stolen artwork to make any kind of statement or gesture.
The only sincere gesture needs to be your return of this piece, as well as the thousands of other items which you possess under criminal activity or shady history at best. This goes for not only items accrued from Greece, but all nations and cultures you have pilfered.
If there has been a claim for the item's return, it is in the best interest of the reputation for the British Museum to return those items. In cases where a clear claim can not be defined, creating a shared exhibition of those items makes for a truly democratic approach to offering the world's art to every citizen.
(Sergei L. Loiko / Los Angeles Times, as appeared 12/19/14.)
http://www.latimes.com/world/europe/la-fg-russia-elgin-marbles-20141219-story.html
http://www.trbimg.com/img-54939ce0/turbine/la-la-fg-elgin-marbles02-jpg-20141218/750/750x422
While visiting Montreal in 2006, I was awe struck by an image from a Greek settled area of Egypt from about 2,500 years ago. The luminance of the wealthy patron's face truly glowed from the skilled hand that had applied rosy tones of pigment mixed with beeswax. The work was magical.
I tried walking away from her several times but felt compelled to return to burn her image into my mind. She is vividly there today. I was appreciative that the sharing of your institution to that in Montreal had allowed me to witness her beauty and wonder of the artist who had captured her so deftly.
I had not wondered if the item was acquired under suspicious circumstances. Now I do wonder.
And for every wide eyed witness to the treasures you share as your own, the cloud of suspicion tainting those works will forever hang until you do the right thing.
PS - The Russian government your government sanctions, (on this I agree), continue to leave all artifacts discovered by six archeological teams in Crimea to local museums, according to State Heritage Museum curator Anna Trofimova, as quoted in Los Angeles Times, 12/19/14. How democratic.
titsay
yousharknotpass
turnnoffyourmind
theartofmadeline
romaincrisis