On the Return of Art and Antiquities
You can't pick up a newspaper or visit an art blog these days without running into a story about some country suing an American museum or institution over the return of some artwork or antiquities which may have made their way to the US through either shady means or even forgotten formal agreements.
And now Bloomberg reports that the government of Peru plans to sue Yale University, over hundreds of artifacts taken from the ancient city of Machu Picchu nearly a century ago.
And this may be the straw that breaks the camel's back (or in this case the llama's back).
The artifacts made their way to the US through Yale archeologist Hiram Bingham. One side claims that the artifacts were on loan. Yale contends the artifacts were legally excavated and exported "in line with the practices of the time."
And if these artifacts were sent to the US through some agreement with the Peruvian government nearly a century ago, then Yale has a case for keeping them; otherwise -- in the event that the American archeologists simply found them, crated them and shipped them to the US - all on their own -- then today's courts may well rule in Peru's favor.
And that straw that may break the camel's back may also unlock Pandora's box (which Greece will soon be suing for).
First: let's get one thing clear: Nazi art loot should and must be returned to their original owners or descendants.
But for most of all the other demanding of artwork returns: where does it stop?
Because unless you have some official paperwork signed, stamped and approved (and recognized as valid) then...
Does every Roman artifact in museums around the world have to be returned to Italy? And do Italian museums have to return Roman antiquities that were made in other parts of the Roman Empire to the nations that now exist there? And Italy better start packing the 13 Egyptian obelisks that are all over Rome: Cairo is clearing out some spaces for them.
Every Greek vase back to Greece? But do Greek museums have to return Cypriot antiquities to Cyprus?
Does every mummy have to find its way back to Egypt?
That "official" cadaver of Christopher Columbus in the Havana Cathedral? Sorry... back to Spain; or is it Italy, or Portugal? All three of those nations currently claim him as a native son, although I suspect that the Grand Admiral's descendants, currently living in Spain, have first dibs on Chris' bones.
And the fake Columbus cadaver in the Seville Cathedral? Back to Genoa, even if it's fake (just in case).
After all, that fake Scottish Stone of Destiny has made its way back to Scotland (God only knows where the real one is), but there are probably hundreds of thousands of antiquities (if not millions) from all over the world disseminated... all over the world.
Our own Smithsonian has over 100,000 pre-Columbian antiquities in its inventory (most of which are not even on display). Do the ones that were created by pre-Columbian artisans from north and south of our border have to be returned to the countries that now exist there?
Unless these museums have a provenance with lots of country of origin stamps authorizing the removal of the antiquity, I'd be pretty nervous if I was one of those museums.
And even if you have such a paper, what's to stop today's version of a country's government from saying that they do not recognize the authority of their predecessors to allow the removal of a national treasure from their nation.
And where does it stop?
Frida Kahlo was essentially ignored by Mexico while she was alive, and yet decades after her death she was deified outside of Mexico, and eventually the government of Mexico made her works a national treasure and forbade the export of any of Kahlo's works from Mexico. I think that this is a good (if late) thing for Mexico and Mexicans.
But what's to stop a future Mexican government from demanding the return of any and all Frida Kahlos outside of Mexico back to her mother nation.
It would just be a case of this "return" trend being pushed a little more.
Personally, I think that from now on, when I visit foreign museums, I will be making a list of American Indian artifacts in those museums, and they better damned have a piece of paper somewhere full of stamps and signatures from the Sioux, or the Walla Walla, or the Cheyenne, or the Seminoles or the Oneida or whatever indigenous Native American nation that currenly lives in the USA created them.
Official export paperwork from the United States government is not valid, and will not be accepted, regardless of how many non-Indian Washington, DC officials have signed it.
Of course, that may also mean that every non-Indian museum in the USA itself, would have to return every Native American Indian artifact back to their tribes.
Makes my head hurt...
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
The show, as a whole, is garbage
So writes JT Kirkland as he trashes what has been called the worst Whitney Biennial of all time.
Kirkland is kinder to some, including Zoe Strauss when he writes: Zoe Strauss' photos are thought-provoking, quiet, striking and humble. They feel very real... well, because they are.
Read Kirkland's review here.
Unfortunately, in the WB they have a hard time grabbing a viewer's attention... even when shown as a slideshow. One must sit down and just look to get swept up in Strauss' world.
But, while I viewed the show I lost count of the number of people who walked in and out almost immediately looking for the next porn video or loud sound. Speaking of loud sounds... the curators really hurt Strauss' show by allowing the incredibly loud noises from neighboring installations to creep into her space.
Strauss' work is more enjoyable when in silence. But silence allows thought and the curators couldn't have that. Funny thing is that Strauss' work stood up to the noise and certainly could have handled silence.
Opportunity for Artists
Deadline: April 15, 2006
unRappahannock County, Virginia is a juried exhibition of themes and visions contrary to the scenic, small town, and natural settings of Rappahannock County, VA. The gallery is looking for work that captures visions of urban sprawl, waste, pollution, traffic, mass culture, etc.
Open to artists living in DC, MD, PA, VA, and WV.
Jurors: Jane Livingston, who is a well-known independent author and curator living in Rappahannock County and Chris Johns, Editor in Chief of National Geographic Magazine.
Size Limit: No larger than 42" in length or width. No 3D works or prints (monoprints & photos accepted). Work must have been created within the last two years.
Prizes: $600 in cash awards. 30% commission to gallery.
Dates: Show June 2 - July 2.
Entry Fee: $25/1-3 slides labeled with name, title, medium, dimensions.
Send slides and application fee to:
Middle Street Gallery
P.O. Box 341,
Washington, VA 22747
Include SASE for return of slides. Info at 540-675-3440.
Irvine's new space
Martin tells me that it's all done and that Irvine Contemporary has signed the lease for Fusebox's old space at 1412 14th Street, NW.
And the fair Heather sent me the below pic showing the new space entrance.
They will be moving in May 1st, and having a kickoff party on May 12th.
This coming Friday Irvine will be hosting Susan Jamison & Robert Mellor’s solo exhibitions and the farewell to their old space.
Opportunity for UMD artists
Deadline: April 13, 2006
The Union Gallery at the University of Maryland has a call for artwork for Unjuried II, a campus-wide showcase of student creativity.
All University of Maryland students are invited to exhibit their artwork in an upcoming exhibition at the Union Gallery, located in the Stamp Student Union.
This unjuried student exhibition will open on April 29th and run through May 12th. The exhibit will be on display during Maryland Day and Art Attack! One piece of artwork from the exhibition will be selected for purchase by the Union with a purchase award of $400.
Submissions are accepted from all UM students (not just art majors). That means all you architecture, journalism, theater, music, landscape architecture, English and yes, even Engineering students are encouraged to submit! The exhibition is also open to acts that can be performed in the Union Gallery, such as readings and musical performances.
Registration forms are available on the Union Gallery website at www.union.umd.edu/gallery or can be picked up in the Art and Learning Center and the Union Gallery.
Registration forms are due by April 13th. No late registrations will be accepted.
There is a limit of two (2) submissions per student and only one (1) piece is guaranteed entry in the show. Artwork may not exceed five (5) feet in any dimension and must be finished work that is presented in a professional manner (i.e., mounted, framed or otherwise ready to hang or display). Please include directions for hanging or displaying.
All work must be dropped off on Thursday, April 20th or Friday, April 21st , between noon and 6PM.
Got questions? Please contact them at uniongallery@umd.edu or visit their website at www.union.umd.edu/gallery.
Phillips Collection Launches Interactive Online Catalogue
The Phillips Collection is now providing worldwide access to its American art collections with the launch of a new interactive online program.
The virtual catalogue, American Art at the Phillips Collection, is centered on a timeline of world events, providing a context for 150 years of American art. It features detailed biographies of nearly 150 artists and full-screen images of hundreds of works.
Check it out here.
