The British Museum shouldn’t just return Elgin marbles, it should offer British artefacts too 🔵 Let’s take it a step further and do some reverse-colonialism ✒️ theuniversalben for ipaperviews
. Those opposed to repatriation often deployed the Pandora’s box argument, suggesting that sending the marbles back would mean having to do the same with other objects, leaving our museums empty. But the British Museum has many times more items in its storerooms than it does on display. Since the sixties, the British Museum and government ministers have said they couldn’t return the marbleswhich bans museums from deaccessioning – i.e. selling or giving away – pieces in their collection.
But now all the excuses have suddenly melted away. A few months ago – maybe only a few weeks, who knows? – some bright spark came up with an idea of how to get around that law. Museums are always lending things to other museums – the British Museum lends thousands of objects a year – why not just say we’re lending the Greeks their marbles?Well no, it didn’t. There’s only one reason why the British Museum is returning the marbles, and it’s not because of a eureka moment.
I am not a fan of the view that everything taken from formerly colonised countries should be repatriated. Not every pre-Colombian pot that had found its way to Europe or America should be sent back. Not every Renaissance masterpiece in British museums needs to go back to Italy . Art does not have to remain “in its context” to be understood. Art must not become a tool in the arsenal of the nationalist ideologies that have arisen in recent times.
I say the movement of works of art from one culture to another should continue. Let’s even take it a step further and do some reverse-colonialism. Let’s not just send them their own art back, let’s give them some of our masterpieces too. A few Turners, a Holbein, and some of the Crown jewels would look great on an extended loan in one of Lagos’ new museums. It’s only fair, isn’t it?
Ireland Latest News, Ireland Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
National awards for revamped Leicester bus station and Derby museumJudges praise the way the two multi-million pound redevelopments have improved the cities.
Read more »
Bale 'best British player ever' as agent responds to pro golf claims after retirementGareth Bale’s agent has revealed the Wales legend ‘has some ideas’ about he’s going to do next after announcing his retirement. However, it appears turning his hand to his o…
Read more »
Missing British man in Ukraine 'had only just celebrated his birthday'The translator of a missing British man in Ukraine says he celebrated his birthday just four days before he went on a mission to evacuate civilians in the east of the country.
Read more »
Stunning footage shows meteor streaking over British skiesBeautiful footage caught on doorbell cameras shows a meteor streaking over the sky across the UK on Monday night.
Read more »
Two British men missing in Ukraine, say officialsA search is under way for British nationals Andrew Bagshaw and Christopher Parry in Ukraine.
Read more »