Project 3 topic

The essay I read was in the New York Times Special Edition Museum section. It essentially explored issues surrounding the current politics overcoming the museum world where I intend to make a career. It’s also interesting to me as a producer of cultural property.

Who owns art? Art being defined as cultural (intellectual) property, otherwise known as patrimony. Is it private citizens, which were perhaps descendents of the artist? Does the National Government of the artist, or of the source country (where the art was found)? Or is it the museum that owns the work that they (their patrons) paid for, or entrusted to their care by donors? Which brings about a second question. Whose responsibility is it to protect cultural property for future generations? While just that is the mission of many museums, the destruction of art is the mission of some governments. China is attempting to extinguish the Tibetan culture by systematically destroying their import religious art. Whose job is it to protect Iraqi cultural property in their current embattled state?

In today’s context specifically, the art in question is that which may have been obtained illegally by today’s standards. Art that is not attributed to any particular artist in most cases, and often many generations old if not ancient. This includes work found during unapproved archeological excavations, and art taken from peoples during colonial occupation. Art was always collected by imperial powers as a display of wealth and power. And art is proving to be at the heart of the complex political struggle for superiority today.

It is of utmost importance that the international laws regarding the ownership of cultural property be solidified so property can be dispersed accordingly, and the party responsible for its care and protection clearly named. Only then can the museum world and governments concentrate on diminishing the black market for such property, which is not only jeopardizing the preservation of the property for the future, but the ability for professionals to learned about the cultural contexts within which the art was created.

The Culture Bank is one institution attempting to reconcile issues of art ownership and protection. Started by Todd Vincent Crosby, a Peace Corps Member serving in Mali, the Culture Bank is a museum that lies within the borders of the community from which the art came from. Member of the village can lend their precious family artifacts to the museum for safe keeping in exchange for small monetary loans. Additional loans can be taken out over time as long as the art remains in the museum. They can choose to reclaim the piece if they repay any loans in full. The art essentially becomes collateral for loans much needed to proper in the 3rd world.