4/24/2017 Black Ma ke A : H T Re e E hic T The An i i ie W ld C gn cen i

B . D O NA E O CA .

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A 24, 2017 B L aO a E c Ha a a Ma

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Like ha ead he e? Sig f ice- eekl e le e .

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c a c a d a ad c a .

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... [T]he black market in antiquities [is]

part of an illicit art industry estimated
between $4.5 and $7 billion annually,
making it third only to the black market in
narcotics and arms.

A h gh a c i h e e ha i e hei e a d i g d e di ige ce i
hei e a ce e ea ch, c i e e eai ab he ab da ce f
i ici a i i ie f ae h gh a a c i h e he
c c
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a ib e de iabi i a he ha a e i g e e ha e a ifac
ae e he a e . A ece d f he De a e f I dia ,
Hi a a a a d S hea A ia A a S heb ’ Ne Y e ea ed ha f
1988-2010 e e - e e ce f Kh e a i i ie e e e ed f
a ci ih b i hed e a ce e hi hi .
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d a ic dec i e i a e f Kh e a ifac a S heb ’ di ec a a e ed
i c ea ed ea e ha ade i e di c f ed Kh e a i i ie
e i Ca b dia.

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h e. Whi e e a ce a d f ge e ea ch a e di i c b e a ed, e
h d be a ff he e ha e dea a ea c i h e he
a d a he ici a d e a ce. We eed e a ae c a d
i de e de a a i , e .

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M e ,f e a , ca d be e ed ca e e b c a c a
c ec ab e e e , ce e c ed c ec g f ega
a e , d ec c ea e b ac a e de a d. T e ca a a e
e a ce e ea c a g ea e a e MFA a d e, b ga
c a de ed ec ca a a da e a e e g
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c e .

M e m h ld each l ab he
bjec i i igi al hi ical c e ,
b al ab he e i le
e hical cial life ha led i he
m e m all.

T e MFA, f e a e, ece e ed a e ga e ca e e R be
O e Le a c ec f Be b e d a ed 2012. W e e MFA
a e e ge e f e Le a d a , a d da g a d ec
be ee a d e e Be P eE ed f 1897 e
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2008 e Na a M e fA a a, c c a ed a b eS a
ed b Ka , g ed e ad ce f a e a d e ac d e
e c e’ a be , e a ce. E a e c a e e ca be
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found in museums across the countr . Some also accept antiquities loans
ith eak or no provenances from collectors, hich allo s museums to
sidestep the more stringent provenance requirements for purchases.

Collectivel , these practices add up to a failure of museums’ core mission to

educate the public in accordance ith the highest of professional and ethical
standards. Not engaging openl ith the public about these issues, or orse
et, turning a blind e e to participate in these practices, makes museums
complicit in perpetuating neocolonial po er structures bet een countries of
advanced economies and those that are impoverished and developing.

B all means, museums, and events such as Asia Week, should be an

occasion for celebrating culture, but the should also be an opportunit for
critical re ection on the practices that feed the culture industr . It is the
responsibilit of auction houses, dealers, museums and collectors alike to
ensure that the are not contributing to the decimation of the ver cultural
histories the claim to value.

F C g ce i Faceb k a d T i e , a d ig f ice- eek

e e e.

Related:

The ARTe : S len A ifac Un i ingl Ac i ed B B n P blic Lib a Re ned T

I al
NPR: Ne Y k Galle O ne A e ed, Acc ed Of T a icking S len An i i ie
The ARTe : The B n MFA Re n 8L ed An i i ie T Nige ia

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