News & Issues

Estate is owner of stolen paintings — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 07-23-2008 06:32 AM

WORCESTER-- A federal judge in Rhode Island has ruled the Yoffie estate is the rightful owner of three paintings stolen from a Shrewsbury home more than 30 years ago, recovered last year and the focus of a court battle until last week.

Customs officials discover pre-Columbian artifacts during check at Miami — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 07-23-2008 06:25 AM

MIAMI – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers have seized several pre-Columbian artifacts indigenous to Ecuador.

Political tug of war takes toll on historical monuments — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 07-23-2008 06:24 AM

NICOSIA • The priceless monuments of a collective past are fast disappearing from the Mediterranean mountain ranges due to political power play. The three-decade long conflict between Southern and Northern Cypriots is taking a toll on the rich cultural heritage of this historic island.

“CULTURE KNOWS NO POLITICAL BORDERS”: ILLUSION OR DECEPTION ON THE LOCATION OF STOLEN/LOOTED CULTURAL PROPERTY? — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 07-20-2008 01:40 PM

The article entitled Culture knows no political borders which is an interview with James Cuno, Director of the Art Institute of Chicago, by Tiffany Jenkins in the Spectator, must be critically examined. Many persons in the United Kingdom would tell you that once you cross the Channel, everything changes: language, food, mode of dressing, political system, in some cases, religion and sometimes, even the faces of the people. So what is one trying to achieve with this misleading title? Only to reach the conclusion that it does not matter where the Rosetta Stone, the bust of Nefertiti, the Benin bronzes, Asante Gold and Regalia and all the other stolen or looted artefacts are.

Iraq struggling to protect its ancient treasures — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 07-20-2008 11:14 AM

Remains of Iraq’s historic civilisations subject to widespread plundering since US-led invasion.

Iraqi Crisis Report — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 07-18-2008 06:30 PM

Archaeologists say unprotected remains of country’s historic civilisations are subject to widespread plundering.

50,000 exhibits 'missing' from Russian museums — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 07-18-2008 09:27 AM

A sweeping government audit has revealed that up to 50,000 pieces are missing from Russia's museums -- everything from Pre-Revolutionary medals and weapons to precious works of art -- a member of the survey team said Thursday.

Egypt and Ecuador sign an agreement to protect monuments — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 07-18-2008 09:24 AM

Egypt and Ecuador had signed an agreement to protect monuments and give back stolen items, the head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities said Tuesday

Panic and Panegyrics:Comments on “Songs of Praise for the British — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 07-18-2008 09:23 AM

An article critical of those reviews that praise the value of universal museums in holding onto their collections.

New guidelines for US museums acquiring antiquities — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 07-18-2008 09:19 AM

The Association of Art Museum Directors says no works which left their country of origin before 1970 should enter collections

Plunder on a Pedestal — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 07-18-2008 09:17 AM

There was plenty of polite pomp surrounding the opening of “Benin—Kings and Rituals: Court Arts from Nigeria” at the Art Institute of Chicago last week

BENIN EXHIBITION IN CHICAGO: CUNO AGREES TO CONSIDER REQUEST FOR — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 07-14-2008 05:54 PM

As readers know, the exhibition, Benin - Kings and Rituals: Royal Arts from Nigeria, which started in Vienna, in 2007, went on to Paris and Berlin, was opened in Chicago, on 10 July and will be there until 21 September 2008. For various reasons, including the fear of litigation and judicial attempts to seize some of the Benin bronzes, only some 220 objects will be displayed in Chicago compared to some 300 objects in Berlin. The bad consciences of some of the holders of these objects seem to have been activated by the previous protests in Chicago and the discussions on the illegality and illegitimacy of their possession. Hence some owners were not willing to let their artefacts cross the Atlantic to the USA where judges are quick to order seizure of artworks which are alleged to have been stolen or dubious provenance

Battle to Save Afghanistan's Shattered Heritage — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 07-12-2008 11:28 AM

The international community's indifference is hampering efforts to undo the vandalism of the Taliban regime

Staff Revolt at Baghdad Museum — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 07-12-2008 10:25 AM

Iraq's national museum, home to many priceless artifacts which were thought to have been looted after the fall of Baghdad, has been plunged into a new crisis because of a revolt by staff.

Priceless Treasures Saved From Looters of Baghdad Museum — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 07-12-2008 10:22 AM

It is known as one of the worst episodes of the war in Iraq: one of the world's greatest archaeological collections ransacked while American troops stood by, unable or unwilling to act. But now a different picture is emerging of the looting of the National Museum in Baghdad. Only a few dozen significant pieces, not thousands as originally reported, were stolen. And many, a new investigation has found, may have gone missing long before the Americans arrived in the Iraqi capital.

The Greek Ministry of Culture and Shelby White Conclude Agreement on — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 07-12-2008 10:03 AM

FORT LEE, N.J., Jul 11, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- An agreement was concluded yesterday, July 10, 2008, between the Greek Ministry of Culture and Shelby White. Ms. White is a philanthropist and antiquities collector and has established the Institute for the Study of the Ancient World at New York University which supports ancient studies.

Bellevue Arts Museum embezzler sentenced to prison — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 07-11-2008 05:26 AM

The former chief financial officer of the Bellevue Arts Museum was sentenced to nearly two years in prison today after pleading guilty to embezzling about $300,000 from the museum.

Frenchman pleads guilty in Florida to art theft — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 07-11-2008 05:25 AM

A Frenchman pleaded guilty in a U.S. court on Thursday to charges of conspiring to transport artwork stolen at gunpoint from a museum in Nice, including a painting by French impressionist Claude Monet.

Insurance for Art Collectors Covers Ownership Disputes — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 07-11-2008 05:19 AM

It's a collector's nightmare: You buy a valuable painting from a reputable dealer and hang it on your wall. Years later, you learn that the painting was once stolen, decades before you bought it. The original owner sues you, and before you know it you've both lost your investment and racked up tens

Let's all have tickets to the universal museum — by Gary Nurkin — last modified 07-11-2008 05:16 AM

It's pointless trying to work out who owns ancient art objects. We need to share them around the world