The article discusses concerns regarding the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) and its collection of potentially looted art, particularly focusing on Nepalese artifacts. It highlights the case of a 12th-century Nepalese Buddha sculpture recently identified as stolen, which led to its repatriation after being purchased by collector Michael Phillips.
Activists and scholars argue that many items in LACMA’s collection may have been illegally removed from their countries of origin, emphasizing the importance of provenance research. LACMA is conducting an internal review of its holdings, but critics note that the museum has not been transparent about its findings or cooperated with legal authorities.
The article also reflects on the broader implications of art repatriation, mentioning that other institutions, like the Metropolitan Museum of Art, are proactively examining their collections for provenance issues. Experts express skepticism about museums policing themselves and the challenges involved in determining the rightful ownership of cultural artifacts.
Overall, the piece underscores a growing movement for repatriation and accountability in museum practices regarding art acquisition and display.
Doesn’t every large museum have this problem?
In this case, the argument seems pretty cut and dry. The provenance of the item is very important, and it is shocking how many artifacts go ‘missing’ from one museum’s storage only to wind up on display in another.