No matter the time period or the people, you will find that the art produced by those people during that time is a depiction of their present and a reflection on their past. This said, when a people are stripped of their art, their argument against the loss of pieces of their heritage is only just. If the art still exists, then the people of its homeland may demand it back. The art should be in the possession of those to whom it is tied to by the strong hands of history, should it not? The answer, however, to this question is not so simple. Complications arise through the ages, as pieces of work end up far from their places of origin, and the art acquires new meaning while embedding itself in the history of a different population. As in the case of the Elgin marbles, Britain claims to have legally purchased the sculptures in 1816 from Lord Elgin himself, while Greece claims that no such event took place lawfully and that the Elgin marbles should be returned to its state of creation immediately. The heated controversy will continue to ensue as long as both countries remain stubborn in their claims to possession.
In my opinion, if the art of a people is destroyed, no matter its location, its destruction is a crime against humanity. As in the case of the pillaging of the Iraqi National Museum, the patrons and supporters pleaded with Saddam Hussein’s forces “Stop, you are destroying our heritage, you are stealing what belongs to the Iraqi people.” More recently, ISIS has been looting and destroying thousands of artifacts and archeological and historic texts, in attempts to purge Iraq and Syria of their culture and history. Upon reading that ISIS militants sacked the Central Library of Mosul and loaded six pick-up trucks with every book that was not an Islamic text, I was reminded of the Bonfire of the Vanities under Savonarola’s leadership in Florence and also the book burnings (which also included the ruin of art and instruments) that took place in Nazi Germany. History shows that when evil seeks to terrorize a people or suppress a way of thought, right away it seeks to destroy any definitive art.
Furthermore, perhaps the most striking lesson learned upon surveying the pillage and patronage of art is that imagery, both visual and verbal, is powerful—so powerful, in fact, that it has the ability to communicate our past, our present, and our future. Through art, even the inarticulate can express their concerns for their society. For this reason, art’s presence and its poignancy are intimidating to those who cannot tolerate the ideas or emotions of others. At the same time, these qualities of art make it easy for governments with corrupt political agendas to undermine the soulful integrity of both the art and the artist by using art to manipulate and oppress an isolated population. Ultimately, I believe that where there is a separation of church and state there should also be the separation of art and state. Filtering funds through the government for the arts is inefficient, when at the end of the day it is the people who are the greatest patrons of their creative communities. Artists, art managers, and art appreciators should be creative and resourceful enough to find ways to support themselves and the institutions that allow the public to be discriminating when it comes to experiencing art’s great power.
In my opinion, if the art of a people is destroyed, no matter its location, its destruction is a crime against humanity. As in the case of the pillaging of the Iraqi National Museum, the patrons and supporters pleaded with Saddam Hussein’s forces “Stop, you are destroying our heritage, you are stealing what belongs to the Iraqi people.” More recently, ISIS has been looting and destroying thousands of artifacts and archeological and historic texts, in attempts to purge Iraq and Syria of their culture and history. Upon reading that ISIS militants sacked the Central Library of Mosul and loaded six pick-up trucks with every book that was not an Islamic text, I was reminded of the Bonfire of the Vanities under Savonarola’s leadership in Florence and also the book burnings (which also included the ruin of art and instruments) that took place in Nazi Germany. History shows that when evil seeks to terrorize a people or suppress a way of thought, right away it seeks to destroy any definitive art.
Furthermore, perhaps the most striking lesson learned upon surveying the pillage and patronage of art is that imagery, both visual and verbal, is powerful—so powerful, in fact, that it has the ability to communicate our past, our present, and our future. Through art, even the inarticulate can express their concerns for their society. For this reason, art’s presence and its poignancy are intimidating to those who cannot tolerate the ideas or emotions of others. At the same time, these qualities of art make it easy for governments with corrupt political agendas to undermine the soulful integrity of both the art and the artist by using art to manipulate and oppress an isolated population. Ultimately, I believe that where there is a separation of church and state there should also be the separation of art and state. Filtering funds through the government for the arts is inefficient, when at the end of the day it is the people who are the greatest patrons of their creative communities. Artists, art managers, and art appreciators should be creative and resourceful enough to find ways to support themselves and the institutions that allow the public to be discriminating when it comes to experiencing art’s great power.
