British Museum returns stolen Afghan sculpture; Louvre reopens post-protests; MASP highlights feminist acquisitions.
A limestone sculpture dating back to the 2nd century AD, which was taken from Afghanistan's National Museum and unearthed in the 1950s by French archaeologists, is set to be returned following a brief exhibition in the UK. The British Museum verified its stolen status after the Art Loss Register notified the Metropolitan Police's Art and Antiques Unit when it surfaced online last year. Fahim Rahimi, the director of the National Museum of Afghanistan, expressed gratitude to those who played a role in the recovery of lost artifacts. In other news, the Louvre Museum reopened after being shut down due to protests over pension reforms in France. Additionally, the Museu de Arte de São Paulo acquired 296 pieces from contemporary artists and lesser-known 19th-century female artists. FRONT International announced its second edition, titled 'Oh, Gods of Dust and Rainbows,' scheduled from 17 July to 2 October 2021. A fundraising campaign is underway to gather £3.5 million for the preservation of Derek Jarman's Prospect Cottage.
Key facts
- The British Museum helped confirm a stolen 2nd-century AD limestone sculpture from Afghanistan for return after it was spotted on an online auction site.
- The sculpture was excavated in the 1950s by a French archaeological team and stolen from the National Museum of Afghanistan.
- Fahim Rahimi, director of the National Museum of Afghanistan, thanked the British Museum for cooperation in recovering lost objects.
- The Louvre Museum in Paris reopened after protests against pension reforms forced its closure, with some exhibition rooms possibly remaining closed.
- MASP acquired 296 works by women artists in 2019 as part of its feminist histories programme, aiming to balance its collection.
- Isabella Rjeille, curator at MASP, stated the acquisitions are a historical step toward more balanced representation.
- FRONT International's second Cleveland Triennial will run from 17 July to 2 October 2021 across three Northeast Ohio cities, titled from a Langston Hughes poem.
- A £3.5 million campaign with Art Fund, led by Tilda Swinton, Michael Craig-Martin, and Wolfgang Tillmans, aims to save Derek Jarman's Prospect Cottage in Kent.
Entities
Artists
- Derek Jarman
- Tacita Dean
- Jeremy Deller
- Isaac Julien
- Langston Hughes
- Tilda Swinton
- Michael Craig-Martin
- Wolfgang Tillmans
- Isabella Rjeille
- Fahim Rahimi
Institutions
- British Museum
- National Museum of Afghanistan
- Art Loss Register
- Metropolitan Police
- Art and Antiques Unit
- Louvre Museum
- Museu de Arte de São Paulo (MASP)
- FRONT International: Cleveland Triennial for Contemporary Art
- Art Fund
- National Heritage Memorial Fund
- Linbury Trust
Locations
- Afghanistan
- UK
- Paris
- France
- São Paulo
- Brazil
- Cleveland
- United States
- Northeast Ohio
- Dungeness
- Kent
- England