Maeve Brennan's 'Records' at JC Contemporary explores antiquities trafficking through film and artifacts

Maeve Brennan's exhibition titled 'Records' was hosted at JC Contemporary in Tai Kwun, Hong Kong, from March 21 to June 8, 2025, marking her inaugural showcase in Asia. The focus of the exhibition was on the trade of illicit antiquities and included seven pieces, such as films and various objects. Attendees passed through dark-red curtains into a dim gallery, where they encountered Staged Fragments (2022), a silent film featuring a hand pointing at a reconstructed ancient Greek vase. Box 29_01 (2022), a limestone slab resembling a car glove compartment, referenced a 1995 tragic accident in Rome that unveiled an antiquities smuggling operation through polaroid images. One notable print displayed a mended Greek vase. An Excavation (2022), styled as a documentary, showcased Greek forensic archaeologist Christos Tsirogiannis and Aarhus University Museum's Vinnie Norskov as they unpacked 2,500-year-old shards looted from Southern Italy, with Tsirogiannis discussing the loss of context due to looting. Siticulosa (2025) examined South Italian soil and featured insights from local experts, including farmers and geologists, along with quotes from tomb raiders. Light box labels provided guidance throughout the exhibition, which critiqued Western institutions as markets for trafficked artifacts, addressing themes pertinent to Asian heritage sites despite lacking a direct connection.