Russian Artist Released in Prisoner Swap, Christie’s Teams Up With Ocean Charity, Michelle Obama Wants to Win the Election With Art, and More: Morning Links for August 8, 2024

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THE HEADLINES

TIME TO WOKE UP? Are repatriation efforts turning British museums into a global laughing stock? David Abulafia, a professor emeritus of Mediterranean history at the University of Cambridge, certainly seems to think so. He praises the refusal of the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford to return a small 11th-century statue of the god Shiva to India upon the request of the Indian High Commission. “When demands for the restitution of objects arrive from foreign governments, they inevitably aim at the grandest pieces – the Elgin Marbles or the Benin Bronzes, the Koh-i-noor Diamond – but first it is important they establish the principle, so demands for the restitution of smaller and less well-known pieces are partly designed to prepare the ground, even if no institution especially wants them,” Abulafia says. He adds that anyone insisting that “stolen” artifacts should be returned to their countries of origin is “another example of Western virtue signaling, an arrogant expression of supposed moral superiority.” Evidently, some museums in the United States and Europe disagree, given the slew of recent returns, including a group of Benin Bronzes from the Stanley Museum of Art in Iowa. 

JUST FOR THE HALIBUT. Christie’s has partnered up with Blue Marine, a charity dedicated to protecting the ocean and tackling overfishing for a philanthropic initiative titled “Blue: Art for the Ocean.” It will take place during the house’s 20th and 21st Century Art Marquee Week sales in October, which coincides with Frieze Week. Over 20 prominent artists will donate works to be auctioned off, with the proceeds going to Blue Marine’s various projects around the world. “Our oceans are in danger, and a triple threat of biodiversity loss, habitat destruction, and climate change threaten the health of the ocean, on which all life on Earth depends,” the auction house and Blue Marine said in a statement. “With 8 percent of the world’s oceans secured across the world, Blue Marine is committed to supporting the UN’s Global Framework goal of “30×30” – protecting 30 percent of the world’s oceans by 2030. One of the highlights of the “Blue: Art for the Ocean” project is a photo taken during a performance by Marina Abramović.

THE DIGEST

Michelle Obama’s non-partisan organization When We All Vote has partnered with Art for Change, a new collection of artwork aimed at enhancing voter turnout, ahead of the US presidential election. Will it give Kamila Harris’ shot at the big time a boost? [The Guardian]

What does it take to rub Vladimir Putin the wrong way and get thrown in jail for seven years? Five tiny pieces of paper, apparently. Sasha Skochilenko, the Russian artist who was included in the recent historic prisoner swap between Russia and the West, replaced five price tags with anti-war messages in a St. Petersburg grocery store. [The Atlantic]

Several athletes at the Paris Olympics are rocking a diverse range of nail art – and some experts (with too much time on their hands) suggest these manicures might give them an edge in competition. [euronews]

Three new Banksy murals have been sighed in London over the last couple of days. The most recent, a string of monkeys spray-painted onto the side of a bridge, has sparked a surge of public excitement. The first mural shows a black mountain goat perched precariously on the ledge of a wall support, while the second shows a pair of black elephants looking lovingly at each other from two windows. [The Art Newspaper]

THE KICKER

A barber in East Yorkshire, UK, plans to open a museum to display his huge collection of 1940s memorabilia. Anthony Bates, the owner of Clip Barber Shop in the coastal town of Bridlington, started collecting World War II-era objects years ago, and now his joint is like a time machine. “It’s kind of like my private little man cave in a way,” he said. His collection includes cigarette packs, gas masks, a period fireplace, and even a 1940s bathtub. The backroom of his barber shop is the centerpiece of Bates’ obsession – it’s stacked floor to ceiling with bits and bobs. “Customers can have a look in the back,” he says. “I even get people walking past the shop and asking to have a look.” His customers have also added to his collection. Bates is talking to a town councilor about the prospect of opening a museum, and a couple of derelict banks have been earmarked. “Burlington doesn’t really have a museum and I’d like to give something back to the community,” Bates added. [BBC]