Controversy over artefacts of old
Tuesday, 25 December 2007
Syed Fattahul Alim
Have we really come of age to preserve and protect the objects of art symbolising our history and culture?
The question has arisen after a recent incident involving some ancient artefacts that had gone missing from the Zia International Airport (ZIA) on their way to a museum in Paris for exhibition. The report has it that two 1,500-year-old terracotta Vishnu statues bound for an exhibition in Paris were stolen from the custody of Air France at ZIA on Saturday. Needless to say, the ancient objects of art were being transported amid tight security.
The statues called 'Vishnu' and 'Bust of Vishnu' were from the Gupta period in the 7th century A.D. They were discovered from an archaeological site at Mahasthanngarh in Bogra. Those earthen idols of Lord Vishnu were later kept at the National Museum.
It is worthwhile to mention here that those antiques were being sent abroad for exhibition under an agreement between the governments of Bangladesh and France. As per this agreement, some 147 ancient objects of history are being sent to the Guimet Museum for Asian Arts for their exhibition in France. The Education and Cultural Affairs Adviser expressing disappointment over the incident said that he had taken the responsibility to bring those ancient artefacts back home after their exhibition in France. So, he was understandably shocked that such an unpleasant incident took place even before those could be sent to their destination. The French embassy in a similar vein said in a statement that the incident was highly suspicious, for it might be part of a conspiracy to embarrass the French and Bangladesh governments.
The shock expressed by the Education and Cultural Affairs Adviser and statement issued by the French embassy point to the gravity of the incident which at first sight may appear to be a mere incident of theft. And it really boggles the mind to think that of all the 13 boxes scheduled for flight that day, the two boxes containing the terracotta idols of Vishnu had vanished under the very nose of the law enforces, the customs people, civil aviation staffs and the people representing the agent of Air France.
The entire episode surrounding those objects, especially that of their sending to that particular French museum for exhibition, is cause for concern. It may also be noted here that protests were being raised by art connoisseurs, educations and members of civil society over the decision to send those cultural objects abroad. Demonstrations were staged even when those artefacts were being taken out of the National Museum by the vehicles of the courier before they reached the ZIA. It may be further noted that earlier, in response to a writ filed by some enthusiasts of history and culture, the High Court had issued a two months' stay order against the process of sending the antiques to Paris. However, the move to send those ancient art objects has been taken after the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court had vacated the High Court's stay order.
After the disappearance of the Vishnu idols from the airport, members of civil society including academicians, former director general of the National Museum and cultural activists voiced their protests against sending those art objects abroad and even expressed doubt about their ultimate return home. However, the Education and Cultural Adviser has been quite firm in his assurance that those 187 pieces of antiques including 128 life-size statues, terracotta and copper plaques, Prajna Paramita scriptures and coins from Pala, Sen, Gupta and Maurya dynasties representing important epochs of our national history would be brought back home after their exhibition abroad. The cultural affairs advisers' assurance notwithstanding, the protesting art connoisseurs, cultural activists, academicians and experts have been holding quite a different view on the matter, especially about the particular French museum selected for the display of those valuable archaeological finds.
As for example, the former director general of the Bangladesh National Museums Dr Shamsuzzaman Khan, maintains that the Guimet National Museum for Asian Arts does not have a clean track record of its attitude towards antiques of foreign origin. He further noted that the same museum had earlier cheated the government of Turkey in that it failed to return some cultural objects representing the country's past, especially of the time when the Ottoman dynasty was in power. . The artefacts in question were some pieces of tiles from the grave of an Ottoman emperor. Other protesting intellectuals, members of civil society and cultural activists expressed identical views on the subject and resented the move to send the historical objects abroad.
Amid these dramatic developments over the whole process of sending those ancient objects of art to Paris, what has the man in the street to say? In fact, he is quite in the dark about the entire issue. But in spite of all this controversy, what should still keep them assured is the government adviser concerned has himself taken the entire responsibility to ensure the safety and return of those items representing the past legacy of the people. The protests raised by the civil society members, academicians, cultural activists and art connoisseurs are, therefore, are at cross-purposes. The question that naturally comes to mind is why this difference of views between the government adviser concerned and that held by the ancient art cognoscenti? The situation created centring sending of the art objects for their exhibition abroad calls for clarification, especially from the government side. For the people, whose history is of concern here, have also the right to know what all the controversy is about. The argument placed by the former head of the national museums on this score merits consideration. To be frank, hosting international exhibition of those objects of ancient art home does undoubtedly provide a better publicity for the nation's heritages than putting those on display abroad.
In the circumstances, it can be reasonably hoped that a clarification from the government on the issue would help dispel misgivings in the mind of common people, if any.
The present discourse started with reference to our pride in national history and culture. But what is the best way to keep our pride intact? It is undoubtedly through preserving and protecting the evidences of the people's history in the form of objects bearing the signatures of the past. So, the government, the archaeologists, historians, the ancient art cognoscenti and all others concerned would do well not to confine their roles to only protecting and preserving those symbols of our past. They need also to play the role of nation's cultural ambassadors.
Have we really come of age to preserve and protect the objects of art symbolising our history and culture?
The question has arisen after a recent incident involving some ancient artefacts that had gone missing from the Zia International Airport (ZIA) on their way to a museum in Paris for exhibition. The report has it that two 1,500-year-old terracotta Vishnu statues bound for an exhibition in Paris were stolen from the custody of Air France at ZIA on Saturday. Needless to say, the ancient objects of art were being transported amid tight security.
The statues called 'Vishnu' and 'Bust of Vishnu' were from the Gupta period in the 7th century A.D. They were discovered from an archaeological site at Mahasthanngarh in Bogra. Those earthen idols of Lord Vishnu were later kept at the National Museum.
It is worthwhile to mention here that those antiques were being sent abroad for exhibition under an agreement between the governments of Bangladesh and France. As per this agreement, some 147 ancient objects of history are being sent to the Guimet Museum for Asian Arts for their exhibition in France. The Education and Cultural Affairs Adviser expressing disappointment over the incident said that he had taken the responsibility to bring those ancient artefacts back home after their exhibition in France. So, he was understandably shocked that such an unpleasant incident took place even before those could be sent to their destination. The French embassy in a similar vein said in a statement that the incident was highly suspicious, for it might be part of a conspiracy to embarrass the French and Bangladesh governments.
The shock expressed by the Education and Cultural Affairs Adviser and statement issued by the French embassy point to the gravity of the incident which at first sight may appear to be a mere incident of theft. And it really boggles the mind to think that of all the 13 boxes scheduled for flight that day, the two boxes containing the terracotta idols of Vishnu had vanished under the very nose of the law enforces, the customs people, civil aviation staffs and the people representing the agent of Air France.
The entire episode surrounding those objects, especially that of their sending to that particular French museum for exhibition, is cause for concern. It may also be noted here that protests were being raised by art connoisseurs, educations and members of civil society over the decision to send those cultural objects abroad. Demonstrations were staged even when those artefacts were being taken out of the National Museum by the vehicles of the courier before they reached the ZIA. It may be further noted that earlier, in response to a writ filed by some enthusiasts of history and culture, the High Court had issued a two months' stay order against the process of sending the antiques to Paris. However, the move to send those ancient art objects has been taken after the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court had vacated the High Court's stay order.
After the disappearance of the Vishnu idols from the airport, members of civil society including academicians, former director general of the National Museum and cultural activists voiced their protests against sending those art objects abroad and even expressed doubt about their ultimate return home. However, the Education and Cultural Adviser has been quite firm in his assurance that those 187 pieces of antiques including 128 life-size statues, terracotta and copper plaques, Prajna Paramita scriptures and coins from Pala, Sen, Gupta and Maurya dynasties representing important epochs of our national history would be brought back home after their exhibition abroad. The cultural affairs advisers' assurance notwithstanding, the protesting art connoisseurs, cultural activists, academicians and experts have been holding quite a different view on the matter, especially about the particular French museum selected for the display of those valuable archaeological finds.
As for example, the former director general of the Bangladesh National Museums Dr Shamsuzzaman Khan, maintains that the Guimet National Museum for Asian Arts does not have a clean track record of its attitude towards antiques of foreign origin. He further noted that the same museum had earlier cheated the government of Turkey in that it failed to return some cultural objects representing the country's past, especially of the time when the Ottoman dynasty was in power. . The artefacts in question were some pieces of tiles from the grave of an Ottoman emperor. Other protesting intellectuals, members of civil society and cultural activists expressed identical views on the subject and resented the move to send the historical objects abroad.
Amid these dramatic developments over the whole process of sending those ancient objects of art to Paris, what has the man in the street to say? In fact, he is quite in the dark about the entire issue. But in spite of all this controversy, what should still keep them assured is the government adviser concerned has himself taken the entire responsibility to ensure the safety and return of those items representing the past legacy of the people. The protests raised by the civil society members, academicians, cultural activists and art connoisseurs are, therefore, are at cross-purposes. The question that naturally comes to mind is why this difference of views between the government adviser concerned and that held by the ancient art cognoscenti? The situation created centring sending of the art objects for their exhibition abroad calls for clarification, especially from the government side. For the people, whose history is of concern here, have also the right to know what all the controversy is about. The argument placed by the former head of the national museums on this score merits consideration. To be frank, hosting international exhibition of those objects of ancient art home does undoubtedly provide a better publicity for the nation's heritages than putting those on display abroad.
In the circumstances, it can be reasonably hoped that a clarification from the government on the issue would help dispel misgivings in the mind of common people, if any.
The present discourse started with reference to our pride in national history and culture. But what is the best way to keep our pride intact? It is undoubtedly through preserving and protecting the evidences of the people's history in the form of objects bearing the signatures of the past. So, the government, the archaeologists, historians, the ancient art cognoscenti and all others concerned would do well not to confine their roles to only protecting and preserving those symbols of our past. They need also to play the role of nation's cultural ambassadors.