♪ ♪
>> John: WELCOME, I'M JOHN
OLIVER THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR
JOINING US IT HAS BEEN
HURRICANE IAN BATTERED FLORIDA,
A BUSY WEEK.
MASSIVE PROTESTS CONTINUED IN
IRAN, AND A FAR-RIGHT COALITION
TOOK POWER IN ITALY.
AND THE ONLY GOOD NEWS THERE IS
THAT DOING AN OVER-THE-TOP
ITALIAN ACCENT IS NOW.
A NOBLE STRIKE AGAINST THE RISE
OF FASCISM.
BUT WE'RE GOING TO START IN THE
UK, WHERE BRAND-NEW PRIME
MINISTER LIZ TRUSS HAS BEEN
FACING A COST-OF-LIVING CRISIS
DUE TO HIGH ENERGY PRICES.
SHE UNVEILED A NEW ECONOMIC PLAN
LAST FRIDAY, ACCOMPANIED, FOR
SOME REASON, BY A VIDEO WHERE
STIRRING MUSIC ALMOST MANAGED TO
DISGUISE AN UTTER LACK OF
CONTENT.
>> WHAT THIS IS ABOUT IS ABOUT
MAKING SURE THAT THE UNITED
KINGDOM IS A SUCCESSFUL ECONOMY
WHERE WE'RE GETTING MORE JOBS,
MORE INVESTMENT.
THIS IS A FANTASTIC COUNTRY WITH
HUGE RESERVES OF TALENT, ENERGY,
AND ENTERPRISE.
AND WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT IS
UNLEASHING THOSE TALENTS, THAT
ENERGY, FOR THE BETTERMENT OF
OUR COUNTRY.
>> John: FIRST, CHOOSE A CAMERA.
[LAUGHTER]
YOU'VE GOT TWO THERE, AND YOU'RE
LOOKING AT NEITHER OF THEM.
SECOND, THAT MUSIC SOUNDS LIKE
IT'S FROM "GENERICALLY INSPIRING
VIOLIN FOR BULLSHIT POLITICAL
ADS AND COMMERCIALS FOR
HOSPITALS, VOL.
HOSPITALS, VOL 2."
AND FINALLY, "UNLEASHING TALENT
AND ENERGY" IS COMPLETELY
MEANINGLESS, UNLESS YOU'RE A
YOUTH TRACK COACH THAT'S FINALLY
DECIDED TO GIVE THE TEAM
STEROIDS.
TRUSS' PLAN, CONTROVERSIALLY,
ENTAILS MASSIVE TAX CUTS, MOSTLY
TO THE WEALTHY, ON THE
ASSUMPTION IT'LL EVENTUALLY
BOOST THE ECONOMY FOR EVERYONE.
IT'S BASICALLY TRICKLE-DOWN
ECONOMICS BULLSHIT YET AGAIN,
AND IT'S SOMETHING TRUSS' ALLIES
TRIED TO JUSTIFY, WITH ONE
ARGUING THAT "A RISING TIDE
LIFTS ALL SHIPS", AND SAYING
THIS:
>> IF YOU LOOK AT THE PROPOSALS,
ACCORDING TO THE RESOLUTION
FOUNDATION, IF YOU'RE 1,000,000
POUNDS, YOU'RE GETTING A TAX CUT
OF 55,000 POUNDS.
I MEAN, THAT IS QUITE CLEARLY
TAX CUTS THAT ARE WEIGHTED AT
THE TOP END OF THE SCALE.
>> YEAH.
SO IF ALL YOU CARE ABOUT IS THE
DISTRIBUTIONAL IMPACTS OF THE
TAX CUTS IN THE NEXT 24 WEEKS,
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO LIKE THIS
PACKAGE IF YOU CARE MORE ABOUT
THE POOR.
>> John: WOW.
IF YOU CARE MORE ABOUT THE POOR,
THEN "YOU'RE NOT GOING TO LIKE
THIS PACKAGE."
THAT SOUNDS LESS LIKE SOMEONE
DEFENDING AN ECONOMIC PLAN AND
MORE LIKE JEFF BEZOS DESCRIBING
HIS PENIS.
BECAUSE IN GENERAL, IT'S NOT
GREAT TO DESCRIBE YOUR CURRENT
GOVERNMENT POLICY THE SAME WAY
YOU'D DESCRIBE LEGACY COLLEGE
ADMISSIONS OR A RONALD REAGAN
DUVET COVER.
RIGHT AFTER THOSE TAX CUTS WERE
ANNOUNCED, U-K FINANCIAL MARKETS
WERE PLUNGED INTO CHAOS, THE
POUND HIT A RECORD LOW AGAINST
THE DOLLAR, AND THE BANK OF
ENGLAND WAS FORCED TO STEP IN TO
PREVENT PENSION FUNDS
COLLAPSING.
MAKING MATTERS WORSE, TRUSS THEN
DISAPPEARED FROM PUBLIC VIEW FOR
DAYS, TO THE POINT THAT ONE
BRITISH NEWSPAPER RAN WITH THE
FRONT PAGE, "MISSING: HAVE YOU
SEEN THIS PM?"
AND ALL THIS WAS SUCH A FIASCO,
MEMBERS OF HER OWN PARTY WERE
COMPLAINING TO JOURNALISTS ABOUT
HER.
>> AN AWFUL LOT OF
TORY MPS ARE GOING "ROUND AND
USING WORDS LIKE "RECKLESS' AND
"MADNESS' TODAY.
>> ANOTHER BACK BENCH
MP, I'M SHELL-SHOCKED.
ANOTHER SENIOR TORY
BACK-BENCHER, I THOUGHT BORIS
JOHNSON'S CABINET THE WORST IN
HISTORY, THAT ONE'S JUST BEATEN
IT
>> THIS PERSON IS
SAYING, "PEOPLE -- THAT'S
CONSERVATIVE MPS -- ARE NOW
ASKING, "HOW DO WE GET RID OF
>> JUST
RECEIVED-I'LL HAVE TO BE-HAVE TO
TIPTOE AROUND THIS, BUT WE'RE
JUST HEARING FROM A FORMER TORY
MINISTER AND CONSERVATIVE MP
SAYING, "LIZ IS,' I CAN'T USE
THE WORD.
'SHE IS,' SAME WORD AGAIN.
>> John: WOW.
AND REMEMBER: SHE TOOK OFFICE
LESS THAN A MONTH AGO!
THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO EXPERIENCE A
SHORTER HONEYMOON PERIOD THAN
THAT ARE PRAYING MANTISES.
BUT I'M INTRIGUED BY THIS ANCHOR
READING HER TEXTS ALOUD IN THE
MIDDLE OF A BROADCAST.
I HOPE SHE DOES THAT ALL THE
TIME.
"JUST RECEIVED A TEXT HERE, IT'S
FROM MY FRIEND DANIELLE.
"DO YOU WANT TO GO SEE "BULLET
TRAIN" TOMORROW?
ME AND PETER ARE GOING, WE MIGHT
INVITE TRISH, EVEN THOUGH SHE'S
A BIT OF A -- OOP!
CAN'T USE THAT WORD."
[LAUGHTER]
THIS HAS BEEN A TRULY
SPECTACULAR START TO THE LIZ
TRUSS ERA, AS SHE'S SOMEHOW
MANAGED TO THROW THE U-K MARKET
INTO TURMOIL, DISAPPEAR, AND
ENRAGE HER OWN PARTY, ALL IN
LESS THAN A MONTH.
IT IS GENUINELY HARD TO PUT THE
SCALE OF WHAT SHE JUST DID INTO
WORDS -- SADLY, BECAUSE ALL THE
ONES THAT APPLY APPARENTLY,
CAN'T BE SAID ON TELEVISION.
AND NOW, THIS.
>> AND NOW, SHOPPING NETWORKS
RECOGNIZE QUEEN ELIZABETH'S
DEATH THE ONLY WAY THEY KNOW
HOW.
>> I KNOW THIS IS SUCH A HARD
TIME BECAUSE THE BEAUTIFUL
QUEEN ELIZABETH JUST PAST BUT
SHE AND HER SISTER WERE ON A
TRIP TO AFRICA AND THIS IS
ELEGANT AND TIMELESS JUST LIKE
HER.
>> WHAT IS SO WONDERFUL OVER THE
LAST FEW WEEKS BECAUSE OF THE
PASSING OF THE QUEEN HOW WE HAVE
KIND OF RETURNED TO THE LOOK OF
DIAMONDS.
>> LOCALE WHICH THAT PURPLE IS.
>> WE ARE THINKING ABOUT THE
QUEEN RIGHT NOW AND ENGLAND,
WHAT IS SO GORGEOUS YOU LOOK AT
THIS ROYAL PURPLE, THERE IS AN
ELEGANCE TO THIS.
>> THE THING ABOUT
QUEEN ELIZABETH, SHE HAD SOMEONE
WHO WORE THEIR SHOES BEFORE SHE
WORE THEM AND BROKE THEM IN, SHE
NEVER HAD AN UNCOMFORTABLE SHOE
IN HER ENTIRE LIFE.
YOU DO NOT NEED SOMEONE TO BREAK
THESE SHOES IN.
>> HER FAVORITE FLOWER, LILY OF
THE VALLEY FOR OUR LATE QUEEN.
♪ ♪
>> OUR MAIN STORY
TONIGHT CONCERNS
ANTIQUITIES.
RELICS FROM BYGONE TIMES THAT
CAN TELL US STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE
FROM THE PAST.
NANA, BUT LESS OVERTLY
RACIST.
SPECIFICALLY, OUR STORY CONCERNS
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THOSE RELICS
GO MISSING.
I'LL START BY GIVING YOU JUST
ONE EXAMPLE: IF YOU GO TO
GREECE, YOU MIGHT GO TO THE
ACROPOLIS MUSEUM.
AND WHILE YOU'RE MARVELING AT
SCULPTURES THAT ARE OVER TWO
MILLENNIA OLD, YOU MIGHT NOTICE
SOME ODD DETAILS, LIKE THIS
SCULPTURE, WHICH APPEARS TO HAVE
A WHITE FOOT, OR THIS ONE, WHERE
SOMEONE'S WHOLE UPPER HALF SEEMS
TO BE SUDDENLY AND
OVERWHELMINGLY WHITE.
IT'S WHAT'S KNOWN IN THE ART
WORLD AS "SEASON 2 OF THE WIRE."
WELL, THERE'S AN EXPLANATION FOR
WHERE THOSE MISSING PIECES ARE.
AND AS A BRITISH PERSON, I'M A
LITTLE BIT IMPLICATED.
>> SO THE DARKER STONE IS THE
ORIGINAL WHEREAS THE WHITE
PLASTER, THAT REPRESENTS WHAT'S
IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM.
>> YES.
EXACTLY.
>> AND HERE IT IS IN THE BRITISH
MUSEUM.
THE MISSING MARBLE HEAD AND
CHEST FLOATING IN A DISPLAY
SPACE.
>> John: YEAH!
WE TOOK IT.
HONESTLY, IF YOU'RE EVER
LOOKING FOR A MISSING ARTIFACT?
NINE TIMES OUT OF TEN IT'S IN
THE BRITISH MUSEUM.
IT'S BASICALLY THE WORLD'S
LARGEST "LOST & FOUND", WITH
BOTH "LOST" AND "FOUND" IN THE
HEAVIEST POSSIBLE QUOTATION
MARKS.
SPECIFICALLY, THOSE MARBLES --
LONG KNOWN IN ENGLAND AS "THE
ELGIN MARBLES" -- WERE TAKEN BY
LORD ELGIN, A 19TH-CENTURY
BRITISH LORD WHO HACKED THEM OFF
THE PARTHENON.
IT'S SOMETHING THE GREEKS ARE
UNDERSTANDABLY FURIOUS ABOUT.
BECAUSE THEY WEREN'T LOST, THEY
WERE TAKEN.
WHICH IS WORSE.
IT'S LIKE BEING UNABLE TO FIND
THE LAST PUZZLE PIECE, AND
LEARNING THAT YOU DIDN'T
ACTUALLY MISPLACE IT -- A
BRITISH EARL SNUCK INTO YOUR
HOUSE, STOLE IT, AND THEN SOLD
IT TO A MUSEUM OVER A THOUSAND
MILES AWAY.
GREECE HAS BEEN DEMANDING THE
RETURN OF THE "ELGIN MARBLES"
FOR DECADES NOW, BUT THE
RESPONSE FROM SOME OF THE
BRITISH MUSEUM'S DEFENDERS HAS
BEEN -- EVEN BY BRITISH
STANDARDS -- UNBELIEVABLY
PATRONIZING.
>> ONE CAN'T EVEN THINK ABOUT
RETURNING THE ELGIN MARBLES TO
ATHENS UNTIL THE GREEKS START
CARING FOR WHAT THEY ALREADY
HAVE.
I'M SURE THEY'D TAKE GREAT CARE
OF THE PARTHENON SCULPTURES IF
THEY WERE RETURNED.
BUT IF YOU KNEW A WOMAN WAS
ABUSING HER CHILD, YOU WOULDN'T
LET HER ADOPT ANOTHER.
AND THAT'S WHAT THE GREEKS ARE
ASKING FOR.
>> John: WHAT?
THAT'S NOT A GREAT COMPARISON,
ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IT OMITS THE
FACT THAT THE "WOMAN'S CHILD" IN
THIS EXAMPLE WAS BASICALLY
KIDNAPPED.
SO IT'S LESS A WOMAN ASKING TO
ADOPT ANOTHER CHILD THAN IT IS
HER DEMANDING THE RETURN OF HER
FIRST ONE.
AND LOOK: THE ELGIN MARBLES
SHOULD ABSOLUTELY BE RETURNED TO
GREECE.
EVAN THAT WOMAN YOU JUST SAW,
NOW SAYS
SHE THINKS THEY SHOULD GO BACK.
BUT THOSE MARBLES ARE JUST THE
TIP OF THE ICEBERG.
THE FACT IS, ANTIQUITIES,
LARGELY FROM THE GLOBAL SOUTH,
WHICH INCLUDES LATIN AMERICA,
AFRICA, ASIA, AND THE MIDEAST,
HAVE BEEN TAKEN AND ENSHRINED IN
EUROPEAN AND AMERICAN MUSEUMS ON
A LARGER SCALE THAN YOU MAY
REALIZE.
IN 2018, A REPORT COMMISSIONED
BY THE FRENCH PRESIDENT FOUND
THAT OVER NINETY PERCENT OF ALL
AFRICA'S CULTURAL HERITAGE IS
HELD OUTSIDE AFRICA BY MAJOR
MUSEUMS.
BUT AS THE VOICES ARGUING FOR
ANTIQUITIES TO BE RETURNED ARE
GETTING LOUDER, OTHERS ARE
RESISTING ANY CHANGE.
IN 2010, WHEN ASKED WHETHER THE
U-K WOULD EVER RETURN THE
KOH-I-NOOR DIAMOND TO INDIA,
PRIME MINISTER DAVID CAMERON
REFUSED, SAYING, "IF YOU SAY YES
TO ONE, YOU SUDDENLY FIND THE
BRITISH MUSEUM WOULD BE EMPTY."
WHICH IS INCREDIBLY FRUSTRATING.
IT'S FRANKLY NO WONDER THAT SOME
ARE NOW TAKING MATTERS INTO
THEIR OWN HANDS.
>> IN JUNE, A CONGOLESE ACTIVIST
REMOVED A 19TH CENTURY CHADIAN
FUNERAL POLE FROM THE QUAI
BRANLY MUSEUM IN PARIS AS PART
OF A PROTEST CAMPAIGN AGAINST
PLUNDERING DURING THE COLONIAL
ERA."
>> John: YEAH!
OBVIOUSLY THAT MAN WAS UNAWARE
OF THE MUSEUM'S VERY CLEAR
POLICY, "NO STEALING AFRICAN
ANTIQUITIES, STARTING
'NOW.'" SO GIVEN JUST HOW MANY
ANTIQUITIES IN SOME OF THE
WORLD'S MOST PRESTIGIOUS MUSEUMS
ARE ESSENTIALLY STOLEN GOODS,
TONIGHT, LET'S TALK ABOUT
MUSEUMS.
THIS IS GOING TO BE A LARGER
STORY THAN NORMAL, AND WE'RE
GOING TO DO IT IN TWO MAIN PARTS
-- FIRST, CONCERNING HOW
ANTIQUITIES ENDED UP IN MUSEUMS
IN THE PAST.
AND THEN, ABOUT THE THRIVING
MODERN MARKET THAT KEEPS THEM
SUPPLIED WITH OBJECTS TO THIS
DAY.
AND LOOK -- WE DON'T HAVE TIME
TO RECAP THE ENTIRE HISTORY OF
COLONIALISM AND THE PLUNDER OF
ANTIQUITIES.
THERE ARE SO MANY STOLEN
ARTIFACTS WE COULD TALK ABOUT --
FROM THE TREASURES OF TIPU
SULTAN, TO THE ZODIAC OF
DENDERA.
BUT IN ORDER TO SAY A LOT IN A
LITTLE, LET'S STAY WITH THE
BRITISH MUSEUM.
IN ITS OWN PROMOTIONAL
MATERIALS, IT MAKES A FEATURE OF
JUST HOW IMPORTANT AND
INFLUENTIAL ITS FOUNDING WAS.
>> IN JANUARY 1759, THE BRITISH
MUSEUM OPENED ITS DOORS, THE
FIRST NATIONAL PUBLIC MUSEUM OF
THE WORLD.
INITIALLY, THE OBJECTS WERE
BASED ON THE FOUNDING COLLECTION
OF SIR HANS SLOANE.
AND THIS IS HANS SLOANE,
SCHOLAR, ENTREPRENEUR,
PHYSICIAN, WHO WAS CONNECTED
WITH THE BEST MINDS OF HIS TIME.
IN FACT, OUR COLLECTION HAS
ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT CONNECTING
PEOPLE.
>> John: OKAY, FIRST, I'M GOING
TO SAY WHAT WE'RE ALL THINKING:
THAT GUY'S DEFINITELY GOOGLED
"COULD NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM
ACTUALLY HAPPEN."
NOT BECAUSE HE'S SCARED OF A BIG
BONY DINOSAUR CHASING HIM, BUT
BECAUSE WHEN NO ONE'S AROUND, HE
"DEFINITELY" FUCKS THE ART AND
DOESN'T WANT ANY OF IT TALKING.
BUT THAT NOTION OF MUSEUMS AS A
PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO CONNECT WITH
OUR SHARED HISTORY, AND WITH
CULTURES ALL OVER THE WORLD,
CLEARLY ISN'T FUNDAMENTALLY BAD.
BUT IT'S ALSO NOT WHOLLY
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ACTUAL
HISTORY OF HOW MANY MUSEUMS CAME
TO BE.
FOR INSTANCE: HANS SLOANE -- WHO
ON HIS BEST DAY, LOOKED LIKE
THAT -- HAD SOME INTERESTING
"CONNECTIONS" OF HIS OWN.
SPECIFICALLY, THE FACT HE WAS
MARRIED TO AN HEIRESS TO SUGAR
PLANTATIONS IN JAMAICA, WORKED
BY ENSLAVED PEOPLE, AND BOUGHT
MANY OBJECTS IN HIS COLLECTION
WITH THAT WEALTH.
MEANING THE MUSEUM'S VERY
FOUNDATIONS ARE INEXTRICABLY
TIED UP IN SLAVERY AND
COLONIALISM, WITH THE SAME BEING
TRUE OF MANY OF ITS MOST PRIZED
HOLDINGS.
TAKE THE BENIN BRONZES, A TERM
THAT REFERS TO A HUGE RANGE OF
OBJECTS PRODUCED IN THE
"KINGDOM" OF BENIN, WHICH IS
CURRENTLY PART OF MODERN-DAY
NIGERIA.
THE BENIN BRONZES WERE LOOTED
FROM THE PALACE OF THE KING OF
BENIN, OR THE "OBA", IN 1897,
AFTER THE BRITISH MILITARY
INVADED AND VIOLENTLY TOPPLED
HIM.
THAT MISSION WAS VINDICTIVE AND
DESTRUCTIVE -- BUT ALSO
EXTREMELY TARGETED.
>> THE BRITISH SOLDIERS, ARMED
WITH MACHINE GUNS, CONQUERED THE
CITY AND BURNED IT TO THE
GROUND.
BUT NOT BEFORE CAREFULLY TAKING
THOUSANDS OF ARTIFACTS.
THEY PILED THEM UP NEATLY,
PHOTOGRAPHED THEM, AND EVEN
LABELED THEM "LOOT."
THIS PHOTO, TAKEN AT THE BENIN
PALACE AFTER THE RAID, SHOWS
SOLDIERS WITH THE DISMANTLED
PLAQUES THAT WERE BROUGHT TO THE
BRITISH MUSEUM, AND SOLD ALL
OVER THE WORLD.
>> John: OKAY, FIRST, THAT'S
AWFUL.
BUT SECOND: IT'S PRETTY
REMARKABLE THAT A BRITISH
SOLDIER WENT TO THE TROUBLE OF
CAREFULLY LABELLING EACH OF
THOSE PHOTOS, AND THE CAPTIONS
HE USED WERE "LOOT" AND "MORE
LOOT."
AT THE VERY LEAST, HE COULD'VE
CHOSEN SOMETHING DESCRIPTIVE,
LIKE, "DAN, TERRY, AND I AFTER
DOING CULTURAL GENOCIDE."
BUT THE LOOTING OF THE BENIN
BRONZES WASN'T JUST A PHYSICAL
LOSS -- IT WAS A CULTURAL AND
HISTORICAL ONE.
TAKE THESE PLAQUES.
THEY'RE NOT JUST PIECES OF ART.
THEY'RE SOMETHING MUCH MORE
IMPORTANT, AS THIS MEMBER OF THE
BENIN ROYAL FAMILY EXPLAINED.
>> THOSE THINGS ARE LIKE OUR OWN
DIARIES.
WHATEVER WAS SIGNIFICANT, THE
OBA WOULD TELL THE GUILD OF
BRONZECASTERS TO CAST IT IN
BRONZE.
TO KEEP A RECORD.
SO TAKING THEM AWAY WAS LIKE
YANKING OFF PAGES OF OUR
HISTORY.
>> John: RIGHT -- FOR THE PEOPLE
OF BENIN, THESE WERE THEIR
MEMORIES MADE PHYSICAL.
AND THESE PLAQUES WERE LAID OUT
IN A VERY SPECIFIC ORDER, WHICH
WAS THEN LOST WHEN THE BRITISH
TORE THEM FROM THE PALACE WALLS.
MEANING THE BRITISH IN EFFECT
STOLE AND SCRAMBLED A NATION'S
MEMORIES, A CRIME SO FUCKED UP,
EVEN BLACK MIRROR HASN'T THOUGHT
OF IT YET.
NOW, THE BRITISH MUSEUM STILL
HOLDS MORE BRONZES THAN ANYWHERE
ELSE, BUT THEY'RE ALL SCATTERED
AMONG 161 MUSEUMS AND
INSTITUTIONS AROUND THE WORLD,
WITH ONLY NINE SUCH INSTITUTIONS
LOCATED IN NIGERIA.
AND UNDERSTANDABLY, THERE'VE
BEEN CALLS FOR THE RETURN OF THE
BRONZES FOR DECADES NOW -- AND A
HANDFUL OF MUSEUMS HAVE COMPLIED
-- BUT THE BRITISH MUSEUM HAS
REPEATEDLY REFUSED, CONSISTENTLY
POINTING TO THE BRITISH MUSEUM
ACT OF 1963, WHICH EXPLICITLY
FORBIDS IT FROM GIVING AN ITEM
IN ITS COLLECTION AWAY, WITH
VERY LIMITED EXCEPTIONS.
AND THE THING IS, THAT LAW DOES
EXIST.
BUT LAWS CAN BE CHANGED IF YOU
WANT TO.
AND THE MORE YOU HEAR BRITISH
OFFICIALS TALK, THE CLEARER IT
BECOMES THAT THAT'S NOT WHAT
THEY WANT AT ALL.
>> WELL, I THINK THAT THEY
PROPERLY RESIDE IN THE BRITISH
MUSEUM.
THE COLLECTIONS OF OUR GREAT
NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS HAVE BEEN
DEVELOPED OVER MANY, MANY
CENTURIES, IN MANY TIMES, IN
QUESTIONABLE CIRCUMSTANCES.
I THINK THE QUESTION NOW IS
ABOUT WHAT WE DO WITH THESE.
I LOVE THE BENIN BRONZES.
I'VE SEEN THEM MANY TIMES
THROUGHOUT MY LIFE, AND I THINK
THEM BEING IN THE BRITISH
MUSEUM, WHICH IS A WORLD
REPOSITORY OF HERITAGE, ALLOWS
PEOPLE TO SEE IT.
>> John: YEAH, THAT OFFENSIVELY
ENGLISH MAN "LOVES" THE BENIN
BRONZES.
AND WHILE I'M SO GLAD THAT
OLIVER JAMES DOWDEN, M-P FOR
HERTSMERE, HAS SEEN THEM "MANY
TIMES THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE," THE
FACT IS, NOT EVERYONE GETS TO DO
THAT, AS THIS NIGERIAN ARTIST
AND ART HISTORIAN WILL ATTEST.
>> 1995.
IN LONDON.
THAT WAS MY FIRST TIME OF SEEING
AN ORIGINAL, UH, ANCIENT BENIN
ARTWORK, WAS, YES, AT A BRITISH
MUSEUM.
TO SEE, FOR THE FIRST TIME,
THESE OBJECTS- IT WAS A MIXTURE
OF PRIDE IN THE ACHIEVEMENT OF
THESE ANCIENT ARTISTS, AND ANGER
MIXED WITH A SENSE OF LOSS.
MOST NIGERIANS WILL NEVER SEE
THEM.
>> John: EXACTLY.
THE GENERATIONS OF BRITISH
CHILDREN WHO'VE GROWN UP
"LOVING" THE BENIN BRONZES COME
AT THE EXPENSE OF GENERATIONS OF
NIGERIANS WHO HAVEN'T.
AND, AGAIN: THIS IS JUST ONE
EXAMPLE, OF SO SO MANY.
AND WHENEVER THE QUESTION OF
RETURNING STOLEN OBJECTS COMES
UP, THERE ARE USUALLY A FEW
STOCK RESPONSES, WHICH ARE WORTH
QUICKLY ADDRESSING.
THE FIRST IS, BASICALLY, THESE
WERE "ACQUIRED" IN A DIFFERENT
TIME, AND YOU CAN'T JUDGE THE
PRESENT BY THE STANDARDS OF THE
PAST.
WHEN FRANCE WAS RECENTLY ROILED
BY
A DEBATE OVER WHETHER TO RETURN
AFRICAN ART, THIS
CATASTROPHICALLY FRENCH ART
HISTORIAN BASICALLY MADE THAT
EXACT CASE.
>> THESE ARTIFACTS, WHO DO THEY
BELONG TO?
>> THEY BELONG TO THE MUSEUMS
WHERE THEY ARE NOW.
BECAUSE THERE ARE LAWS, YOU
KNOW, AND IF-EVEN FOR THE
ARTIFACTS WHICH WERE LOOTED IN
THE 19TH CENTURY, IN THE 19TH
CENTURY OF THE WAR, THERE WAS
LAWS, AND THE LOOTING OF WAR WAS
LEGAL.
MAYBE IT'S NOT MORAL, BUT IT'S
LEGAL.
AND IF YOU WANT TO COME BACK ON
THIS, WHY DON'T YOU COME BACK,
19TH CENTURY, 17TH CENTURY, 16TH
CENTURY?
YOU CANNOT STOP.
YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE TO STOP.
>> John: SO.
HOW DO I EXPLAIN THIS SO THAT
MAN WILL UNDERSTAND?
"YES, THERE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN
LOWS EXPLICITLY MAKING LOOTING
ILLEGAL, BUT THE IDEA THAT GIVES
YOU CARTE BLANCHE IS, "OW YOU
SAY, "ORSESHIT."
AND SETTING ASIDE THAT "DIDIER
RYKNER, THE LOOTING-APOLOGIST
ART HISTORIAN" SEEMS LESS LIKE A
REAL PERSON AND MORE LIKE A
CHARACTER IN TINTIN: "HOW WE
SAVED THE EGYPTIANS FROM
THEMSELVES," THE FACT IS,
LOOTING WASN'T JUST AN
ACCEPTABLE, UNAVOIDABLE
BYPRODUCT OF WAR "UNDER ZE LOW."
IT WAS SOMETIMES BAKED INTO THE
PLAN FROM THE OUTSET.
IN FACT, DURING ONE NOTORIOUS
BRITISH RAID IN NORTHERN
ETHIOPIA IN 1868, THE ARMY EVEN
BROUGHT ALONG AN EXPERT FROM THE
BRITISH MUSEUM TO BID FOR SOME
OF THE CHOICEST ITEMS.
AND IMPORTANTLY, PEOPLE KNEW THE
PRACTICE WAS WRONG EVEN BACK
THEN.
AFTER THAT RAID ON ETHIOPIA, THE
BRITISH PRIME MINISTER SAID HE
"DEEPLY LAMENTED, FOR THE SAKE
OF THE COUNTRY AND FOR THE SAKE
OF ALL CONCERNED, THAT THESE
ARTICLES WERE THOUGHT FIT TO BE
BROUGHT AWAY BY A BRITISH ARMY."
AND URGED THAT THEY "BE HELD
ONLY UNTIL THEY COULD BE
RESTORED."
HE WAS SAYING THAT IN 1868!
WE DIDN'T EVEN KNOW HOW TO FIX A
UTI WITHOUT LEECHES BACK THEN,
BUT KNEW THAT RAIDING OTHER
COUNTRIES FOR THEIR SHIT WAS
"DEEPLY LAMENTABLE' WHICH IS
BRITISH FOR "SUPER FUCKED UP."
NOW, THE SECOND COMMON ARGUMENT
IS THAT OBJECTS ARE ACTUALLY
SAFER UNDER THE CARE OF WESTERN
INSTITUTIONS THAN THEY WOULD BE
IN THEIR HOME COUNTRY.
HERE'S THAT CASE BEING MADE BY
AN ART DEALER, REGARDING
PRE-COLOMBIAN ART FROM PERU.
>> ACCORDING TO THE LAW, WHICH I
THINK- LIKE TO THINK OF AS
SOLOMON'S LAW, THE ONE WHO LOVES
THE BABY BEST GETS THE BABY, THE
ONE WHO WILL PAY THE MOST FOR
THE BABY GETS THE BABY.
IF PERU CANNOT PROPERLY TAKE
CARE OF ITS NATIONAL TREASURES,
THE REST OF THE WORLD WILL TAKE
CARE OF IT FOR THE PERUVIANS, AS
IT SHOULD BE.
>> John: HE SEEMS GREAT.
BUT HE'S RIGHT -- IT'S EXACTLY
AS KING SOLOMON FAMOUSLY
DECLARED: "THE REAL MOTHER IS
WHOEVER AGREES TO OFFER 200
THOUSAND OVER THE ASKING PRICE
ALL CASH, INSPECTION WAIVED."
AND THE ARGUMENT, "YOU CAN'T BE
TRUSTED WITH YOUR OWN PROPERTY,
YOU'LL JUST DAMAGE IT" IS HARD
TO LAND, EVEN BEFORE YOU LEARN
THAT THE CARETAKING RECORD OF
SOME MUSEUMS IS MIXED AT BEST.
REMEMBER THAT WOMAN INSISTING
THE GREEKS COULDN'T POSSIBLY
TAKE CARE OF THE PARTHENON
MARBLES?
HERE'S A FUN FACT: MULTIPLE
LEAKS HAVE BEEN REPORTED IN THE
BRITISH MUSEUM'S GREEK
GALLERIES, AND IN THE 1930S, IN
WHAT MUSEUM OFFICIALS LATER
ADMITTED WAS A "HEAVY HANDED"
ATTEMPT TO CLEAN THE SCULPTURES,
THEY ACTIVELY DAMAGED THEM BY
SCRUBBING THEM WITH WIRE BRUSHES
AND A HARSH CLEANING AGENT.
AND LOOK -- EVEN UNDER SOLOMON'S
LAW, "WHOEVER LOVES THE BABY
GETS THE BABY, BUT IF YOU SCRUB
THE BABY WITH WIRE BRUSHES, WE
TAKE THE BABY AWAY."
AND THE FINAL ARGUMENT YOU HEAR
IS THAT THESE MUSEUMS ARE AN
OPEN REPOSITORY OF THE WORLD'S
TREASURES, AND CAN ACTUALLY
INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE
WHO CAN ENJOY THEM.
BUT YOU'VE ALREADY SEEN SOMEONE
POINT OUT, THAT'S ONLY TRUE IF
YOU CAN GET TO THE MUSEUM IN
QUESTION.
ALSO IT'S WORTH NOTING THAT MOST
DISPLAY ONLY A TINY FRACTION OF
THEIR COLLECTIONS.
THE BRITISH MUSEUM, FOR
INSTANCE, HAS A COLLECTION OF
EIGHT MILLION OBJECTS, THOUGH
ONLY AROUND EIGHTY THOUSAND OF
THEM -- ONE PERCENT -- ARE ON
PUBLIC DISPLAY AT ANY ONE TIME.
AND IT CAN BE PRETTY GALLING FOR
PEOPLE TO FIND THAT THEIR
HERITAGE -- WHICH IS OFTEN PART
OF A VIBRANT PRESENT-DAY CULTURE
-- IS SITTING IN STORAGE IN THE
BRITISH MUSEUM'S UNDERGROUND
LOOT PRISON.
HERE IN THE US, WE'VE STASHED
AWAY MANY NATIVE AMERICAN
ARTIFACTS.
JUST WATCH AS MEMBERS OF THE
EASTERN SHOSHONE AND NORTHERN
ARAPAHOE TRIBES ARE ALLOWED TO
VISIT ARTIFACTS IN STORAGE AT
CHICAGO'S FIELD MUSEUM.
>> SO JUST BEYOND HERE IS THE
STOREROOM WHERE WE'LL BE LOOKING
AT SOME OF THE ARTIFACTS.
♪ ♪
WHEN I THINK ABOUT OBJECTS
THAT BELONG TO TRIBAL MEMBERS
THAT ARE JUST SITTING THERE IN
THE DARK, I FELT ANGRY.
AND I FELT SAD.
YOU JUST WALK IN AND THERE IS
JUST LIKE ROWS AND ROWS AND ROWS
OF ALL THESE OBJECTS.
THEY'VE BEEN BOXED AWAY SINCE
THEY WERE COLLECTED.
NOBODY CAN SEE THEM, TOUCH THEM,
BE AROUND THEM.
>> John: THAT'S DEVASTATING.
AND IT GETS A LOT HARDER TO
PRETEND THESE OBJECTS ARE
FULFILLING A MISSION OF
EDUCATING AND CONNECTING PEOPLE,
WHEN THEY'RE IN A BASEMENT IN A
BOX LABELED WITH A FUCKING
SHARPIE.
AND AT THIS POINT, YOU MAY BE
THINKING, "WELL, OBVIOUSLY, WE
SHOULDN'T HAVE TAKEN THOSE
OBJECTS IN THE PAST.
BUT NOW WE KNOW BETTER."
BUT YOU SHOULD KNOW: THIS
PRACTICE IS STILL VERY MUCH
GOING ON.
WHICH BRINGS US TO THE SECOND
BIG PART OF OUR STORY: THE
MODERN ANTIQUITIES MARKET.
BECAUSE ITEMS ARE STILL BEING
BOUGHT, SOLD AND DONATED ALL THE
TIME BETWEEN PRIVATE
INDIVIDUALS, MUSEUMS, DEALERS
AND AUCTION HOUSES.
AND WHEN IT COMES TO THOSE
ITEMS, THE KEY WORD TO
UNDERSTAND IS "PROVENANCE."
BASICALLY, THE FULL HISTORY OF
AN OBJECT AND THE PATH IT TOOK
TO END UP HERE.
BECAUSE NOT EVERY PIECE IS LIKE
THOSE FAMOUS BENIN BRONZES,
WHERE IT'S CLEAR FROM OUR
HISTORY BOOKS WHO TOOK THEM.
FOR MOST ITEMS, RESEARCH INTO
PROVENANCE IS CRITICAL -- IT'S
NOT JUST HOW YOU KNOW WHETHER AN
ITEM IS REAL OR FAKE, BUT ALSO
WHETHER OR NOT IT GOT TO YOU
LEGALLY.
THE AUCTION HOUSE SOTHEBY'S EVEN
HAS A WHOLE VIDEO ON ITS
WEBSITE, BRAGGING ABOUT HOW MUCH
IT LOVES RESEARCHING PROVENANCE
-- THOUGH IT SEEMS TO VIEW IT
LESS AS AN ETHICAL IMPERATIVE
AND MORE AS A SWEET MARKETING
PERK.
>> SO PROVENANCE-
>> THAT'S MY
FAVORITE PART.
>> PROVENANCE IS THE HISTORY OF
OWNERSHIP FOR A WORK.
>> SINCE IT WAS BROUGHT TO LIFE-
>> WHO THAT WORK OF ART HAD BEEN
MADE FOR-
>> WHOSE WALLS IT'S
BEEN HANGING ON.
>> HOW MANY DIFFERENT HANDS HAS
IT PASSED THROUGH.
>> WHO ELSE HAS LOOKED AT IT, IN
SOME CASES, WHO ELSE HAS LOVED
IT.
>> WHO WORE IT, WHEN DID SHE
WEAR IT, HOW DID SHE WEAR IT,
HOW OFTEN DID SHE WEAR IT?
FOR ME, THIS IS WHAT WE KIND OF
LIVE FOR, IS TO GET THE GREAT
STORIES TO TELL.
>> AND OFTEN THE STORY OF ITS
OWNERSHIP CAN BE JUST AS
INTERESTING, IF NOT MORE
INTERESTING, THAN THE ARTIST.
>> PROVENANCE IS SOMETHING THAT,
IN A WAY, DOESN'T MATTER.
AND YET, AND YET.
>> John: AND YET, IN ANOTHER
WAY, IT REALLY DOES.
AND SIDENOTE: NEVER IN MY LIFE
HAS THERE BEEN SUCH AN
INTIMIDATINGLY BOUGIE COLLECTION
OF PEOPLE.
YOU CAN ALMOST HEAR THEM SAYING,
"ACTUALLY, IT'S PRONOUNCED
CWOISSANT."
AND WHILE I DON'T DOUBT
SOTHEBY'S LOVES BACKSTORIES THAT
ADD LUSTER AND, CRUCIALLY, VALUE
TO THE OBJECTS THEY AUCTION,
THEY, AND MANY OTHERS, SEEM MUCH
LESS INTERESTED WHEN THOSE
STORIES UNCOVER SOMETHING
SEAMIER.
ONE GALLERY OWNER WHO RECENTLY
PLED GUILTY FOR HER PART IN
TRAFFICKING LOOTED ANTIQUITIES
SAID BUYING AND SELLING OBJECTS
WITH VAGUE OR EVEN NO PROVENANCE
WAS SO MUCH THE NORM IN THE ART
MARKET, IT WAS A "CONSPIRACY OF
THE WILLING."
AND TO SEE EXACTLY WHAT THAT
CONSPIRACY CAN LOOK LIKE, JUST
LOOK AT ONE ATTEMPTED SALE WHERE
SOTHEBY'S IGNORED SOME PRETTY
GLARING WARNING SIGNS.
>> THREE YEARS AGO, CAMBODIA
LEARNED THAT SOTHEBY'S AUCTION
HOUSE IN MANHATTAN WAS
ATTEMPTING TO SELL A
THOUSAND-YEAR-OLD MASTERPIECE
FOR $3 MILLION, THE FEET OF
WHICH WERE STILL AT THE TEMPLE
IN CAMBODIA.
SOTHEBY'S WAS WARNED BY THE VERY
EXPERT THEY HIRED TO APPRAISE
THE STATUTE THAT IT WAS, QUOTE,
"DEFINITELY STOLEN."
THEY KNEW THE FEET WERE STILL
THERE.
DESPITE WHAT THEIR EXPERT TOLD
THEM, THEY DECIDED TO PUT THE
STATUE ON THE FRONT OF ONE OF
THEIR MORE PROMINENT AUCTION
CATALOGS OF THE YEAR.
>> John: HOLY SHIT.
HOW DID THAT CONVERSATION GO?
THE EXPERT SAID, "THIS IS
DEFINITELY STOLEN."
AND SOTHEBY'S SAID, "YEAH, BUT
IT MIGHT NOT BE, RIGHT?"
AND THE EXPERT SAID, "NO, IT'S
STOLEN."
AND SOTHEBY'S SAID, "YOU'RE SO
FUNNY."
AND THE EXPERT SAID, "WHAT?"
AND SOTHEBY'S SAID.'SERIOUSLY,
JAMIE, YOU'RE TOO MUCH!"
AND THE EXPERT SAID, "THANKS.
BUT, AGAIN, IT IS STOLEN."
AND SOTHEBY'S SAID, "TELL YOUR
MOM I SAID HI."
AND THE EXPERT SAID, "MY MOM IS
DEAD."
AND THEN THEY PRINTED IT ON THE
COVER.
NOW, LEGALLY, I HAVE TO TELL
YOU: SOTHEBY'S INSISTS THEY DID
NOTHING WRONG AND THAT THEY
CONDUCT EXTENSIVE DUE DILIGENCE
BEFORE OFFERING ITEMS UP FOR
AUCTION.
BUT YOU SHOULD KNOW: IN THE CASE
OF THAT STATUE, FEDERAL
PROSECUTORS EVENTUALLY
INTERVENED, FORCING SOTHEBY'S TO
HAND IT OVER TO CAMBODIA, WHERE
IT WAS EVENTUALLY HAPPILY
REUNITED WITH ITS FEET.
IT'S A
REAL CINDERELLA STORY, IF
CINDERELLA HAD BEEN AMPUTATED AT
THE ANKLE.
AND INTERESTINGLY, IT'S NOT
UNCOMMON TO SEE STATUES MISSING
FEET OR HANDS.
AND WHILE YOU MIGHT ASSUME IT'S
DAMAGE DUE TO TIME, IT'S OFTEN A
SIGN IT'S BEEN STOLEN, WITH
LOOTERS OR THIEVES SAWING OFF
HEADS TO SELL SEPARATELY, OR
HACKING A SCULPTURE OUT FROM A
TEMPLE WALL SO RAPIDLY, THEY
LEAVE THE FEET BEHIND.
AND IF I KNOW THIS, AND YOU NOW
KNOW THIS, THEN SOTHEBY'S
"DEFINITELY" FUCKING DID.
AND, AGAIN, THIS IS WHY
PROVENANCE RESEARCH IS SO
VITALLY IMPORTANT.
BUT MANY BUYERS FAIL TO DO EVEN
THE BARE MINIMUM -- MEANING THE
DEMAND FOR STOLEN GOODS WILL
ALWAYS BE MET BY A STEADY
SUPPLY.
JUST WATCH AS A DEALER IN
NEPALESE ARTIFACTS DEEPAK
SHAKYA, BASICALLY WALKS SOMEONE
THROUGH JUST HOW EASY IT CAN BE
TO GET PAPERWORK TO JUSTIFY
REMOVING AN OBJECT FROM THE
COUNTRY.
>> BY LAW, THE COUNTRY'S
DEPARTMENT OF ARCHEOLOGY CANNOT
ISSUE EXPORT PAPERS ON ITEMS
MORE THAN 100 YEARS OLD.
BUT DEEPAK SAYS HE HAS A TRIED
AND PROVEN WAY.
>> SO GOVERNMENT, NO PROBLEM
GETTING THESE OUT?
>> NO.
I MEAN, WE HAVE TO GIVE SOME
MONEY UNDER THE TABLE, BUT
OTHERWISE NO PROBLEM.
>> OKAY.
>> I MEAN, IT'S NOT LEGAL-
>> OKAY.
>> BUT STILL, I MEAN, WE CAN GET
IT DONE, IT'S NO PROBLEM.
>> John: OKAY, THAT'S WAY TOO
EASY.
I DON'T KNOW HOW HARD IT SHOULD
BE TO ILLEGALLY EXPORT A
CULTURE'S TREASURED ANTIQUITIES,
BUT IT SHOULD AT LEAST BE HARDER
THAN "FIND A GUY WHO HAS A GUY."
THAT MAN WAS LATER ARRESTED AND
CHARGED, PRESUMABLY ALARMING
MUSEUMS WITH LARGE COLLECTIONS
FROM NEPAL.
JUST LOOK WHAT HAPPENED WHEN
THOSE DOCUMENTARY MAKERS SAT
DOWN WITH A REPRESENTATIVE FROM
THE RUBIN MUSEUM, HERE IN NEW
YORK, TO ASK A PRETTY BASIC
QUESTION.
>> IN NEPAL, AUTHORITIES
RECENTLY ARRESTED A NUMBER OF
ANTIQUE DEALERS.
HAS THE RUBIN MUSEUM DONE ANY
DEALINGS WITH DEEPAK SHAKYA OR
HIS FAMILY, THE SHAKYAS?
>> I DON'T THINK WE SHOULD
ANSWER THAT.
I MEAN-
>> THE MUSEUM'S PR
PERSON INTERVENES.
>> I DON'T-I MEAN, WE WOULD
OBVIOUSLY LOOK INTO OUR-YOU
KNOW, WE'D HAVE TO DO A LOT OF
RESEARCH TO KNOW THAT.
>> DO YOU WANT TO SAY THAT?
>> DO YOU WANT US TO LIKE, GET
BACK TO YOU ABOUT IT?
>> THAT WOULD BE, YEAH, THAT'D
BE GOOD.
>> John: OKAY, A PRETTY GOOD
RULE, WHEN YOU'RE ASKED "DO YOU
WORK WITH ART THIEVES?", IS THAT
ANY ANSWER THAT'S NOT AN
IMMEDIATE "NO" IS INSTANTLY
SUSPICIOUS.
AND WHILE THE RUBIN LATER
CLAIMED THAT, TO THEIR BEST
KNOWLEDGE, THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY
CONNECTION TO DEEPAK SHAKYA, OR
ANY OBJECTS FROM HIM, THEY DID
RETURN THESE TWO OBJECTS FROM
THEIR COLLECTION JUST THIS YEAR,
THAT "WERE" STOLEN.
AND THE NEPALESE GROUP THAT
PRESSURED THEM TO DO THAT,
RECENTLY IDENTIFIED ANOTHER
OBJECT THEY SAY IS STOLEN WHICH
-- YOU'LL NEVER GUESS -- JUST
HAPPENS TO BE IN THE RUBIN RIGHT
NOW.
BUT DON'T WORRY, THEY TOLD US
THEY'RE LOOKING INTO THAT ONE
NOW, TOO.
AND I'M SURE THEY'LL GET BACK TO
US.
IT'S WHAT THEY DO.
AND THE THING IS, THERE ARE LOTS
OF DEALERS AROUND, WHO USE
MUSEUMS TO LAUNDER THEIR
REPUTATIONS.
TAKE SUBHASH KAPOOR.
WHO WAS ONCE ONE OF THE LEADING
SOURCES OF ASIAN ART FOR MUSEUMS
AND COLLECTORS.
THE MET CURRENTLY HAS 86 OBJECTS
FROM HIM IN ITS COLLECTION, AND
EVEN THREW HIM A PRIVATE
RECEPTION IN 2009 AFTER HE
DONATED DOZENS OF INDIAN
DRAWINGS.
WHICH WAS A REAL WIN-WIN.
THE MET GOT THE DRAWINGS, AND
KAPOOR GOT TO TELL PEOPLE HE HAD
ART IN THE MET, AND IT'S NOT
LIKE THEY WOULD WORK WITH A
DISREPUTABLE DEALER, RIGHT?
BUT KAPOOR WAS ULTIMATELY
IDENTIFIED AS A PROLIFIC
TRAFFICKER OF STOLEN GOODS.
AND HE DIDN'T EVEN BOTHER COMING
UP WITH GOOD COVER STORIES.
THE MOST COMMON ONE HE USED WAS
THAT OBJECTS HAD COME FROM THE
FAMILY COLLECTION OF HIS
GIRLFRIEND.
AND YOU MIGHT BE THINKING,
"THAT'S SO STUPID IT WOULD ONLY
WORK ON A GROUP OF REAL DING
DONGS."
TO WHICH I'D SAY, "YOU'RE RIGHT.
IT SEEMS TO HAVE WORKED ON THE
MET 86 TIMES."
AND BUYING ART WITHOUT DOING
PROPER PROVENANCE RESEARCH CAN
BLOW UP IN A MUSEUM'S FACE, IN
SPECTACULAR FASHION.
TAKE WHAT HAPPENED A FEW YEARS
BACK AT THE MET GALA.
THE YEAR?
2018.
KIM KARDASHIAN MADE AN
APPEARANCE WEARING HEAD-TO-TOE
ATELIER VERSACE, THAT WAS,
NOTABLY, GOLD, JUST LIKE THIS
GUY, NEDJEMANKH, OR MORE
SPECIFICALLY, HIS COFFIN, WHICH
THE MET HAD RECENTLY ACQUIRED.
GUYS, A PHOTO OPP OF THE TWO OF
THEM HAD TO HAPPEN!
IT DID, THE INTERNET
EXPLODED.
BUT THEN, THIS HAPPENED.
>> THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF
ART NEW YORK RECEIVING A TIP
AFTER KIM'S PHOTO FROM THE MET
GALA WENT VIRAL.
>> THE MANHATTAN ASSISTANT
DISTRICT ATTORNEY WAS EMAILED
THE PHOTO BY AN ANONYMOUS
INFORMANT IN THE MIDDLE EAST,
SAYING HE RECOGNIZED THE COFFIN
AND KNEW IT HAD BEEN LOOTED.
MUSEUM OFFICIALS SAYING THEY
BOUGHT THE SARCOPHAGUS FOR $4
MILLION FROM AN ART DEALER IN
PARIS IN 2017, BUT WERE FOOLED
BY FAKE PAPERS SAYING IT HAD
BEEN LEGITIMATELY EXPORTED
DECADES AGO.
>> John: WOW.
SAY WHAT YOU WANT ABOUT KIM
KARDASHIAN -- THE WOMAN HAS A
REAL KNACK FOR PRODUCING
INCREDIBLE IMAGES, JUST BY
STANDING NEXT TO MEN THAT LOOK
LIKE THEY DIED A LONG TIME AGO.
IT TURNS OUT, NEDJEMANKH'S
COFFIN HAD BEEN STOLEN DURING
THE EGYPTIAN UPRISING IN 2011.
AND AS THE STORY UNRAVELED, IT
BECAME CLEAR THE MET SHOULD'VE
BEEN A LOT MORE SUSPICIOUS WHEN
IT WAS OFFERED TO THEM.
BECAUSE THE RED FLAGS INCLUDED
THREE CONFLICTING OWNERSHIP
HISTORIES, THE INVOLVEMENT OF
KNOWN TRAFFICKERS, AND A FORGED
EXPORT LICENSE THAT BORE THE
STAMP "ARAB REPUBLIC OF EGYPT"
BEFORE THE COUNTRY USED THAT
NAME.
AND THAT'S TOO MANY RED FLAGS!
IT'D BE LIKE IF MADAME TUSSAUD'S
BOUGHT AND DISPLAYED A CLEARLY
ALIVE JAMES SPADER.
YOUR ONLY JOB WAS TO MAKE SURE
THIS CELEBRITY WAS WAX, HOW'D
YOU FUCK THIS UP SO BADLY?
NOW, THE MET'S SINCE
RELINQUISHED THE COFFIN AND
APOLOGIZED TO EGYPT.
BUT A MUSEUM'S APPROACH TO
PROVENANCE RESEARCH CAN'T BE "DO
NOTHING UNTIL KIM KARDASHIAN
TAKES A PHOTOGRAPH IN FRONT OF
ONE OF OUR OBJECTS AND WE'RE
HUMILIATED ON THE INTERNATIONAL
STAGE."
THIS CAN'T BE HER RESPONSIBILITY
-- SHE'S TOO BUSY
REVOLUTIONIZING SHAPEWEAR!
AND IT'S WORTH NOTING: IN THE
LAST FIVE YEARS THE MET HAS HAD
NO FEWER THAN NINE SEARCH
WARRANTS EXECUTED ON IT,
RESULTING IN 37 PIECES BEING
SEIZED.
AND NONE OF THIS IS A VICTIMLESS
CRIME.
BECAUSE THE TRAFFICKING OF
LOOTED ANTIQUITIES HAS FINANCED
SOME OF THE WORLD'S WORST
ACTORS, FROM THE GENOCIDAL KHMER
ROUGE IN CAMBODIA TO THE ISLAMIC
STATE IN IRAQ AND SYRIA.
AND THE HARM ALSO EXTENDS TO THE
PERSONAL LEVEL.
BECAUSE, AGAIN, IF I CAN IMPRESS
ONE THING ON YOU, IT'S THAT WHEN
THESE OBJECTS END UP IN THE
WEST, WE PUT THEM BEHIND GLASS
AND CALL THEM ART.
BUT IN THEIR
HOME CONTEXTS, THEY CAN BE MUCH
MORE.
FOR INSTANCE, THIS STOLEN,
SACRED STATUE WAS IN A DALLAS
MUSEUM UNTIL MARCH OF LAST YEAR,
AND WHEN IT WAS FINALLY RETURNED
TO NEPAL, IT WAS IMMEDIATELY PUT
BACK INTO USE FOR RELIGIOUS
WORSHIP.
THERE'S JUST A LEVEL OF ABJECT
CALLOUSNESS HERE -- WHICH, TO BE
FAIR, SOME INSTITUTIONS ARE
FINALLY COMING TO TERMS WITH.
TAKE THE UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN
IN
SCOTLAND.
IT RECENTLY BEGAN REASSESSING
OBJECTS IN ITS COLLECTION, AND
FACING THE GRIM REALITIES OF
WHAT IT HAD BEEN HOLDING ONTO,
LIKE THIS GLASS SPHERE.
THE STORY BEHIND HOW IT GOT TO
ABERDEEN IS BOTH FASCINATING AND
HORRIFYING.
>> THIS HINDU HOLY MAN HAD BEEN
CHALLENGED TO HOLD THE GLASS
SPHERE FOR 12 YEARS IN ORDER TO
OBTAIN A BENEFICIAL AFTERLIFE.
HE ONLY MANAGED EIGHT.
>> SUBSEQUENTLY, WE DISCOVERED
THAT IN THE ANATOMICAL
COLLECTION OF HUMAN SKULLS, WE
HAVE HIS SKULL.
>>WOW.
>> IS THAT HIS HEAD?
>> THAT IS, YEAH.
>> LET'S HAVE A LOOK.
GOSH.
>> THAT'S HIM.
>> AMAZING AND AWFUL AT THE SAME
TIME, ISN'T IT?
THEY'RE CREMATED, AREN'T THEY,
HINDUS?
AND HE HASN'T BEEN CREMATED.
THAT'S PROFOUNDLY OFFENSIVE,
ISN'T IT?
AND HERE WE ARE IN THE 21ST
CENTURY AND WE STILL HAVEN'T PUT
THIS PERSON TO REST.
>> NO.
NO.
>> GOD, THAT'S TERRIBLE, ISN'T
IT?
>> John: YES, IT IS FOR ABOUT A
HUNDRED REASONS.
BECAUSE A HEAD IN A BOX IS LESS
SOMETHING YOU'D EXPECT TO FIND
AT AN ACADEMIC INSTITUTION, AND
MORE IN THE BASEMENT OF A SERIAL
KILLER.
AND THAT'S EMBLEMATIC OF SO MUCH
HERE -- THE FACT THAT, FOR SO
LONG, NOT ONLY DID NO ONE SEE
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT OBJECT
TO THAT MAN, NO ONE SAW THAT MAN
AS SIGNIFICANT, PERIOD.
SO.
WHAT CAN BE DONE?
WELL, SOME INSTITUTIONS LIKE THE
UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN HAVE BEEN
TAKING THIS RECKONING SERIOUSLY.
THEY'RE BEGINNING DISCUSSIONS
WITH A LOCAL HINDU TEMPLE ABOUT
WHAT TO DO WITH THAT MAN'S
REMAINS.
THEY ACTUALLY ALSO HAD A BENIN
BRONZE, WHICH THEY REPATRIATED
LATE LAST YEAR.
WHICH IS GREAT.
BUT TOO OFTEN, THE RECKONING
ONLY GOES SO FAR.
A FEW YEARS AGO, THE UK'S
NATIONAL ARMY MUSEUM RETURNED TO
ETHIOPIA A STOLEN LOCK OF HAIR
BELONGING TO AN ETHIOPIAN
EMPEROR, BUT TOOK PAINS TO POINT
OUT THAT IT WAS "DEFINITELY NOT
A PRECEDENT."
LOOK: THE FACT IS, MUSEUMS
SHOULD BE GETTING ASKED HARD
QUESTIONS ABOUT EVERY ASPECT OF
BOTH THEIR ACQUISITION PROCESS
AND THEIR COLLECTIONS, AS PART
OF A LONG-OVERDUE CONVERSATION
ABOUT WHERE THEIR ITEMS CAME
FROM, AND WHETHER ANYONE WANTS
THEM BACK.
SOME COUNTRIES MIGHT EVEN BE
WILLING TO LOAN ITEMS OUT TO
MUSEUMS AROUND THE WORLD, BUT
WITH A CLEAR UNDERSTANDING OF
WHO ACTUALLY OWNS THEM.
THE POINT IS, THAT CONVERSATION
SHOULD BE LED BY THE GROUPS
THOSE ITEMS ORIGINALLY BELONGED
TO.
BECAUSE WHILE OBVIOUSLY, MUSEUMS
SHOULDN'T BE VIOLATING THE LAW,
THEY SHOULDN'T BE VIOLATING
BASIC MORAL DECENCY, EITHER.
THERE IS SO MUCH WE NEED TO DO
TO RECKON WITH THE HARMS, PAST
AND PRESENT, OF COLONIALISM.
BUT THIS SHOULD BE THE EASY
PART.
AND UNTIL SUCH TIME AS WE
GENUINELY ENGAGE IN THAT
RECKONING, I'D LIKE TO PRESENT A
POTENTIAL PLAN B.
♪ ♪
>> HI, I'M HERE TO INTRODUCE YOU
TO THE PAYBACK MUSEUM.
THE FIRST PUBLIC MUSEUM IN THE
WORLD DEVOTED TO PROVIDING
RECOURSE TO NATIONS WHO HAVE
BEEN PLUNDERED OF THEIR GREATEST
TREASURES THROUGHOUT HISTORY BY
COLONIAL DICK HEADS.
THIS IS A COLLECTION ALL ABOUT
DISCONNECTING PEOPLE,
SPECIFICALLY DISCONNECTING
WESTERN COUNTRIES FROM THEIR
SHIT THE WAY EVERYONE ELSE --
COME ON, I'LL SHOW YOU AROUND.
WELCOME TO OUR AFRICA WING, THIS
IS WHERE THERE SHOULD BE
BRONZES, THE SPECTACULAR TABLETS
THAT TELL THE COMPREHENSIVE
STORY OF THE GLORIOUS KINGDOM.
BUT THEY WERE PUT IN THE BACK,
SHAKEN AND DUMPED OUT OVER
EUROPE LOOK A BUNCH OF SCRABBLE
LETTERS SO UNTIL WE GET THEM
BACK, THIS ROOM IS HOME TO ONE
OF THE STONEHENGE ARCHES!
YOU MIGHT HAVE NOTICED YOUR
MISSING ONE, YOU T TO MIKE WE TK
IT BECAUSE YOU WERE JUST LEAVING
IT OUT AND GETTING IT WET,
THERE'S GRASS AND SHIT ON IT.
WE WON'T THINK ABOUT RETURNING
IT AND STILL YOU START CARING
ABOUT WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE.
HONESTLY I DON'T LIKE IT, I
THINK THE STONE HEDGE SUCKS
I DON'T WANT TO RETURN THEM TO
SPITE YOU.
ARE YOU HAVING FUN?
I AM.
AT LATIN AMERICA WE WANTED TO
FEATURE A COLLECTION OF GORGEOUS
ANCIENT INDIGENOUS PERUVIAN
TEXTILES BUT THEY ARE ALL IN A
MUSEUM, SO INSTEAD WE HAVE THE
LIBERTY BELL!
AN EARLY AMERICAN EXAMPLE OF A
FUCKING BELL.
WE DIDN'T STOP THERE.
WE ALSO HAVE MOUNT RUSHMORE TO
BE MORE ACCURATE JUST THE TIP
AND TO BE MORE SPECIFIC OF
GEORGE WASHINGTON'S NOSE.
[LAUGHTER]
YOU MIGHT BE THINKING WHY ARE
YOU DEPRIVING THOUSANDS OF BORED
SCHOOLCHILDREN THE SITE OF THIS
OVERSIZED NOSE OF THIS FUCKED UP
DINNER?
WHOEVER LOVES THE BABY BASKETS
THE BABY AND YOUR BABIES GOT GO
GOT.
NOW WE HAVE SOMETHING REALLY
SPECIAL, I'M THRILLED TO
ANNOUNCE THE GRAND OPENING OF A
STATE-OF-THE-ART ASIA WING WHERE
WE DISPLAY A NUMBER OF PRICELESS
TENTH CENTURY RELIGIOUS STATUES
OR AT LEAST WE WERE.
NOW WE ONLY HAVE THEIR FEET.
INSTEAD WE GOT A COUPLE THINGS
FROM FRANCE.
WE GOT MOST OF THE MONA LISA,
OVERRATED BUNCH OF SHIT FROM
VERSE I, I SWEAR WE ARE GOING TO
FRAME AT SOME POINT TACK IN OUR
COLLEGE WALL IN OUR DORM ROOM.
THE STORY OF ITS OWNERSHIP CAN
BE JUST AS INTERESTING AS THE
ART ITSELF, WHO OWNED IT, WHO
LOVED US, WHO YELLED STOP AS WE
RAN OUT OF THE MUSEUM WITH IT
WHICH HAPPENED BUT IT DEFINITELY
DIFFERENT BECAUSE WE HAVE THE
PAPERS TO SAY IT'S FINE.
IF YOU COME WITH ME, OUR LAST
STOP IS WHERE THE REAL TREASURES
ARE.
HERE WE ARE IN THE STOREROOM
WHERE WE KEEP SOME OF THE MOST
PRIZED POSSESSIONS, ITEMS SO
VALUABLE WE KNOW IT'S
INDEFENSIBLE FOR US TO HAVE THEM
COME AT THE GOOD SHIT.
EVERY ONE OF THESE BOXES WILL
BLOW YOUR MIND TO.
WE GOT LOOT, MORE LOOT, THIS ONE
IS VERY, VERY SPECIAL.
IN THIS BOX LIFE THREE OF GERALD
FORD'S RIBS.
YOU WONDER WHY DO WE HAVE THEM?
US BECAUSE WE CANNOT GET FOUR.
YOU THINK HE HASN'T BEEN DEAD
NEARLY LONG ENOUGH FOR THAT TO
BE OKAY AND I SAY OH, YEAH?
HOW LONG DO YOU HAVE TO BE DEAD
FOR IT TO BE OKAY?
GIVE ME A NUMBER HOW LONG AFTER
HIS DEATH IT'S OKAY TO HAVE PART
OF HIS BODY SWEATING IN A
MUSEUMS HOT STORAGE.
IF YOU HEAR FROM ONE OF THE
COUNTRIES WHO OWN THIS STUFF,
ENJOY IT.
OUR MUSEUM IS A REPOSITORY SO
YOU CAN VISIT YOUR STUFF ANYTIME
BETWEEN 9:00 A.M. AT 4:00 P.M.
AND NOT ON MONDAYS.
I KNOW YOU MIGHT WANT SOME OF
THIS STUFF BACK AND WE WOULD
LOVE TO GIVE IT BACK TO YOU BUT
IF WE GIVE IT TO YOU EVERYONE
ELSE IS GOING TO LINE UP AND
SUDDENLY THIS WHOLE PLACE IS
EMPTY.
SO THE ANSWER IS NO.
IT'S ALL OURS FOREVER.
SMELLS LIKE PAYBACK.
[LAUGHTER]
OR DUST.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
>> John: THAT'S OUR SHOW,
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR WATCHING,