ArtCrime2022 – Collection Challenges: Returning, De-Accessioning, and Repatriation

The New Zealand Art Crime Research Trust held its seventh symposium on Saturday 5 November 2022 at City Gallery Wellington, The theme was “Collection Challenges: Returning, De-Accessioning, and Repatriation”. The day was organised into blocks with plenty of time to network and mingle over refreshments.

Our speakers included (in alphabetical order):

  • Jonathan Barrett (Victoria University) – ‘A Pissarro, justice & fairness, & the vagaries of law: A perspective from Aotearoa New Zealand.’
  • Chanel Clarke (Te Rau Aroha Waitangi Treaty Grounds) and Hikitia Harawira (Auckland Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira) – ‘Redress for the crime: The return of taonga through the Treaty Settlement process
  • Miriam Kauders, Simon During and Michiel During – ‘The return to New Zealand from Czechoslovakia of the Gertrud Kauders Collection.’
  • Freya Elmer (MOTAT) – ‘De-Accessioning art objects from the Walsh Libraru at MOTAT that have little or no relevance to technology or transport.’
  • Josie McNaught (arts lawyer and former arts journalist) and William Cottrell (former journalist and antique furniture expert/restorer) – The law is an elephant-sized ass … (when it comes to applying the trade in endangered species act (TIES) and the convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora 1975 (CITIES).’
  • Jamie Metzger (Te Papa Tongarewa Museum of New Zealand) – ‘Ready or not: How museums are progressing the repatriation movement in Aotearoa.’
  • Sarah Murray (Canterbury Museum) – ‘A collection challenge? The treasures of Benin cared for by Canterbury Museum.’
  • Felicity Strong (Royal Botanic Gardens, Victoria) – ‘The ‘kleptotype’ dilemma: An examination of the parallels between botanical collections & cultural collections in the challenge of repatriation of stolen & problematic artefacts & specimens.’
  • Rod Thomas (AUT) – ‘The good faith buyer defence and the vulnerability of art institutions and their employees to reparations claims.’
  • Arthur Tompkins (Ministry of Justice) – ‘Repatriation: An overview.’