First modification:
After two years of negotiations with France, Cotonou, the capital of Benin, finally hosted the exhibition of his original works, which had been in the Gallic country for decades. This claim is gaining more and more supporters among African nations, since French art historians warn that more than 90% of African cultural heritage is in Europe.
“We asked for more works, but it was Paris who chose. We are not going to ask for everything to be returned. Beninese works must remain in museums around the world so that the planet can see the greatness of Benin,” said the country’s president, Patrice Talón, who made a symbolic delivery of the repatriated treasures to the descendants of the leaders of the ancient kingdoms of the African country, on the eve of the exhibition’s opening to the public.
The 26 pieces, some considered sacred in Benin, will be exhibited from Sunday in a 2,000-square-meter space at the presidential palace in Cotonou, in an exhibition entitled “The art of Benin yesterday and today.” The works were returned last November, after two years of negotiations between the two nations.
This is how the Twitter account of the Presidency of Benin showed the opening of the exhibition in which they included a photo gallery:
“Return the African heritage to Africa”, one of the objectives of President Emmanuel Macron
The objects were looted by French colonial troops in 1892, so the opening of the exhibition was attended by the French Minister of Culture, Roselyne Bachelot, who defends President Macron’s maxim: France must play an important role in the process. reintegration of heritage experienced by African countries.
During a visit to Burkina Faso in 2017, the leader had pledged to “return the African heritage to Africa”, acknowledging the “undeniable crimes of European colonization”.
“It is the will to write another story, to recreate from this memorial, historical and aesthetic heritage,” stressed the head of the cultural portfolio. Bachelot also attended an exhibition of 34 contemporary artists, who connected her work to returned cultural treasures. These events are part of a Benin initiative to increase its cultural infrastructure with an investment of one billion euros.
This return gives hope to other African countries
French lawmakers have approved a bill allowing Paris to return items to both Benin and Senegal, another former French colony, more than a century after they were looted.
According to French art historians, it is believed that more than 90% of the African cultural heritage is spread across Europe. Institutions such as the British Museum in London and the Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac Museum in Paris still have thousands of pieces. A report commissioned by Macron counted some 90,000 African works in French museums, 70,000 of them on the Quai Branly alone.
France’s restitution to Benin of these 26 works of art fuels the hope that other European countries and cultural institutions will do the same. The report noted that hundreds of thousands of other objects are found in Belgium, the United Kingdom, Austria and Germany. National museums in Africa, on the other hand, rarely have collections exceeding 3,000 works. These objects also tend to have less artistic value.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
First modification:
After two years of negotiations with France, Cotonou, the capital of Benin, finally hosted the exhibition of his original works, which had been in the Gallic country for decades. This claim is gaining more and more supporters among African nations, since French art historians warn that more than 90% of African cultural heritage is in Europe.
“We asked for more works, but it was Paris who chose. We are not going to ask for everything to be returned. Beninese works must remain in museums around the world so that the planet can see the greatness of Benin,” said the country’s president, Patrice Talón, who made a symbolic delivery of the repatriated treasures to the descendants of the leaders of the ancient kingdoms of the African country, on the eve of the exhibition’s opening to the public.
The 26 pieces, some considered sacred in Benin, will be exhibited from Sunday in a 2,000-square-meter space at the presidential palace in Cotonou, in an exhibition entitled “The art of Benin yesterday and today.” The works were returned last November, after two years of negotiations between the two nations.
This is how the Twitter account of the Presidency of Benin showed the opening of the exhibition in which they included a photo gallery:
“Return the African heritage to Africa”, one of the objectives of President Emmanuel Macron
The objects were looted by French colonial troops in 1892, so the opening of the exhibition was attended by the French Minister of Culture, Roselyne Bachelot, who defends President Macron’s maxim: France must play an important role in the process. reintegration of heritage experienced by African countries.
During a visit to Burkina Faso in 2017, the leader had pledged to “return the African heritage to Africa”, acknowledging the “undeniable crimes of European colonization”.
“It is the will to write another story, to recreate from this memorial, historical and aesthetic heritage,” stressed the head of the cultural portfolio. Bachelot also attended an exhibition of 34 contemporary artists, who connected her work to returned cultural treasures. These events are part of a Benin initiative to increase its cultural infrastructure with an investment of one billion euros.
This return gives hope to other African countries
French lawmakers have approved a bill allowing Paris to return items to both Benin and Senegal, another former French colony, more than a century after they were looted.
According to French art historians, it is believed that more than 90% of the African cultural heritage is spread across Europe. Institutions such as the British Museum in London and the Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac Museum in Paris still have thousands of pieces. A report commissioned by Macron counted some 90,000 African works in French museums, 70,000 of them on the Quai Branly alone.
France’s restitution to Benin of these 26 works of art fuels the hope that other European countries and cultural institutions will do the same. The report noted that hundreds of thousands of other objects are found in Belgium, the United Kingdom, Austria and Germany. National museums in Africa, on the other hand, rarely have collections exceeding 3,000 works. These objects also tend to have less artistic value.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
First modification:
After two years of negotiations with France, Cotonou, the capital of Benin, finally hosted the exhibition of his original works, which had been in the Gallic country for decades. This claim is gaining more and more supporters among African nations, since French art historians warn that more than 90% of African cultural heritage is in Europe.
“We asked for more works, but it was Paris who chose. We are not going to ask for everything to be returned. Beninese works must remain in museums around the world so that the planet can see the greatness of Benin,” said the country’s president, Patrice Talón, who made a symbolic delivery of the repatriated treasures to the descendants of the leaders of the ancient kingdoms of the African country, on the eve of the exhibition’s opening to the public.
The 26 pieces, some considered sacred in Benin, will be exhibited from Sunday in a 2,000-square-meter space at the presidential palace in Cotonou, in an exhibition entitled “The art of Benin yesterday and today.” The works were returned last November, after two years of negotiations between the two nations.
This is how the Twitter account of the Presidency of Benin showed the opening of the exhibition in which they included a photo gallery:
“Return the African heritage to Africa”, one of the objectives of President Emmanuel Macron
The objects were looted by French colonial troops in 1892, so the opening of the exhibition was attended by the French Minister of Culture, Roselyne Bachelot, who defends President Macron’s maxim: France must play an important role in the process. reintegration of heritage experienced by African countries.
During a visit to Burkina Faso in 2017, the leader had pledged to “return the African heritage to Africa”, acknowledging the “undeniable crimes of European colonization”.
“It is the will to write another story, to recreate from this memorial, historical and aesthetic heritage,” stressed the head of the cultural portfolio. Bachelot also attended an exhibition of 34 contemporary artists, who connected her work to returned cultural treasures. These events are part of a Benin initiative to increase its cultural infrastructure with an investment of one billion euros.
This return gives hope to other African countries
French lawmakers have approved a bill allowing Paris to return items to both Benin and Senegal, another former French colony, more than a century after they were looted.
According to French art historians, it is believed that more than 90% of the African cultural heritage is spread across Europe. Institutions such as the British Museum in London and the Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac Museum in Paris still have thousands of pieces. A report commissioned by Macron counted some 90,000 African works in French museums, 70,000 of them on the Quai Branly alone.
France’s restitution to Benin of these 26 works of art fuels the hope that other European countries and cultural institutions will do the same. The report noted that hundreds of thousands of other objects are found in Belgium, the United Kingdom, Austria and Germany. National museums in Africa, on the other hand, rarely have collections exceeding 3,000 works. These objects also tend to have less artistic value.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
First modification:
After two years of negotiations with France, Cotonou, the capital of Benin, finally hosted the exhibition of his original works, which had been in the Gallic country for decades. This claim is gaining more and more supporters among African nations, since French art historians warn that more than 90% of African cultural heritage is in Europe.
“We asked for more works, but it was Paris who chose. We are not going to ask for everything to be returned. Beninese works must remain in museums around the world so that the planet can see the greatness of Benin,” said the country’s president, Patrice Talón, who made a symbolic delivery of the repatriated treasures to the descendants of the leaders of the ancient kingdoms of the African country, on the eve of the exhibition’s opening to the public.
The 26 pieces, some considered sacred in Benin, will be exhibited from Sunday in a 2,000-square-meter space at the presidential palace in Cotonou, in an exhibition entitled “The art of Benin yesterday and today.” The works were returned last November, after two years of negotiations between the two nations.
This is how the Twitter account of the Presidency of Benin showed the opening of the exhibition in which they included a photo gallery:
“Return the African heritage to Africa”, one of the objectives of President Emmanuel Macron
The objects were looted by French colonial troops in 1892, so the opening of the exhibition was attended by the French Minister of Culture, Roselyne Bachelot, who defends President Macron’s maxim: France must play an important role in the process. reintegration of heritage experienced by African countries.
During a visit to Burkina Faso in 2017, the leader had pledged to “return the African heritage to Africa”, acknowledging the “undeniable crimes of European colonization”.
“It is the will to write another story, to recreate from this memorial, historical and aesthetic heritage,” stressed the head of the cultural portfolio. Bachelot also attended an exhibition of 34 contemporary artists, who connected her work to returned cultural treasures. These events are part of a Benin initiative to increase its cultural infrastructure with an investment of one billion euros.
This return gives hope to other African countries
French lawmakers have approved a bill allowing Paris to return items to both Benin and Senegal, another former French colony, more than a century after they were looted.
According to French art historians, it is believed that more than 90% of the African cultural heritage is spread across Europe. Institutions such as the British Museum in London and the Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac Museum in Paris still have thousands of pieces. A report commissioned by Macron counted some 90,000 African works in French museums, 70,000 of them on the Quai Branly alone.
France’s restitution to Benin of these 26 works of art fuels the hope that other European countries and cultural institutions will do the same. The report noted that hundreds of thousands of other objects are found in Belgium, the United Kingdom, Austria and Germany. National museums in Africa, on the other hand, rarely have collections exceeding 3,000 works. These objects also tend to have less artistic value.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)