“Restitution of Nazi-looted art eclipsing Afghani cultural restoration” @ The Arab American News
June 20th, 2008 by Menachem Wecker
My review of the National Gallery of Art’s show “Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul” is in this week’s issue of The Arab American News.
In the piece I wonder why Holocaust restitution has attracted such attention while looted Islamic art doesn’t:
The National Gallery of Art is to be commended for bringing attention to Afghani art, and it probably would not hurt many Americans to learn that there is culture and beauty in Afghanistan beyond the tyranny that shows up in much of the reporting on the region … But there needs to be even more attention to looted works, and “Hidden Treasures” and … the general rule is that Afghani and Iraqi art is ignored. Perhaps with more such exhibits and projects all looted works can be returned to their rightful owners with the sort of success rate being achieved with art looted by the Nazis.