From ellie at bruggemansolutions.com Thu Sep 1 09:09:53 2005 From: ellie at bruggemansolutions.com (Ellie Bruggeman) Date: Thu, 01 Sep 2005 09:09:53 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] [Fwd: Announcing an IFAR Evening with Lynn Nicholas on Holocaust Era Art Restitution Issues] Message-ID: <4316A941.5040407@bruggemansolutions.com> IFAR (The International Foundation for Art Research) would like to tell MSN and Cpprot List Serve members about its next public program in New York: An IFAR Evening -- Thursday, September 29, 2005; 6 - 8 p.m. Speaker: Lynn Nicholas, Author of The Rape of Europa. Ms Nicholas is the pioneering author of the The Rape of Europa: The Fate of Europe's Treasures in the Third Reich and the Second World War (1994). Topic: "A Look Back and Forward on Holocaust Era Art Looting and Restitution Issues" Q&A and refreshments will follow the talk. Space is limited and advance reservations are _essential_. IFAR is a not-for-profit educational and research organization headquartered in New York. It works at the intersection of art scholarship, art law, and the public interest. IFAR has hosted IFAR Evenings since 1981. These are informal lectures and panels on topics related to IFAR's core areas, including: art authenticity, ownership, theft, law and ethics. Several IFAR Evenings are scheduled each year. The Evenings are offered gratis to IFAR supporters, at reduced rate to IFAR Journal subscribers and full-time students, and at modest cost to the general public. In addition to IFAR Evenings, IFAR also organizes conferences and symposia. For members of its Collectors' Roundtable, it hosts intimate Behind-the-Scenes visits to museums and collections. IFAR also publishes the award-winning quarterly IFAR Journal and offers an Art Authentication Research Service. To register, or to learn more about the next IFAR Evening, please go to: http://www.ifar.org/prog_main.htm and download the reservation form, or call IFAR at (212) 391-6234. Sincerely, Sharon Flescher Executive Director, IFAR From ellie at bruggemansolutions.com Thu Sep 1 11:32:13 2005 From: ellie at bruggemansolutions.com (Ellie Bruggeman) Date: Thu, 01 Sep 2005 11:32:13 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] Museum community cautiously emerges from Katrina Message-ID: <4316CA9D.1080105@bruggemansolutions.com> Katrina: Museum community cautiously emerges from Katrina How do you reclaim a ruined treasure? Once Hurricane Katrina's flood waters have receded, the dead have been buried, and the clean-up has begun, the people of Louisiana and Mississippi may face yet another devastating blow: the destruction of cherished artworks and historical documents. In Biloxi, Miss., for instance, Beauvoir, the former home of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, has been badly damaged, officials said. The situation in New Orleans is harder to assess because practically the entire city is a museum, and much of it is under 20 feet of water. Still, some news -- not good but not awful -- is trickling in. The buildings that make up the Louisiana State Museums sustained some damage, but "the collections are in better shape than feared," according to curator Tamra Carboni, who is quoted on the American Association of Museums Web site. The New Orleans Museum of Art, which sits on high ground and a raised foundation, survived the hurricane and flood, but its director, John Bullard, is worried about the sculpture garden. And the Ogden Museum of Southern Art initially was reported to be unscathed -- but that was before the levees broke and communications ceased. "Not even counting the French Quarter, every part of New Orleans has incredible historic resources," said John Hildreth, director of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. "It's absolutely gut-wrenching to see this destruction on top of the human suffering." Members of the Heritage Emergency National Task Force are scheduled to conduct a telephone conference call Thursday to come up with a plan for assessing the damage to artworks and historical documents. But it may be weeks or months before the full loss is known, said Dennis Fiori of the Maryland Historical Society. Hildreth said Beauvoir, a 1 1/2-story home built on a slight rise, was under up to 30 feet of water at one point. "It's maybe 500 yards from the beach, Ground Zero in Biloxi," he said. "We'd heard at first that it had been destroyed, but I found out today that it's still standing on its foundations. The galleries (porches) are gone, and there has been significant damage to the house. We don't know yet how all the papers in Davis' presidential library have fared." The Historic Trust has asked the National Guard to be posted at the site to deter looters. New Orleans, frequently described as the most European city in America, has more than 40 museums, including the Musee Conti Wax Museum, Historic Voodoo Museum and Historic New Orleans Collection, a treasure trove of fragile maps, photographs and other antique documents. And that doesn't count the privately owned Gitter-Yelen Art Study Center, with its collection of Japanese art from the 17th through the 19th centuries. A few days before Katrina hit, New Orleans' museums sent out e-mail messages to institutions in other cities requesting emergency storage space, according to Laura Lindsay, interim executive director of the Louisiana State University Museum of Art. "A lot of work was done to get art in safe places before the hurricane came through," she said. Hildreth said a surprising number of precious artifacts can be repaired -- if they aren't stolen. In 1966, the Arno River flooded and swamped Florence, Italy, a city with a distinguished cultural history. About 1,500 artworks, many dating back centuries, were disfigured or destroyed. Thousands of volunteers, dubbed "mud angels" came from around the world and worked 10 to 14 hours a day to help save the city's masterpieces. Hildreth says he is heartened that he has begun to receive similar offers. "Pages and canvas can dry out," he said. "Mud can be washed off. It's painstaking, and it can take decades, but in some cases, it can be done." http://miva.sctimes.com/ From ellie at bruggemansolutions.com Thu Sep 1 11:58:29 2005 From: ellie at bruggemansolutions.com (Ellie Bruggeman) Date: Thu, 01 Sep 2005 11:58:29 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] Hurricane Katrina Report: Affected Libraries Message-ID: <4316D0C5.50807@bruggemansolutions.com> Hurricane Katrina Report: Affected Libraries In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina?s August 29 landfall on the Gulf Coast, the fate of many of the region?s libraries is still uncertain. /American Libraries/ will post news of any library-related damage on an ongoing basis as we learn of it. Watch this site for updates. /Vanderbilt Hustler/ campus newspaper, Nashville, Tennessee, August 31: The severity of the Katrina-related storms in Memphis August 30 flooded the basement of Rhodes College?s brand new library, which will remain closed until it is fully repaired. /Houston (Tex.) Chronicle,/ August 31: Craig Nocaise, 21, a police officer, waited out the storm inside the Pass Christian (Miss.) Public Library, a branch of the Harrison County Library System, with 12 other town police. They noticed about a dozen of their police cars circling the building on a current of water. Then one crashed through the front door. Water poured in and rose quickly. When the back glass door wouldn?t open, the officers pulled their guns and fired at least 50 rounds into it before it shattered. They each then grabbed a cable line and climbed onto the roof, where they spent the next three hours in 130-mile-an-hour winds. ?We lost every patrol car,? said Nocaise. ?We still haven?t found some. They?re probably in the Gulf somewhere.? Asked more about the experience in the library, Nocaise choked up and walked away. /Baltimore (Md.) Sun,/ August 31: In Gulfport, Mississippi, Katrina chewed up such everyday items as furniture, computers, and a piano and spat them back onto the city?s crumbling streets and beaches. In what was once the public library, wet books formed a mound of soggy pulp. /Biloxi (Miss.) Sun-Herald,/ August 29: In Gulfport, windows were blown out and the business district was partially underwater. The damage was described by Fire Chief Pat Sullivan as ?massive.? Waves were breaking across U.S. 90 and there was water standing in the Gulfport Library. /Biloxi (Miss.) Sun-Herald,/ August 30: Beauvoir, the Jefferson Davis home in Biloxi: The bottom floor of the Presidential Library and the home itself were gutted. A Confederate flag, though, still draped over the arm of Davis?s statue in the library. /Jackson (Miss.) Clarion-Ledger,/ August 31: The University of Southern Mississippi, Alcorn State University, and Jackson State University, as well as private Tougaloo College, remained without power and communication access on Tuesday afternoon. On Tuesday at JSU, students slept on makeshift beds in the student union and library, where generators could provide light. ?I would say 90 percent of the structures between the beach and the railroad in Biloxi, Gulfport, Long Beach, and Pass Christian are totally destroyed,? Gov. Haley Barbour said Tuesday. ?They?re not severely damaged, they?re simply not there. . . . I can only imagine that this is what Hiroshima looked like 60 years ago.? /Cincinnati (Ohio) Post,/ August 31: Kentucky Gov. Ernie Fletcher declared a state of emergency Tuesday afternoon because of the heavy Katrina-related rains. The order triggered implementation of the Kentucky Emergency Management Plan, which coordinates response and relief activities in response to the emergency. The heavy rain exacerbated leaks at the three-year-old Boone County Justice Center in Burlington, Kentucky. ?I?ve never seen anything like it,? said Union, Kentucky, attorney Edwin Kagin. There was a leak in the fourth floor men?s bathroom, which deputy sheriffs closed down, he said, and a leak in the law library. ?I couldn?t believe it. I was in the law library and I hear this plunk, and there?s a bucket catching water,? he said. /Tyler (Tex.) Morning Telegraph,/ August 31: Tyler Public Library sent its bookmobile to the hurricane shelter Tuesday afternoon. It provided books, magazines, and other reading material to evacuees from Louisiana. /Other sources:/ Evacuees from New Orleans are being sent to the Houston area. The Harris County Public Library in Humble, Texas, north of Houston, has announced that evacuees are being given full residential privileges by the library, including visitor cards and internet passes. In some instances, the library has been able to provide computer-equipped study rooms so that evacuees can have some privacy as they attempt to determine the status of their families and homes. The HCPL children?s librarians have identified shelters near the branches and have made arrangements to take storytimes to them. /Water Damage FAQ:/ The ALA Library has a fact sheet with some links to sites on the proper steps to take in cleaning up a library after a disaster. /Posted August 31, 2005. / /http://www.ala.org/ / From ellie at bruggemansolutions.com Thu Sep 1 16:31:36 2005 From: ellie at bruggemansolutions.com (Ellie Bruggeman) Date: Thu, 01 Sep 2005 16:31:36 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] AAM: Hurricane Katrina - First Reports Message-ID: <431710C8.8050900@bruggemansolutions.com> Hurricane Katrina - First Reports This page will be updated as information becomes available. Thanks to everyone for keeping AAM and the field informed. *Audubon Nature Institute* (as of 8-30). AZA reports that the staff of the Audubon Nature Institute is safe. The physical plants at both the Zoo and the Aquarium suffered little damage. The staff will continue to assess the impact on the animal collections at all Audubon facilities. *Aquarium of Americas* (as of 8-31). The //Palladium-Item/ / reported that the Aquarium, located on Canal Street a few blocks from the New Orleans' French Quarter, lost only one fish and he had been sick before the hurricane hit. *Beauvoir,* *Jefferson Davis's home* (as of 8-31). The //Clarion Ledger/ / reported that Beauvoir, located in Biloxi, was "virtually demolished." The house, constructed in 1854, was dedicated in 1998 as the Jefferson Davis Presidential Library and Museum. The Beauvoir Confederate Cemetery, located at the extreme northwest corner of the estate, contains over 750 graves; no reports on its condition are available. *Birmingham Zoo* (as of 8-30). AZA reports that the Zoo is without electricity, has some trees down, but suffered no animal losses. *BREC's Baton Rouge Zoo* (as of 8-30). AZA reports that the Zoo has no electricity, there are lots of trees down, but there were no animal losses. They are already working on clean up. *Danzler House* (as of 8-31). Located in Biloxi, the house had just been remodeled to house a Mardi Gras museum. TheDay.com reported that it was destroyed. *Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center* (as of 8-31). The //Mobile Register/ / reported that an estimated 5 feet of water came into the through the front doors. The original exhibit gallery was flooded with about an inch of water, but was under renovation anyway. Tim Pula, Science Coordinator, confirmed that the exhibit gallery was in a tear down phase of a major rework, so the damage was minimal. The museum had planned to be closed for a week, after Labor Day, for maintenance and Tim expects the museum to be up and running fine after that. *Jackson Zoo* (as of 8-30). AZA reports that the Zoo suffered very slight building damage and has about 35 trees down. There was no injury to any staff or animals. About half of the zoo has power. They will be closed for about a week while they clean up the trees. *Louisiana State Museum* (as of 8-31). Tamra Carboni, Director of Curatorial Services, called to say that some museum staff have visited the Jackson Square area in the French Quarter where the Cabildo, the Presbytere, and the Old Mint are located. The buildings sustained some damage but the collections are in better shape than feared. Many of the New Orleans museum staff who evacuated don't know if they have homes to return to yet. Carolyn Harrington, director of the Louisiana State Museum's Old Court House Museum in Natchitoches, reported that the artifacts in New Orleans are safe except for some of the jazz collection in the Old Mint building. The staff is in the process of moving these collections now. *Miami Museum of Science* (as of 8-31). ASTC Informs reported that the museum weathered the earlier landfall of the hurricane, sustaining damage to the Wildlife Center, but relatively little water penetration. President Gillian Thomas says the museum has already reopened, having been closed on Saturday and Sunday during power outages and clean up of fallen trees and damaged structures. *Montgomery Zoo* (as of 8-30). AZA reports that the Zoo is without electricity, had some trees down, but suffered no animal losses. *National Park Service sites* (as of 8-31). The NPS's ///Morning Report// / has updates on the recovery efforts in its parks and monuments, including the Everglades NP, Dry Tortugas NP, Gulf Islands NS, Jean Lafitte NHP, New Orleans Jazz NHP, Natchez Trace Parkway, Cane River Creole NHP, and Natchez NHP. *New Orleans Museum of Art* (as of 8-31). The Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD) staff talked with director John Bullard, who is at his summer home in Maine. The museum survived the hurricane, but he does not know the condition of the flooding. He has not been able to contact any of his staff to find out how they are doing and the status of the museum as phone lines are down in the area. Most of the staff evacuated the city prior to the hurricane. Seven museum personnel moved into the museum including some security staff and the building engineer. John assumes that they have or will soon be evacuated by emergency responders; the generator will run out of gas today. The museum is built in an elevated part of the city and is built on a high foundation. Nevertheless John fears flooding in the basement. He imagines that the sculpture park is damaged and in all likelihood strong winds would have uprooted or knocked down trees. *Ogden Museum of Southern Art* (as of 8-30). Fran Huber, Registrar with the Louisiana State University Museum of Art, reported that the Ogden was fine on Tuesday, but she had no news since the levies broke. *Old Capitol Museum of Mississippi History* (as of 8-31). Cindy Gardner, Field Services Curator, reported that the museum had a third of its copper roof blown off, with water then pouring into an exhibit area and a storage room. Staff has been working on moving artifacts from one side of the building to the other. They have hundreds (if not more) of wet artifacts and some that are completely ruined. More information is available from the /Clarion Ledger/ . *USS ALABAMA and USS DRUM* (as of 8-31). Jeff Nilsson, executive director of the Historical Navel Ships Association, reports that the ALABAMA suffered damage. At the present time, she is listing eight degrees to port (toward the pier), but the USS DRUM is apparently in good shape. The concrete gangway has been critically damaged, while the airplane hanger suffered damage to all sides and the planes are in a pile. The Pavilion and Gift Shop, even though boarded up and ready for the storm, both suffered damage. There are two feet of water in the Gift Shop. A storm surge of at least 10 feet coupled with the triple digit winds dealt the park a crippling blow. The unofficial surge is the largest ever recorded in Mobile Bay. They expect to be closed 30-60 days. The ALABAMA web site can be found by going to hnsa.org and clicking on their link. The home page gives an index and by clicking on USS ALABAMA News there is an overview of the damage. *USS KIDD Memorial* (as of 8-31). Jeff Nilsson, executive director of the Historical Navel Ships Association, talked with Maury Drummond, executive director of the USS KIDD Memorial in Baton Rouge. Maury said the ship suffered little or no damage and is expected to re-open within a week. http://www.aam-us.org/aamlatest/news/HurricaneFirstReports.cfm From ellie at bruggemansolutions.com Fri Sep 2 11:05:35 2005 From: ellie at bruggemansolutions.com (Ellie Bruggeman) Date: Fri, 02 Sep 2005 11:05:35 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] Group defends keeping hawaiian artifacts Message-ID: <431815DF.9020209@bruggemansolutions.com> Group defends keeping artifacts A Native Hawaiian group formed to care for Hawaiian burials and funerary objects rightfully obtained 83 priceless lots of Hawaiian artifacts from Bishop Museum and has them in a sealed cave safe from harm, the organization said this week in a response to a lawsuit. Hui Malama I Na Kupuna 'O Hawai'i Nei and the museum were sued last week by two groups, including one headed by Abigail Kawananakoa. The suit asks for an injunction that would order Hui Malama to return the artifacts to the museum so that they can be given to their rightful claimants. In the response submitted to the court Monday, Hui Malama said the two groups don't have the legal standing to ask for the court order and asked that the injunction be denied. But the museum responded that it agrees with the suit and supports the request for the injunction. U.S. District Judge David Ezra will hear the request Friday in what will be the latest development in the continuing dispute over who should get the artifacts known as the Forbes Caves collection. The artifacts include a female figure carved of wood and gourds decorated with human teeth. Kawananakoa, a Campbell Estate heiress and a descendent of Hawaiian royalty, is the president of Na Lei Alii Kawananakoa, which filed the suit along with the Royal Hawaiian Academy of Traditional Arts. The two groups and Hui Malama are among 13 that have claims to the artifacts. The suit alleges Hui Malama improperly obtained the artifacts from the museum in 2000 in violation of the federal Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, which establishes a process for museums to return cultural items to groups, including Native Hawaiian organizations. In its response filed by Native Hawaiian Legal Corp. lawyers, Hui Malama said the museum consulted Hui Malama and three other claimants ? the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands and the Hawaii Island Burial Council ? before handing over the artifacts. Nine other groups later filed claims. The claimants could not agree on a final disposition of the artifacts, but they "agreed to disagree" on that point, Hui Malama said. Hui Malama said it has refused to return the items to the museum because the group has a claim on the objects and does not have a legal duty to return them. The group said it is not necessary to give the items to the museum for a determination on which claimants should get the artifacts. The artifacts were unlawfully taken from the Kawaihae caves on the Big Island in 1905 and purchased by the museum, Hui Malama said. The injunction would again "disturb" a Native Hawaiian burial site in violation of state laws, the group said. "There is no harm with the items in a sealed cave and no threat of damage with the items lying in their natural state in the burial cave," Hui Malama said. In its response, Bishop Museum said the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act set up procedures for the return of the artifacts, but a review committee in 2003 found that the process was "flawed and incomplete." The museum said that in 2000 it "unwittingly" lent the items to Hui Malama "without the knowledge or concurrence" of all claimants. Hui Malama later sealed the items in the cave, again without the knowledge of the other claimants, the museum said. The museum disagreed that the rightful claimants could be determined without the return of the artifacts. Until they are returned, the museum cannot complete the consultation process required by federal law, the museum said. http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/ From ellie at bruggemansolutions.com Fri Sep 2 11:05:57 2005 From: ellie at bruggemansolutions.com (Ellie Bruggeman) Date: Fri, 02 Sep 2005 11:05:57 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] Getty Trust failed to disclose documents in Italian probe Message-ID: <431815F5.5030508@bruggemansolutions.com> Report: Getty Trust failed to disclose documents in Italian probe LOS ANGELES - The J. Paul Getty Trust failed to disclose letters and photographs that show its chief antiquities curator had close ties to dealers suspected of selling art embezzled from Italy, according to a published report Friday. The curator, Marion True, is facing trial in Rome in November on charges of buying stolen Italian artifacts. Officials at the Getty have defended True's work, saying they found no evidence of wrongdoing and insisting they have provided relevant documents to the prosecution in Rome. An internal review of Getty files, however, has uncovered correspondence from the suspect dealers and Polaroid pictures of the artifacts, according to a confidential memo written in 2001 and obtained by The Los Angeles Times. The memo's author, lawyer Richard Martin, advised Getty chief executive Barry Munitz that the trust was not required to turn over the documents because the Italian authorities had not asked for them, the Times reported. The letters in question were written by True and two antiquities dealers and co-defendants: Robert E. Hecht Jr., an American expatriate living in Paris, and Giacomo Medici, an Italian dealer specializing in ancient vases. Medici was convicted in December and sentenced to 10 years in prison for selling looted art. The letters showed that the dealers were offering treasures that appeared to come from illegal excavations and some of the Polaroids showed artifacts that have been posted on the Web site of the Italian paramilitary police, which described them as "looted." "We should point out that, while these letters are troublesome, none of them amounts to proof of Dr. True's knowledge that a particular item was illegally excavated or demonstrates her intent to join the conspiracy," according to the memo. Martin continued: "It is obvious we should not offer to produce what has not been asked for." The memo also mentioned that if Getty cooperated with Italian authorities, it could avoid being subpoenaed by U.S. authorities. "Such a subpoena, prepared by a competent U.S. Attorney's Office, would almost certainly be more detailed and specific than the prosecutor's requests, and could well require the production of documents which we would rather not provide," Martin wrote. Italian prosecutors allege that True participated in an extensive trade in archaeological treasures excavated in Italy and sold by art dealers operating in Switzerland to prestigious museums in the United States and elsewhere in Europe. They say True knowingly obtained around 30 stolen artifacts, some of which passed through Medici's hands, after becoming curator in the mid-1980s. In 1999, the Getty returned some ancient works, including an illegally excavated kylix, to Italy after determining they were stolen. Some of the art had been placed in the collection before True began working as a curator. Italian prosecutor Paolo Ferri told the Times that he has not seen the latest letters and photos despite asking Martin for all documents relating to True's relationship with the dealers. "It is very surprising to me that they didn't give me these very important documents," Ferri said. Getty board chairman John Biggs told the newspaper that he has seen relevant documents from the internal review and that "there's no merit to what you're trying to write a story about." But two other board members, Barbara Fleischman and Ramon Cortines, who were unaware of the letters and photos, said board members should have been notified about the results of the internal review. I'm shocked," Fleischman said. "My knowledge is that full cooperation has been given to the Italians." http://www.montereyherald.com/ From ellie at bruggemansolutions.com Fri Sep 2 19:15:41 2005 From: ellie at bruggemansolutions.com (Ellie Bruggeman) Date: Fri, 02 Sep 2005 19:15:41 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] Salvaging the Smithsonian Message-ID: <431888BD.7070202@bruggemansolutions.com> Salvaging the Smithsonian TIME has a way of catching up with everything. With aging public buildings, attention to maintenance and repair must be an on-going affair to effectively preserve what cannot be replaced. So it is particularly troubling to learn that crucial work on the world's largest museum complex and uniquely American treasure has been allowed to lag for so long. The Smithsonian Institution in Washington is in a bad way after years of apparent physical and structural neglect. Pipes are leaking, expansion joints are showing visible signs of strain, plaster is crumbling, plumbing is outdated, roofs need repairs, and the list goes on. Congress only slightly increased the amount of funds earmarked for the Smithsonian, spending $621.3 million in fiscal 2006 up from $615.2 million this year. But museum officials figure it will take $2.3 billion over the next nine years to fix the most pressing problems identified. And some of those problems can't wait for political foot-dragging to run its course. The Government Accountability Office conducted an audit that concluded there was a "broad decline in the Smithsonian's aging facilities and systems that pose a serious long-term threat" to its countless artifacts. Some of those treasured pieces have already been lost forever because the buildings are falling apart. It happened in the Museum of American History when a rusty pipe ruptured while curators were waiting for financing and management restructuring after a 2001 government review. Museum officials accept partial blame for the delay on pressing repair projects. Shortly after he was installed as the institution's secretary in 2000, Lawrence Small told a government hearing his staff had been reluctant to tell Congress the full extent of needs at the Smithsonian because of the likelihood they would exceed budget caps. Subsequent reviews of the Smithsonian buildings' management showed that was indeed the case. Some of the maintenance problems scattered throughout the Smithsonian's 18 museums and galleries, 10 science centers, and zoological park are clearly apparent, with overhead scaffolding covers to protect people from falling bits of plaster or metal. Areas that are deemed too dangerous for the tourists have been closed pending repairs. Other structural concerns remain less visible but extensive nonetheless. The institution's governing body, the Board of Regents, has debated initiating entrance fees to the Smithsonian but, fortunately, hasn't embraced the notion. Admission has not been charged in modern times at the Smithsonian, and the opportunity to view the more than 136 million historical objects contained in the vast complex should remain free to the public. It is up to Congress. Private donations to the Smithsonian are important but generally not designated for plaster or plumbing repairs. Once the scope of dilapidation can be determined and the depth of budget problems evaluated, steps must be taken to restore and reinforce the remarkable national landmark for many future generations of visitors to enjoy. http://toledoblade.com From ellie at bruggemansolutions.com Sat Sep 3 11:34:40 2005 From: ellie at bruggemansolutions.com (Ellie Bruggeman) Date: Sat, 03 Sep 2005 11:34:40 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] Thailand to sink sculptures on Tsunami-hit coast Message-ID: <43196E30.9030704@bruggemansolutions.com> Thailand to sink sculptures on Tsunami-hit coast BANGKOK (AFP) - Thailand will sink concrete sculptures in six locations along its west coast that was battered by the December tsunami, to help reduce pressure on fragile coral reefs, a report said Friday. The two-metre high (six-and-a-half feet) sculptures, which will be positioned some 10-18 metres (33-60 feet) below the surface, are designed to be an alternative attraction for divers, the Nation newspaper said. After the tsunami some dive spots were closed to allow the corals to recover, forcing more divers into fewer sites. The sculptures will be on flat sand away from coral, eliminating strike damage from divers' fins, it said. Authorities have budgeted 24 million baht ($584,000) for the sculptures, each of which is designed to reflect the identity of the six provinces where they are located, project chief Thon Thamrongnawasawat said. "The project has been decided upon and approved by government officials, local residents, the business sector and other relevant groups in each province," said Thon, a marine scientist at Kasetsart University. "All of the sculptures will be in place by next March." http://www.brunei-online.com/weekend/news/sep3w4.htm From museum-security at museum-security.org Sun Sep 4 10:27:18 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)) Date: Sun, 4 Sep 2005 10:27:18 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] ICOM's Disaster Relief for Museums web site and Katrina Message-ID: <200509040827.j848RJVc056414@smtp-vbr4.xs4all.nl> ICOM has been following the news and developments relating to hurricane Katrina in United States of America. A message of solidarity and support was sent to ICOM-US and to the American Association of Museums. Please direct messages of support and offers of assistance to ICOM-US at http://www.aam-us.org./ On ICOM's Disaster Relief for Museums web site http://icom.museum/disaster_relief/katrina.html you will find a link to http://www.aam-us.org./ , which provides exhaustive and updated information on the effects of this disaster with regard to museums. We wish to convey ICOM 's solidarity and compassion for the inhabitants who have lost loved ones or had their livelihood disrupted or destroyed by the hurricane. We all hope for a quick return to normal life. John S Zvereff Secretary General From museum-security at museum-security.org Sun Sep 4 10:32:29 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)) Date: Sun, 4 Sep 2005 10:32:29 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] http://www.aam-us.org./aamlatest/news/HurricaneFirstReports.cfm Message-ID: <200509040832.j848WTDa046712@smtp-vbr15.xs4all.nl> Read all reports at: http://www.aam-us.org./aamlatest/news/HurricaneFirstReports.cfm New Orleans Museum of Art (as of 9-2). The Times-Picayune reports on 8-31 that the New Orleans Museum of Art survived Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath without significant damage. Six NOMA security & maintenance employees had remained on duty during the hurricane. FEMA wanted them to move to a safer location, but there was no way to secure the artwork inside so the staff continues to stay on site. Museum workers had taken down some pieces in the sculpture garden before the storm, but a towering modernist sculpture by Kenneth Snelson was reduced to a twisted mess in the lagoon. The Wall Street Journal reported on 9-2 that the climate-control system was operating at half-power on a backup generator. The museum may relocate some of its more fragile works, if generator fuel can't be obtained soon. Read all reports at: http://www.aam-us.org./aamlatest/news/HurricaneFirstReports.cfm From museum-security at museum-security.org Sun Sep 4 10:42:31 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)) Date: Sun, 4 Sep 2005 10:42:31 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] The National Gallery reports a 46% drop in attendance in the immediate aftermath of the London bombings Message-ID: <200509040842.j848gV02001133@smtp-vbr7.xs4all.nl> The Art Newspaper newsletter Fron News: Drastic decline in museum visits after London terror attacks The National Gallery reports a 46% drop in attendance in the immediate aftermath of the bombings- By Martin Bailey The events of 7 and 21 July had an immediate and drastic impact on visitor numbers at London?s museums and galleries. In the aftermath, foreign tourists were reluctant to book a London holiday, British visitors from outside the capital were discouraged from coming both out of anxiety and the short-term transport chaos, and Londoners... go to article >From News: Earl of Halifax rejects ?55 million for Titian portrait The Earl, who is deputy chairman of Christie?s, will try his luck at auction but no work has ever made this much at a public sale- By Martin Bailey LONDON. The Art Newspaper can reveal that the National Gallery has offered the Earl of Halifax the equivalent of ?55 million for his Titian Portrait of a young man, after tax benefits are taken into account. This represents a larger sum than any work of art has ever fetched in a public sale. The auction record is the ?49.5 million paid by Lord Thomson at Sotheby?s... go to article >From News: Saatchi to sell Chapmans Charles Saatchi is to sell his collection of art by Jake and Dinos Chapman. The Art Newspaper understands that the artists? gallery, White Cube, has made an offer to Mr Saatchi for the works which include the Chapman Family Collection, a group of sculptures... go to article >From Features: ?Our hunger for Goya has not waned but our horizon has widened? On the eve of the Chapmans? first commercial show in three years, Jake Chapman talks to The Art Newspaper- By Louisa Buck After their one-time employers Gilbert & George, Jake and Dinos Chapman are probably the art world?s best-known double act. They started working together in 1992, and from their earliest miniature model re-makes of Goya?s Disasters of war, their life-sized genitally misplaced mannequins, their parodies of African and Oceanic sculpture and the epic Hell, their scaled-down scenes of Armageddon... go to article >From Editorial and Commentary: Entirely new ways are needed to promote the arts - By Andras Szanto A standing-room only audience crammed itself into a lecture hall at Columbia University on a crisp, sunny morning last May for a symposium titled ?Measuring the Muse?. The conference was co-hosted by the National Arts Journalism Program (NAJP), which I ran at the time, and the Alliance for the Arts, a research and advocacy group which serves New York?s cultural community. The subject was... go to article From museum-security at museum-security.org Sun Sep 4 10:47:35 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)) Date: Sun, 4 Sep 2005 10:47:35 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] FW: Afghanistan petition Message-ID: <200509040847.j848latm014369@smtp-vbr6.xs4all.nl> -----Original Message----- From: Stafan Lunden [mailto:slunden23 at hotmail.com] Sent: 02 September 2005 10:46 To: toncremers at museum-security.org Subject: petitions Dear Ton Perhaps I have missed it but has the Afghanistan petition been out on any of your list? it is to be signed today http://www.archaeological.org/ best Staffan Staffan Lunden M?lndalsv 11b 412 63 G?teborg Phone: 0046 (0)31-406346 Cell phone: 0704-863829 E-mail:slunden23 at hotmail.com staffan.lunden at class.gu.se From museum-security at museum-security.org Sun Sep 4 11:12:59 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)) Date: Sun, 4 Sep 2005 11:12:59 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] Announcing an IFAR Evening with Lynn Nicholas on Holocaust Era ArtRestitution Issues Message-ID: <200509040913.j849D0Ld057161@smtp-vbr9.xs4all.nl> IFAR (The International Foundation for Art Research) would like to tell MSN and Cpprot List Serve members about its next public program in New York: An IFAR Evening -- Thursday, September 29, 2005; 6 - 8 p.m. Speaker: Lynn Nicholas, Author of The Rape of Europa. Ms Nicholas is the pioneering author of the The Rape of Europa: The Fate of Europe's Treasures in the Third Reich and the Second World War (1994). Topic: "A Look Back and Forward on Holocaust Era Art Looting and Restitution Issues" Q&A and refreshments will follow the talk. Space is limited and advance reservations are essential. IFAR is a not-for-profit educational and research organization headquartered in New York. It works at the intersection of art scholarship, art law, and the public interest. IFAR has hosted IFAR Evenings since 1981. These are informal lectures and panels on topics related to IFAR's core areas, including: art authenticity, ownership, theft, law and ethics. Several IFAR Evenings are scheduled each year. The Evenings are offered gratis to IFAR supporters, at reduced rate to IFAR Journal subscribers and full-time students, and at modest cost to the general public. In addition to IFAR Evenings, IFAR also organizes conferences and symposia. For members of its Collectors' Roundtable, it hosts intimate Behind-the-Scenes visits to museums and collections. IFAR also publishes the award-winning quarterly IFAR Journal and offers an Art Authentication Research Service. To register, or to learn more about the next IFAR Evening, please go to: http://www.ifar.org/prog_main.htm and download the reservation form, or call IFAR at (212) 391-6234. Sincerely, Sharon Flescher Executive Director, IFAR -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://duvel.te.verweg.com/pipermail/cpprot/attachments/20050904/d52e7e0c/attachment.htm From museum-security at museum-security.org Sun Sep 4 13:39:28 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)) Date: Sun, 4 Sep 2005 13:39:28 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] More library books come under fire, survey shows Message-ID: <200509041139.j84BdTwe066408@smtp-vbr7.xs4all.nl> More library books come under fire, survey shows HILLEL ITALIE; The Associated Press Published: September 4th, 2005 12:01 AM Attempts to have library books removed from shelves increased by more than 20 percent in 2004 over the previous year, according to a new survey by the American Library Association. Three books with gay themes, including Maya Angelou's "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," were among the works most criticized. "It all stems from a fearfulness of well-meaning people," says Michael Gorman, president of the library association. "We believe in parental responsibility, and that you should take care of what your children are reading. But it's not your responsibility to tell a whole class of kids what they should read." The number of books challenged last year jumped to 547, compared with 458 in 2003, with the library association estimating four to five unreported cases for each one documented. According to the ALA, a challenge is "a formal, written complaint, filed with a library or school requesting that materials be removed because of content or appropriateness." National organizations such as the American Family Association have been involved with library challenges, but far more complaints come from individual parents and patrons, according to the ALA. The ALA study was to be released in anticipation of the 25th annual Banned Books Week, which runs Sept. 24-Oct. 1 and is co-sponsored by the ALA, the American Booksellers Association and others. Robert Cormier's classic "The Chocolate War" topped the 2004 list of challenged books, cited for sexual content, violence and language. It was followed by Walter Myers' "Fallen Angels," a young adult novel set in Harlem and Vietnam and criticized for racism, language and violence. The numbers for 2004 were the highest since 2000, but still well below the peak from a decade ago, when more than 700 books were challenged. From museum-security at museum-security.org Sun Sep 4 13:44:29 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)) Date: Sun, 4 Sep 2005 13:44:29 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] UNESCO renews call for protecting properties in Iraq Tehran Message-ID: <200509041144.j84BiUje080358@smtp-vbr6.xs4all.nl> UNESCO renews call for protecting properties in Iraq Tehran, Sept 4, IRNA UNESCO-Iraq-Properties The UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) reiterated its call for measures to improve the safety of journalists in Iraq, where more than 80 reporters have been killed since the start of the war in 2003. In his second such condemnation this week, UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura deplored the shooting by unknown gunmen of Rafed Al Rubaii, a freelance contributor to the television station Al Irakiya, as he was covering a demonstration in Diyala, east of Baghdad, on August 27, the UN Information Center (UNIC) said here Sunday. "Mr Al Rubaii, like all too many journalists in Iraq, has paid with his life for the indomitable determination of media professionals to continue informing the public at home and abroad about events in his country," a statement released by Matsuura in Paris said. "The price paid by the profession to carry out their work, which is indispensable for democracy and rule of law, is unacceptably high. I can but pay tribute to their courage and exhort, once again, all those in position of authority in Iraq to spare no means in seeking to improve the working conditions of media workers in the country." Just two days ago, Matsuura condemned the killing of Reuters sound engineer Walled Khaled and the wounding of his colleague Haider Kadhem. His statements are the latest in a long series of condemnations he has issued recently over attacks on journalists around the world. UNESCO's mandate includes the defence of freedom of expression and press freedom. From museum-security at museum-security.org Sun Sep 4 13:44:29 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)) Date: Sun, 4 Sep 2005 13:44:29 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] UNESCO workshop to focus on protection of cultural property Message-ID: <200509041144.j84BiUjd080358@smtp-vbr6.xs4all.nl> UNESCO workshop to focus on protection of cultural property: New Delhi: Indian monuments and sites of cultural heritage which suffer from callous neglect will be the focus of a four-day UNESCO workshop, beginning tomorrow, whose other highlight will be the critical issue of illicit trafficking of cultural property. September 4, 2005 The thefts of idols of Indian deities and their sale in the Western markets have been a matter of concern for both the government and intelligence agencies. The theme -- 'Illicit Trafficking of Cultural Property -- which will dominate the proceedings, assumes significance in this context as well as the theft of priceless paintings and artefacts for mercenary gains. Political leaders, legal experts and intelligence and cultural officials will gather at the brainstorming meet to chalk out a blueprint to better fight the reprehensible phenomenon of illicit trafficking of cultural objects. The conference will be launched by Culture Minister S Jaipal Reddy. The other eminent Indian personality who will address the gathering is Kapila Vatsyayan, an internationally-renowned cultural expert. Officials from INTERPOL, the CBI and Customs and cultural experts from Asia-Pacific countries will also attend the regional workshop. The global media coverage of of the looting of the Baghdad Museum broght home the fact that it was not just Iraq's heritage that was being pillaged and stolen but the heritage of the whole world an official said. The world conscience was shaken when the Taliban regime in Afghanistan mercilessly destroyed the tallest statue of Lord Buddha in Bamiyan some years ago. The pillaging of the precious monuments brought home the need for strict international conventions and laws to guard and protect these grandiose specimens of world heritage and history. ''The global community is appalled at headless statues, niches without the figures which once adorned them, tombs and burial mounds looted of their grave goods, villages without religious figures which at one time represented their spiritual world and churches and palaces stripped off their most beautiful objects,'' a UNESCO official told UNI. ''A sad reality of today's world is that numerous children grow up without ever having seen the highest cultural achievements of their own culture,'' the official said, adding that these were some of the sad results of the illegal trafficking in cultural objects. The other highlights of the event will be the need for legal protection of cultural heritage and the status of protection given to cultural property as well as raising the awareness of relevant Conventions and available practical measures. UNESCO's fight for a secure cultural future has been relentless. Three multilateral treaties have already been in existence because of its efforts. These are: UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit, Import and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural property (1970), UNIDROIT Convention on Stolen or Illegally Exported Cultural Objects (1995), and First Protocol for the Protection of Cultural property in the Event of Armed Conflict (1954). The workshop will stress upon UNESCO member-states the need for appropriate legal protection of cultural heritage and facilitate the ratification of such conventions by a greater number of countries. The regional participants are to present a short national report at the seminar, on the difficulties encountered at the national level in protecting cultural property from illicit trafficking. The workshop also intends to send out a strong message to the young generation to understand what is at stake and become active and committed defenders of heritage. From museum-security at museum-security.org Sun Sep 4 14:04:59 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)) Date: Sun, 4 Sep 2005 14:04:59 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] Katrina Damages New Orleans Landmarks Message-ID: <200509041205.j84C503c057690@smtp-vbr1.xs4all.nl> washingtonpost.com Katrina Damages New Orleans Landmarks By COLLEEN LONG The Associated Press Saturday, September 3, 2005; 1:26 PM -- In New Orleans, winding streets where revelers meandered, listening to jazz in the sticky heat, are now flooded with murky water. Some businesses and landmarks are submerged or damaged; others escaped the water but were ravaged by looters. Rescue workers are combing the waters in search of survivors, but a different kind of reckoning is also becoming clear. New Orleans is one of the most iconic cities in America, and some of the places and pieces that make it unique could be lost or looted. A list of famous spots in the city, and how they are faring, though the full extent of the damage won't be known for some time: The French Quarter: This historic district is full of wrought-iron balconies and ornate colonial architecture, but was also a playground for adults who could roam the streets with cocktails in tow and listen to jazz and, during Mardi Gras, grab for beads and go wild. The area escaped much of the flooding. Bourbon Street: A hedonistic strip in the Quarter bursting with bars like Pat O'Brien's, Molly's on the Market, and Jean Laffite's Blacksmith Shop. The latter, a piano bar, was supposedly the in-town headquarters of pirate Jean Laffite, who owned more than 10 vessels and raided American, British and Spanish ships in the early 1800s. Located in the French Quarter, the area escaped flooding but remains closed. Cafe du Monde: Established in 1862, this coffee shop on Decatur Street in the French Quarter was best known for its cafe au lait, made with hearty New Orleans-style coffee, blended with chicory, and beignets _ crispy, square doughnuts. Still standing. Galatoire's: Nearly a century old, the tiled and mirrored restaurant was famous for not taking reservations. The tuxedo-clad wait staff served Creole classics like shrimp remoulade and crab meat maison. Also located in the French Quarter. Still standing. Acme Oyster House: Built more than 90 years ago at the gateway to the French Quarter, the menu included raw oysters (pronounced "ersters") and traditional po' boys, or fried oyster sandwiches. On the edge of the Quarter, should have escaped much flooding. U.S. Mint building: The building housed Confederate soldiers during the Civil War and produced money for the federal government until 1909. It later became home to jazz and Mardi Gras exhibits and the streetcar immortalized in Tennessee Williams' play "A Streetcar Named Desire." The mint is still standing. The fate of the streetcar is unknown. Preservation Hall: A famed New Orleans jazz club located in an unassuming building originally built as a private residence in 1750 and was once a tavern, inn, photo studio and art gallery. Fate unknown; it is in the middle of the Quarter, and should be unaffected unless looters have trashed it. Anne Rice's home: Tourists and fans of the "Vampire Chronicles" books would visit the Garden District home of author Anne Rice. She has also helped create several "haunted tours" of the city. The area was battered by high winds which knocked down trees. Rice no longer lives there, though that hasn't stopped the tourists from stopping by. St. Louis Cathedral: Located in Jackson Square and consecrated in 1794, it was said to be the oldest continuously active cathedral in the country. Still standing. St. Charles Avenue in the Garden District: The St. Charles Streetcar ran down the historic street, and the area was shaded by majestic oak trees layered in Spanish moss. The Garden District was named for the collection of mansions and sprawling gardens, but Victorian homes were later built have become a well-known part of the neighborhood. Much wind damage; many of the trees were splintered. Commander's Palace: A restaurant built in 1880 in the stately Garden District, frequented by everyone from wealthy elite to riverboat captains and charlatans. Known for its turtle soup and turquoise-and-white facade, which was partially destroyed. Fair Grounds: Located in the northeast section of the city, the fair grounds is best known as the home of the New Orleans Jazz Festival, but is also famous for its racetrack, built in 1852. The roof was torn off. Little is known about the fate of other landmarks located in the flood area, including St. Louis Cemetery No. 2, one of the larger cemeteries known as "cities of the dead," with narrow paths, rusty iron work and sun-bleached tombs built aboveground because the water table was so high caskets would occasionally float away if buried underground; Mid-City Lanes Rock 'N Bowl Nightclub, a bar near Xavier University which has bowling lanes, live Cajun, blues and jazz music plus a full bowling alley and dancing; and Maple Leaf Bar, a smallish place uptown on Oak Street with a hammered-on tin ceiling, an institution for local music. From museum-security at museum-security.org Sun Sep 4 14:10:09 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)) Date: Sun, 4 Sep 2005 14:10:09 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] Hawaii: Disputed artifacts ordered returned Message-ID: <200509041210.j84CAAIG005282@smtp-vbr8.xs4all.nl> Disputed artifacts ordered returned All 14 claimants are to resolve the fate of the reburied items By Sally Apgar sapgar at starbulletin.com September 4, 2005 A federal judge ordered the return yesterday of 83 treasured native Hawaiian artifacts believed to have been secretly reburied in a Big Island cave five years ago. Chief U.S. District Judge David Ezra ordered Hui Malama I Na Kupuna 'O Hawai'i Nei, a native Hawaiian group, to retrieve the funerary items and bring them "back to a secure location at the Bishop Museum where they will be held in an undisturbed condition until this matter is resolved" among 14 competing native Hawaiian claimants. His order is expected to take effect Tuesday. Ezra told the court, "The sad thing here is that we have Hawaiians vs. Hawaiians." Earlier this month, two native Hawaiian claimants filed a lawsuit against Hui Malama and the Bishop Museum demanding return of the items so that the whole group of claimants could have a say in their fate under the Native American Graves and Repatriation Act. NAGPRA is a federal law that governs repatriation of native Hawaiian and American Indian remains and artifacts. Disputes under NAGPRA are handled by the federal court. The arguments in the lawsuit are based on violations of NAGPRA and the Fifth Amendment property law. The two claimants are La'akea Suganuma, a practitioner of native Hawaiian martial arts and the president of the Royal Hawaiian Academy of Traditional Arts, and Na Lei Alii Kawananakoa, a group founded by Abigail Kawananakoa, a wealthy Campbell estate heiress and descendant of royal Hawaiian blood. The 14 claimants have all been recognized under NAGPRA. When they filed the lawsuit, Suganuma and Kawananakoa asked for the preliminary injunction demanding the return of the items, which Ezra granted yesterday. They argued that the items had been "improperly loaned" to Hui Malama from the Bishop Museum in February 2000 and that they faced "imminent harm" in Kawaihae Cave (also known as Forbes Cave) due to environmental conditions, insect attack and possible theft. Suganuma, who has been fighting for the return of the items since 2000, said he was pleased with Ezra's ruling. "We had to go through this step in federal court because of the arrogance and complete disregard for the rest of the claimants," he said. Edward Halealoha Ayau, a founding member of Hui Malama, said that exhuming the items is desecrating an ancestral burial ground. Standing outside the court, Ayau said, "I would hope that a federal court would not order someone to violate their spiritual beliefs or violate their kupunas' (ancestors') wishes." Asked if he would comply with the federal order, Ayau said, "We do not have the stomach to take from our kupuna." Hui Malama is expected to file an emergency appeal to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to overturn Ezra's order. LindaLee Farm, an attorney representing Bishop Museum, said, "The museum is pleased. We will set up a place that is safe and secure" to hold the items until the claimants decide on their final resting place. Although identified as a defendant in the case, the museum filed pre-hearing documents that supported the injunction and return of the items. Ayau has long said his group reburied the items in the cave according to the wishes of ancestors who originally chose to put them there. In the early 1900s, three men, including David Forbes, entered the cave, took the items and eventually sold or donated them to the Bishop Museum. The items include several valuable stick figure aumakua (deified ancestors), a female figure adorned with human hair, and refuse bowls studded with human teeth. Ayau repeatedly has said Forbes and the others were grave robbers "who committed theft and desecrated the caves." Yesterday, he said he was especially angered the court ordered the items "returned to the very institution involved in the illicit taking." Ezra addressed the potential defiance of his order, saying, "I will take such action as is necessary to ensure that my orders are complied with." The judge also assured Hui Malama that the items would not be displayed in the museum and that the group would have equal "rights to assert their claim." "I intend no whitewash here. There will be no giveaway to any particular entity or organization," Ezra said. In explaining his decision, Ezra said he had not been assured by Hui Malama in court papers that the items were secure. Ezra also referred to a "serious and fundamental allegation" in the lawsuit that Hui Malama had violated the NAGPRA process and that the group obtained the items "under false pretenses." According to the lawsuit, the 83 items were crated up and handed over to Hui Malama on a Saturday in February 2000 when most of the museum staff was not present. The document releasing the items describes it as a "loan" from Feb. 26, 2000, until Feb. 26, 2001. The document also says, "These items are being loaned pending completion of NAGPRA repatriation per request of Hui Malama and Dept. of Hawaiian Home Lands." Despite repeated requests from the museum, Hui Malama refused to return the items. At the time of the loan, there were four claimants: Hui Malama, DHHL, the Office of Hawaiian Affairs and the Hawaii Island Burial Council. In May 2003 a NAGPRA review committee, which gives only advisory opinions, found that the repatriation was "seriously flawed" and therefore not final. Last March, a second review committee meeting in Honolulu upheld the first ruling calling for reclamation of the objects from the cave while the NAGPRA consultation process proceeds. During the March proceeding, Ayau told the review committee that "the loan was just to facilitate the repatriation" and that neither Hui Malama nor the museum staff had expected the items' return. The museum's "loan" to Hui Malama was made under the administration of former museum Director Donald Duckworth. Current museum Director Bill Brown testified to the NAGPRA committee that the loan was wrong and that the items should be reclaimed. Ayau said, "This is not about excluding anyone. It's about honoring the wishes of our kupuna." From museum-security at museum-security.org Sun Sep 4 14:15:18 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)) Date: Sun, 4 Sep 2005 14:15:18 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] Getty museum withheld letters from Italians-report Message-ID: <200509041215.j84CFJaZ051954@smtp-vbr2.xs4all.nl> Getty museum withheld letters from Italians-report Fri Sep 2, 2005 7:14 PM ET LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The J. Paul Getty Trust, which operates one of California's most respected museums, withheld potentially crucial documents from Italian authorities investigating the trafficking of stolen artifacts, the Los Angeles Times reported on Friday. The newspaper said the letters and photographs suggested that the Getty's chief curator of antiquities maintained close relationships with dealers suspected of selling art that was looted or illegally excavated in Italy. Curator Marion True went on trial in Rome in July accused of criminal conspiracy to receive stolen goods and illegal receipt of archeological artifacts. The trial was immediately adjourned and is scheduled to resume in November. The Getty did not return calls seeking comment but True and the Getty have maintained innocence in the case, which is seen as part of an effort by Italy to crack down on art trafficking by putting pressure on museums and collectors to verify the origin of their acquisitions. The case involves some 40 artifacts that Italian prosecutors believe were illegally excavated or stolen and later acquired by the Getty, including a prized ancient Greek statue of Aphrodite. The Getty has said it has cooperated fully with the Italian authorities. But the Los Angeles Times printed what it said was a confidential 2001 memo by the Getty's chief criminal lawyer saying that an internal review of Getty files had turned up letters from the suspect dealers and True. The letters and photos indicated dealers were offering objects "which appear to be from illegal excavations." But Getty lawyer Richard Martin advised Trust Chief Executive Barry Munitz that the Getty was not obliged to turn them over to the Italians because they had not been specifically requested. "It is obvious that we should not offer to produce what has not been asked for," Martin wrote, advising a strategy offering voluntary cooperation with the Italians to avoid the risk of an official subpoena. The paper quoted the Getty as saying in a statement that Trust officials had "acted appropriately at all times" in their dealing with Italian authorities and had provided all documents requested by the prosecutors. The statement added that all other documents in the Getty's possession that could be relevant to the Italian probe "have been retained and preserved by the Getty." The Getty said the story by the Los Angeles Times was based on privileged documents that had been stolen from the Trust. From museum-security at museum-security.org Sun Sep 4 14:15:18 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)) Date: Sun, 4 Sep 2005 14:15:18 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Threatens: Al Hadba', Taq Kisra and Al Malweya are Threatened of Vanishing Message-ID: <200509041215.j84CFJaa051954@smtp-vbr2.xs4all.nl> Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Threatens: Al Hadba', Taq Kisra and Al Malweya are Threatened of Vanishing http://www.almendhar.com/english_5854/news.aspx Baghdad - Hashem Al hashemi, Iraqi minister of tourism and antiquities, warned that there are significant monumental sites that are threatened of vanishing, including Al Hadba' in Musel, Taq Kisra in Al Madaen, Malweyat Samera and Al Sarhudi Minaret in Baghdad. In the seminar held by the Iraqi Antiquities General Administration on the reality of Iraqi monuments said that the efforts exerted by the Iraqi government to rescue the Iraqi ancient monuments are insufficient. He demanded for designating additional sums to cover the costs of maintaining the Iraqi monuments that were exposed to destruction. The military operations have targeted many tourist and monumental facilities in Iraq and resulted in the falling and collapse of several monumental cities that are abundant in significant sites and are considered as significant landmarks of the civilization of the land between of two rivers (Tigris and Euphrates) and the Abbasid Caliphate. Al Hashemi also referred to the negative effect of the presence of the multinational forces in the monumental sites. He added that the Iraq authorities exert their maximum efforts to save the historical and monumental symbols. Meanwhile, he demanded the international organizations concerned about the monuments and civilization heritage to effectively participate in assisting Iraq in rescuing its monuments from random destruction. Al Hashemi repeated the call of the Iraqi government to the countries that Iraqi monuments were smuggled to them, whether during the regime of the overthrown president Saddam Hussein, or those smuggled during the American invasion of Iraq, to return all the stolen monuments. Al Sharq Al Awsat From museum-security at museum-security.org Sun Sep 4 14:29:04 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)) Date: Sun, 4 Sep 2005 14:29:04 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] Cherished art, artifacts may have been lost in hurricane Message-ID: <200509041229.j84CT5M7055139@smtp-vbr11.xs4all.nl> Cherished art, artifacts may have been lost in hurricane September 4, 2005 By Mary Carole McCauley Baltimore Sun How do you reclaim a ruined treasure? Once Hurricane Katrina's floodwaters have receded, the dead have been buried and the cleanup has begun, the people of Louisiana and Mississippi may face yet another devastating blow: the destruction of cherished artworks and historical documents. In Biloxi, Miss., for instance, Beauvoir, the former home of Confederate President Jefferson Davis, has been badly damaged, officials said. The situation in New Orleans is harder to assess because practically the entire city is a museum, and much of it was still underwater as of press time. Still, some news -- not good but not awful -- was trickling in. The buildings that make up the Louisiana State Museums sustained some damage, but ``the collections are in better shape than feared,'' according to curator Tamra Carboni, who is quoted on the American Association of Museums Web site. The New Orleans Museum of Art, which sits on high ground and a raised foundation, survived the hurricane and flood, but its director, John Bullard, is worried about the sculpture garden. And the Ogden Museum of Southern Art initially was reported to be unscathed -- but that was before the levees broke and communications ceased. ``Not even counting the French Quarter, every part of New Orleans has incredible historic resources,'' said John Hildreth, director of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. ``It's absolutely gut-wrenching to see this destruction on top of the human suffering.'' Members of the Heritage Emergency National Task Force were scheduled to meet via conference call to start coming up with a plan for assessing the damage to artworks and historical documents. But it may be weeks or months before the full loss is known, said Dennis Fiori of the Maryland Historical Society. Hildreth said Beauvoir, a 1 1/2-story home built on a slight rise, was under up to 30 feet of water at one point. ``It's maybe 500 yards from the beach, ground zero in Biloxi,'' he said. ``We'd heard at first that it had been destroyed, but I found out today that it's still standing on its foundations. The galleries (porches) are gone, and there has been significant damage to the house. We don't know yet how all the papers in Davis' presidential library have fared.'' The Historic Trust asked the National Guard to be posted at the site to deter looters. New Orleans, frequently described as the most European city in America, has more than 40 museums, including the Musee Conti Wax Museum, Historic Voodoo Museum and Historic New Orleans Collection, a treasure trove of fragile maps, photographs and other antique documents. And that doesn't count the privately owned Gitter-Yelen Art Study Center, with its collection of Japanese art from the 17th through the 19th centuries. A few days before Katrina hit, New Orleans' museums sent out e-mail messages to institutions in other cities requesting emergency storage space, according to Laura Lindsay, interim executive director of the Louisiana State University Museum of Art. ``A lot of work was done to get art in safe places before the hurricane came through,'' she said. Hildreth said a surprising number of precious artifacts can be repaired -- if they aren't stolen. In 1966 -- when the Arno River flooded and swamped Florence, Italy -- about 1,500 artworks, many dating back centuries, were disfigured or destroyed. Thousands of volunteers, dubbed ``mud angels,'' came from around the world and worked 10 to 14 hours a day to help save the city's masterpieces. Hildreth says he is heartened that he has begun to receive similar offers. ``Pages and canvas can dry out,'' he said. ``Mud can be washed off. It's painstaking, and it can take decades, but in some cases, it can be done.'' From museum-security at museum-security.org Sun Sep 4 14:29:04 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)) Date: Sun, 4 Sep 2005 14:29:04 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] =?iso-8859-1?q?Austria=B1_Lichtenstein_painting_sla?= =?iso-8859-1?q?shed_at_museum_?= Message-ID: <200509041229.j84CT5M6055139@smtp-vbr11.xs4all.nl> Lichtenstein painting slashed at museum September 04 2005 at 12:45PM Bregenz, Austria - A visitor to an Austrian museum pulled a pocket knife from her purse and repeatedly slashed a painting by US artist Roy Lichtenstein painting worth millions of euros, police said. The woman, a 35-year-old Munich, Germany, resident, was visiting the Kunsthaus Bregenz exhibit "Roy Lichtenstein - Classic of the New" on Saturday afternoon when she vandalised the painting Nudes in Mirror. She made four cuts in the painting, each measuring about 30cm, police said in a statement late on Saturday. Other museum visitors and museum guards held the woman until she could be taken to the police station. The woman, who would be examined by a court psychiatrist, offered no explanation for her behavior, police said. - Sapa-AP From museum-security at museum-security.org Mon Sep 5 05:09:28 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)) Date: Mon, 5 Sep 2005 05:09:28 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] Museums tally the cultural damage wrought by flooding Message-ID: <200509050309.j8539W5O055862@smtp-vbr3.xs4all.nl> Museums tally the cultural damage wrought by flooding By Daniel J. Wakin The New York Times MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2005 The hurricane and the flood that followed took their toll on the cultural riches of New Orleans and the cities in its orbit. Museum directors were still struggling to gain a clear picture of the extent of losses, but some collections seem to have been spared, including the core holdings of the New Orleans Museum of Art, one of the region's most important. The Hogan Jazz Archive at Tulane University, which has the world's largest jazz oral history collection, appeared to be safe, said the curator, Bruce Raeburn. Preservation Hall, the 255-year-old French Quarter building that serves as a jazz shrine and performance venue, appears to be undamaged. However, the roof of the Old U.S. Mint in the French Quarter was damaged, raising concern for the state of its jazz collection, which includes musical instruments, film footage, posters and photographs. Seven staff members of the New Orleans Museum of Art, including security guards and engineers, stayed behind Tuesday to protect the collection and were presumably there through the week, said E. John Bullard, the museum's director. The Times-Picayune newspaper reported that about 30 members of families of museum staff members had sought refuge in the building, which is on high ground at the edge of City Park. It said the staff members had refused to leave the building untended when urged to leave by officials of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, who arrived Wednesday. Bullard, who was vacationing in Maine, said Friday that he had heard nothing more. "The ones who stayed are really the heroes for the museum," he said. The museum, which has about 40,000 objects in its collection, has a prominent group of Miro works and other paintings, 16,000 pieces of glass, and major photography holdings. It has an important African collection, and about 100 of the best pieces from it are on tour right now. Bullard, who has been director of the museum since 1973, feared for an outdoor sculpture garden established two years ago containing 55 works, including pieces by Henry Moore, Louise Bourgeois and Claes Oldenburg. A 45-foot-tall steel tube and cable sculpture by Kenneth Snelson, "Virlane Tower," which was valued at more than $500,000, was smashed, The Times-Picayune said. The other major concern was basement storage spaces. There was only enough fuel for the emergency generators, which operate sump pumps and climate control systems, to last until the middle of last week. If water invades and the pumps fail, thousands of photographs and prints could be threatened. "Hopefully the items in the cabinets would gently rise up or maybe just stay on the shelves," he said. Bullard said the museum's insurers had dispatched private security guards from Florida in two campers to protect the artwork and seek out fuel to keep the generators going. The next task would be to transport important artworks out of the city when roads were passable. "This is a transforming event in a city's life," he said. "Even though New Orleans has been around for 200 years, I wonder whether it can survive." The failure of climate control systems in other surviving museums poses a danger, said Ed Able, president of the American Association of Museums in Washington. Able said 126 institutions - art museums, historic buildings, zoos, aquariums and others - lay within the affected zone. "All in all, we've got definite collection damage across the affected areas," he said. Added to that were fears that dozens of small and tenderly cared for historic houses - blips on the nation's cultural radar but important parts of the Gulf region's identity - had been smashed into oblivion. The hurricane and the flood that followed took their toll on the cultural riches of New Orleans and the cities in its orbit. Museum directors were still struggling to gain a clear picture of the extent of losses, but some collections seem to have been spared, including the core holdings of the New Orleans Museum of Art, one of the region's most important. The Hogan Jazz Archive at Tulane University, which has the world's largest jazz oral history collection, appeared to be safe, said the curator, Bruce Raeburn. Preservation Hall, the 255-year-old French Quarter building that serves as a jazz shrine and performance venue, appears to be undamaged. However, the roof of the Old U.S. Mint in the French Quarter was damaged, raising concern for the state of its jazz collection, which includes musical instruments, film footage, posters and photographs. Seven staff members of the New Orleans Museum of Art, including security guards and engineers, stayed behind Tuesday to protect the collection and were presumably there through the week, said E. John Bullard, the museum's director. The Times-Picayune newspaper reported that about 30 members of families of museum staff members had sought refuge in the building, which is on high ground at the edge of City Park. It said the staff members had refused to leave the building untended when urged to leave by officials of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, who arrived Wednesday. Bullard, who was vacationing in Maine, said Friday that he had heard nothing more. "The ones who stayed are really the heroes for the museum," he said. The museum, which has about 40,000 objects in its collection, has a prominent group of Miro works and other paintings, 16,000 pieces of glass, and major photography holdings. It has an important African collection, and about 100 of the best pieces from it are on tour right now. Bullard, who has been director of the museum since 1973, feared for an outdoor sculpture garden established two years ago containing 55 works, including pieces by Henry Moore, Louise Bourgeois and Claes Oldenburg. A 45-foot-tall steel tube and cable sculpture by Kenneth Snelson, "Virlane Tower," which was valued at more than $500,000, was smashed, The Times-Picayune said. The other major concern was basement storage spaces. There was only enough fuel for the emergency generators, which operate sump pumps and climate control systems, to last until the middle of last week. If water invades and the pumps fail, thousands of photographs and prints could be threatened. "Hopefully the items in the cabinets would gently rise up or maybe just stay on the shelves," he said. Bullard said the museum's insurers had dispatched private security guards from Florida in two campers to protect the artwork and seek out fuel to keep the generators going. The next task would be to transport important artworks out of the city when roads were passable. "This is a transforming event in a city's life," he said. "Even though New Orleans has been around for 200 years, I wonder whether it can survive." The failure of climate control systems in other surviving museums poses a danger, said Ed Able, president of the American Association of Museums in Washington. Able said 126 institutions - art museums, historic buildings, zoos, aquariums and others - lay within the affected zone. "All in all, we've got definite collection damage across the affected areas," he said. Added to that were fears that dozens of small and tenderly cared for historic houses - blips on the nation's cultural radar but important parts of the Gulf region's identity - had been smashed into oblivion. The hurricane and the flood that followed took their toll on the cultural riches of New Orleans and the cities in its orbit. Museum directors were still struggling to gain a clear picture of the extent of losses, but some collections seem to have been spared, including the core holdings of the New Orleans Museum of Art, one of the region's most important. The Hogan Jazz Archive at Tulane University, which has the world's largest jazz oral history collection, appeared to be safe, said the curator, Bruce Raeburn. Preservation Hall, the 255-year-old French Quarter building that serves as a jazz shrine and performance venue, appears to be undamaged. However, the roof of the Old U.S. Mint in the French Quarter was damaged, raising concern for the state of its jazz collection, which includes musical instruments, film footage, posters and photographs. Seven staff members of the New Orleans Museum of Art, including security guards and engineers, stayed behind Tuesday to protect the collection and were presumably there through the week, said E. John Bullard, the museum's director. The Times-Picayune newspaper reported that about 30 members of families of museum staff members had sought refuge in the building, which is on high ground at the edge of City Park. It said the staff members had refused to leave the building untended when urged to leave by officials of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, who arrived Wednesday. Bullard, who was vacationing in Maine, said Friday that he had heard nothing more. "The ones who stayed are really the heroes for the museum," he said. The museum, which has about 40,000 objects in its collection, has a prominent group of Miro works and other paintings, 16,000 pieces of glass, and major photography holdings. It has an important African collection, and about 100 of the best pieces from it are on tour right now. Bullard, who has been director of the museum since 1973, feared for an outdoor sculpture garden established two years ago containing 55 works, including pieces by Henry Moore, Louise Bourgeois and Claes Oldenburg. A 45-foot-tall steel tube and cable sculpture by Kenneth Snelson, "Virlane Tower," which was valued at more than $500,000, was smashed, The Times-Picayune said. The other major concern was basement storage spaces. There was only enough fuel for the emergency generators, which operate sump pumps and climate control systems, to last until the middle of last week. If water invades and the pumps fail, thousands of photographs and prints could be threatened. "Hopefully the items in the cabinets would gently rise up or maybe just stay on the shelves," he said. Bullard said the museum's insurers had dispatched private security guards from Florida in two campers to protect the artwork and seek out fuel to keep the generators going. The next task would be to transport important artworks out of the city when roads were passable. "This is a transforming event in a city's life," he said. "Even though New Orleans has been around for 200 years, I wonder whether it can survive." The failure of climate control systems in other surviving museums poses a danger, said Ed Able, president of the American Association of Museums in Washington. Able said 126 institutions - art museums, historic buildings, zoos, aquariums and others - lay within the affected zone. "All in all, we've got definite collection damage across the affected areas," he said. Added to that were fears that dozens of small and tenderly cared for historic houses - blips on the nation's cultural radar but important parts of the Gulf region's identity - had been smashed into oblivion. The hurricane and the flood that followed took their toll on the cultural riches of New Orleans and the cities in its orbit. Museum directors were still struggling to gain a clear picture of the extent of losses, but some collections seem to have been spared, including the core holdings of the New Orleans Museum of Art, one of the region's most important. The Hogan Jazz Archive at Tulane University, which has the world's largest jazz oral history collection, appeared to be safe, said the curator, Bruce Raeburn. Preservation Hall, the 255-year-old French Quarter building that serves as a jazz shrine and performance venue, appears to be undamaged. However, the roof of the Old U.S. Mint in the French Quarter was damaged, raising concern for the state of its jazz collection, which includes musical instruments, film footage, posters and photographs. Seven staff members of the New Orleans Museum of Art, including security guards and engineers, stayed behind Tuesday to protect the collection and were presumably there through the week, said E. John Bullard, the museum's director. The Times-Picayune newspaper reported that about 30 members of families of museum staff members had sought refuge in the building, which is on high ground at the edge of City Park. It said the staff members had refused to leave the building untended when urged to leave by officials of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, who arrived Wednesday. Bullard, who was vacationing in Maine, said Friday that he had heard nothing more. "The ones who stayed are really the heroes for the museum," he said. The museum, which has about 40,000 objects in its collection, has a prominent group of Miro works and other paintings, 16,000 pieces of glass, and major photography holdings. It has an important African collection, and about 100 of the best pieces from it are on tour right now. Bullard, who has been director of the museum since 1973, feared for an outdoor sculpture garden established two years ago containing 55 works, including pieces by Henry Moore, Louise Bourgeois and Claes Oldenburg. A 45-foot-tall steel tube and cable sculpture by Kenneth Snelson, "Virlane Tower," which was valued at more than $500,000, was smashed, The Times-Picayune said. The other major concern was basement storage spaces. There was only enough fuel for the emergency generators, which operate sump pumps and climate control systems, to last until the middle of last week. If water invades and the pumps fail, thousands of photographs and prints could be threatened. "Hopefully the items in the cabinets would gently rise up or maybe just stay on the shelves," he said. Bullard said the museum's insurers had dispatched private security guards from Florida in two campers to protect the artwork and seek out fuel to keep the generators going. The next task would be to transport important artworks out of the city when roads were passable. "This is a transforming event in a city's life," he said. "Even though New Orleans has been around for 200 years, I wonder whether it can survive." The failure of climate control systems in other surviving museums poses a danger, said Ed Able, president of the American Association of Museums in Washington. Able said 126 institutions - art museums, historic buildings, zoos, aquariums and others - lay within the affected zone. "All in all, we've got definite collection damage across the affected areas," he said. Added to that were fears that dozens of small and tenderly cared for historic houses - blips on the nation's cultural radar but important parts of the Gulf region's identity - had been smashed into oblivion. The hurricane and the flood that followed took their toll on the cultural riches of New Orleans and the cities in its orbit. Museum directors were still struggling to gain a clear picture of the extent of losses, but some collections seem to have been spared, including the core holdings of the New Orleans Museum of Art, one of the region's most important. The Hogan Jazz Archive at Tulane University, which has the world's largest jazz oral history collection, appeared to be safe, said the curator, Bruce Raeburn. Preservation Hall, the 255-year-old French Quarter building that serves as a jazz shrine and performance venue, appears to be undamaged. However, the roof of the Old U.S. Mint in the French Quarter was damaged, raising concern for the state of its jazz collection, which includes musical instruments, film footage, posters and photographs. Seven staff members of the New Orleans Museum of Art, including security guards and engineers, stayed behind Tuesday to protect the collection and were presumably there through the week, said E. John Bullard, the museum's director. The Times-Picayune newspaper reported that about 30 members of families of museum staff members had sought refuge in the building, which is on high ground at the edge of City Park. It said the staff members had refused to leave the building untended when urged to leave by officials of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, who arrived Wednesday. Bullard, who was vacationing in Maine, said Friday that he had heard nothing more. "The ones who stayed are really the heroes for the museum," he said. The museum, which has about 40,000 objects in its collection, has a prominent group of Miro works and other paintings, 16,000 pieces of glass, and major photography holdings. It has an important African collection, and about 100 of the best pieces from it are on tour right now. Bullard, who has been director of the museum since 1973, feared for an outdoor sculpture garden established two years ago containing 55 works, including pieces by Henry Moore, Louise Bourgeois and Claes Oldenburg. A 45-foot-tall steel tube and cable sculpture by Kenneth Snelson, "Virlane Tower," which was valued at more than $500,000, was smashed, The Times-Picayune said. The other major concern was basement storage spaces. There was only enough fuel for the emergency generators, which operate sump pumps and climate control systems, to last until the middle of last week. If water invades and the pumps fail, thousands of photographs and prints could be threatened. "Hopefully the items in the cabinets would gently rise up or maybe just stay on the shelves," he said. Bullard said the museum's insurers had dispatched private security guards from Florida in two campers to protect the artwork and seek out fuel to keep the generators going. The next task would be to transport important artworks out of the city when roads were passable. "This is a transforming event in a city's life," he said. "Even though New Orleans has been around for 200 years, I wonder whether it can survive." The failure of climate control systems in other surviving museums poses a danger, said Ed Able, president of the American Association of Museums in Washington. Able said 126 institutions - art museums, historic buildings, zoos, aquariums and others - lay within the affected zone. "All in all, we've got definite collection damage across the affected areas," he said. Added to that were fears that dozens of small and tenderly cared for historic houses - blips on the nation's cultural radar but important parts of the Gulf region's identity - had been smashed into oblivion. The hurricane and the flood that followed took their toll on the cultural riches of New Orleans and the cities in its orbit. Museum directors were still struggling to gain a clear picture of the extent of losses, but some collections seem to have been spared, including the core holdings of the New Orleans Museum of Art, one of the region's most important. The Hogan Jazz Archive at Tulane University, which has the world's largest jazz oral history collection, appeared to be safe, said the curator, Bruce Raeburn. Preservation Hall, the 255-year-old French Quarter building that serves as a jazz shrine and performance venue, appears to be undamaged. However, the roof of the Old U.S. Mint in the French Quarter was damaged, raising concern for the state of its jazz collection, which includes musical instruments, film footage, posters and photographs. Seven staff members of the New Orleans Museum of Art, including security guards and engineers, stayed behind Tuesday to protect the collection and were presumably there through the week, said E. John Bullard, the museum's director. The Times-Picayune newspaper reported that about 30 members of families of museum staff members had sought refuge in the building, which is on high ground at the edge of City Park. It said the staff members had refused to leave the building untended when urged to leave by officials of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, who arrived Wednesday. Bullard, who was vacationing in Maine, said Friday that he had heard nothing more. "The ones who stayed are really the heroes for the museum," he said. The museum, which has about 40,000 objects in its collection, has a prominent group of Miro works and other paintings, 16,000 pieces of glass, and major photography holdings. It has an important African collection, and about 100 of the best pieces from it are on tour right now. Bullard, who has been director of the museum since 1973, feared for an outdoor sculpture garden established two years ago containing 55 works, including pieces by Henry Moore, Louise Bourgeois and Claes Oldenburg. A 45-foot-tall steel tube and cable sculpture by Kenneth Snelson, "Virlane Tower," which was valued at more than $500,000, was smashed, The Times-Picayune said. The other major concern was basement storage spaces. There was only enough fuel for the emergency generators, which operate sump pumps and climate control systems, to last until the middle of last week. If water invades and the pumps fail, thousands of photographs and prints could be threatened. "Hopefully the items in the cabinets would gently rise up or maybe just stay on the shelves," he said. Bullard said the museum's insurers had dispatched private security guards from Florida in two campers to protect the artwork and seek out fuel to keep the generators going. The next task would be to transport important artworks out of the city when roads were passable. "This is a transforming event in a city's life," he said. "Even though New Orleans has been around for 200 years, I wonder whether it can survive." The failure of climate control systems in other surviving museums poses a danger, said Ed Able, president of the American Association of Museums in Washington. Able said 126 institutions - art museums, historic buildings, zoos, aquariums and others - lay within the affected zone. "All in all, we've got definite collection damage across the affected areas," he said. Added to that were fears that dozens of small and tenderly cared for historic houses - blips on the nation's cultural radar but important parts of the Gulf region's identity - had been smashed into oblivion. http://www.iht.com/ From museum-security at museum-security.org Mon Sep 5 05:13:47 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)) Date: Mon, 5 Sep 2005 05:13:47 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] Getty: Photos link curator to suspect dealers Message-ID: <200509050313.j853Doqm035065@smtp-vbr12.xs4all.nl> Photos link curator to suspect dealers September 5, 2005 Two months before the chief antiquities curator of the J. Paul Getty Trust is to stand trial in Rome on charges of conspiring to receive illegally exported artworks, a newly revealed series of letters and photographs show that the curator, Marion True, maintained close ties to dealers suspected of selling stolen art, the Los Angeles Times reported last week. The letters indicated the dealers were offering objects "which appear to be from illegal excavations", and photographs showed the artefacts "in an unrestored state" that suggested they were looted recently, said a copy of a confidential 2001 memo from the Getty's lawyer, obtained by the Times. In a statement, the trust responded: "The Times's story is based on privileged documents that have been stolen from the Getty. The Getty provided all of the materials that were requested and did not provide materials that were not requested." Italian authorities identified 42 objects, including some of the Getty's most prized antiquities, as stolen and demanded their return. From ellie at bruggemansolutions.com Mon Sep 5 07:11:06 2005 From: ellie at bruggemansolutions.com (Ellie Bruggeman) Date: Mon, 05 Sep 2005 07:11:06 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] =?iso-8859-1?q?=BFRestaurar_los_Frescos_Renacentist?= =?iso-8859-1?q?as_o_preservar_la_B=F3veda_Barroca=3F?= Message-ID: <431BD36A.6020104@bruggemansolutions.com> ?Restaurar los Frescos Renacentistas o preservar la B?veda Barroca? *Valencia, Espa?a* -- Esta semana los arquitectos debaten sobre lo bien fundado del proyecto de restauraci?n de frescos redescubiertos en la Catedral de Valencia en junio de 2004, que ocupan unos 250 m? de superficie y que datan de la ?poca renacentista. En Espa?a, la Ley de Patrimonio exige la restauraci?n de toda obra de gran relevancia como los frescos que datan del siglo XV, pintados por Paolo da San Leocadio y Francesco Paganno, pero realizar la restauraci?n implica, para algunos arquitectos como Juli?n Esteban Chapapr?a, jefe de Arquitectura de la conselleria de Cultura, poner en peligro una obra arquitect?nica como es la b?veda barroca que los cubre y que data del siglo XVII. El proyecto arranca en julio de 2005 con el desmontaje de la b?veda barroca, que ser? dividida en 330 partes. Una vez desmontada, se tendr? acceso a los frescos cuya restauraci?n durar? aproximadamente un a?o. Pero la pol?mica no termina all?. Una vez restaurados los frescos se tiene que decidir si se vuelven a ocultar tras la B?veda que retomar?a su lugar o si se reubica la b?veda en un sitio diferente. Para ayudar a tomar la decisi?n se piensa convocar a un seminario internacional hacia finales de 2006 Antecedentes A los 24 a?os de edad, Roderic de Borja, quien se convertir?a en el Papa Alejandro VI, fue nombrado Obispo de Valencia. En 1472 viaj? a Espa?a para oficiar la boda de los Reyes Cat?licos Isabel y Fernando. Aprovech? su viaje para conocer su di?cesis y decidi? encargar, a dos pintores italianos, las pinturas de la b?veda de la Catedral de Valencia, en el estilo renacentista. Estos trabajos nunca llegaron a ser del agrado del clero local y en el siglo XVII, se orden? la construcci?n de una b?veda estilo barroco al interior de la primera; con ello los frescos quedaron escondidos hasta el presente. La existencia de los frescos no era desconocida, mas s? su estado dado que los ?ltimos en apreciarlos, los constructores de la b?veda interna, dejaron testimonio del supuesto mal estado de los frescos. Al iniciarse los trabajos de restauraci?n de la b?veda barroca en 2004, se descubri? un espacio interno entre las dos b?vedas de unos cent?metros de ancho, gracias al sonido de palomas que anidaban all?. Se abri? un agujero por donde se introdujo una c?mara fotogr?fica y lo que mostr? es que el estado de los frescos es mucho mejor que lo que afirmaron los constructores de la b?veda interna. Desde junio de 2004 se ha estudiado el problema y se arm? el proyecto de desmontaje de la b?veda interna para permitir la restauraci?n de los frescos hasta ahora ocultos. http://www.redbolivia.com/noticias/Arte%20y%20Entretenimiento/1410.html From studio753bc at comcast.net Mon Sep 5 18:53:44 2005 From: studio753bc at comcast.net (Charles V. Sabba) Date: Mon, 5 Sep 2005 12:53:44 -0400 Subject: [CPProt.net] L'Intervento/Aiutiamo Il TPC Dei Carabinieri- Italiano- di Charles Vincent Sabba Message-ID: <002401c5b23a$6d9bedf0$c3d52644@DCY7MH71> L'Intervento/Aiutiamo Il TPC Dei Carabinieri- Italiano- di Charles Vincent Sabba -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://duvel.te.verweg.com/pipermail/cpprot/attachments/20050905/47bf14fe/attachment.htm -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://duvel.te.verweg.com/pipermail/cpprot/attachments/20050905/47bf14fe/attachment.html From studio753bc at comcast.net Mon Sep 5 18:55:14 2005 From: studio753bc at comcast.net (Charles V. Sabba) Date: Mon, 5 Sep 2005 12:55:14 -0400 Subject: [CPProt.net] L'Intervento/Aiutiamo Il TPC Dei Carabinieri- English Translation- di Charles Vincent Sabba Message-ID: <002c01c5b23a$96a266c0$c3d52644@DCY7MH71> L'Intervento/Aiutiamo Il TPC Dei Carabinieri- English Translation- di Charles Vincent Sabba -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://duvel.te.verweg.com/pipermail/cpprot/attachments/20050905/13c99007/attachment.htm -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://duvel.te.verweg.com/pipermail/cpprot/attachments/20050905/13c99007/attachment.html From studio753bc at comcast.net Mon Sep 5 20:40:10 2005 From: studio753bc at comcast.net (Charles V. Sabba) Date: Mon, 5 Sep 2005 14:40:10 -0400 Subject: [CPProt.net] Una firma per rimanere Safe- di Stefano Vaccara Message-ID: <001701c5b249$3ef864b0$c3d52644@DCY7MH71> Una firma per rimanere Safe- di Stefano Vaccara. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://duvel.te.verweg.com/pipermail/cpprot/attachments/20050905/773a7adb/attachment.htm -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://duvel.te.verweg.com/pipermail/cpprot/attachments/20050905/773a7adb/attachment.html From studio753bc at comcast.net Mon Sep 5 20:40:46 2005 From: studio753bc at comcast.net (Charles V. Sabba) Date: Mon, 5 Sep 2005 14:40:46 -0400 Subject: [CPProt.net] Una Firma per Rimanere Safe- di Stefano Vaccara- English Translation Message-ID: <001f01c5b249$54580ae0$c3d52644@DCY7MH71> Una firma per rimanere Safe- di Stefano Vaccara- English Translation -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://duvel.te.verweg.com/pipermail/cpprot/attachments/20050905/82dcbf6b/attachment.htm -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://duvel.te.verweg.com/pipermail/cpprot/attachments/20050905/82dcbf6b/attachment.html From cho at savingantiquities.org Tue Sep 6 02:17:50 2005 From: cho at savingantiquities.org (Cindy Ho) Date: Mon, 05 Sep 2005 20:17:50 -0400 Subject: [CPProt.net] It's not too late to say YES Message-ID: Help protect Italy?s archaeological heritage. Join SAFE?s effort to support the renewal of the bilateral agreement between the US and Italy to restrict importation of certain categories of Italian artifacts into the US by signing the appeal on http://www.savingantiquities.org/i-safe-mouitaly.php . If you can, add your own thoughts as to why you believe the agreement should be renewed. All statements and signatures will be submitted. Do it NOW, the hearing is on September 8. And tell everyone you know to do the same. As you know, Italy's ancient past is part of everyone's shared heritage. You don't need to be an Italian specialist to show that you care. Thank you! Cindy Ho savingantiquities.org From museum-security at museum-security.org Tue Sep 6 09:23:04 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)) Date: Tue, 6 Sep 2005 09:23:04 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] Ancient Peruvian city plundered Message-ID: <200509060723.j867N607026564@smtp-vbr10.xs4all.nl> Explorer: Ancient Peruvian city plundered Monday, September 5, 2005 Posted: 1730 GMT (0130 HKT) LIMA, Peru (AP) -- An American explorer says an ancient, pre-Incan metropolis discovered by his father in Peru's remote cloud forest on an earlier expedition has been plundered by tomb robbers. Sean Savoy, 32, urged the Peruvian government to take steps to protect the city, which he estimated housed 20,000 people and had hundreds of circular stone buildings in the 7th century. "It is time for the government to take note. Something has to be done. These places are in danger of destruction," he said. Savoy, just back from leading a 23-day expedition to the site, described it as a massive metropolitan complex spread along a river valley high in Peru's rain forest on the eastern slopes of the Peruvian Andes. The expedition to the Gran Saposoa ruins, 335 miles north of Lima, included more than 50 people, counting government archaeologists, architects, a stonemason, an expert on Andean art, armed police and 30 mule drivers. Savoy, son of famed 78-year-old explorer Gene Savoy, who has discovered more than 40 lost cities in Peru since the 1960s, said in an interview with The Associated Press on Saturday that the city is much bigger than his father had calculated. He estimated the metropolitan area covers more than 80 square miles. The elder Savoy discovered it in 1999, naming it Gran Saposoa, and concluded it was one of the cities of the Chachapoyas kingdom. Spanish chronicles from the 16th century tell of a network of seven Chachapoyas cities strung like a necklace along the heights of the high jungle of northern Peru. Savoy described the Chachapoyas as tall, fierce warriors who were defeated in the late 15th century by Inca ruler Tupac Yupanqui just decades before the Spanish conquest of Peru. This year's trip marked the fifth time the site has been explored since the Savoys first trekked over a wind-swept, 14,500-foot-high Andean pass and hacked their way down into the overgrown mountainous jungle to discover it. Sean Savoy said members of this year's expedition were stunned to find that a sculptured stone head at the most important set of ruins had been ripped from its place in a stone wall. But they were in for an even more unpleasant surprise. "We encountered a site, previously unknown to us, but obviously to others, where over 50 cliffside tombs were destroyed. Not just sacked and looted, the tombs themselves destroyed. Torn apart with picks and axes," he said. He believes the once-urban valley was home to at least 20,000 people, double the previous estimate. He said the latest expedition discovered a sixth citadel, located at 12,000 feet with a 64-foot-wide avenue. He said the six interconnected districts discovered during five expeditions contain hundreds of circular stone buildings. "I had no idea of the scale of the ruins. The scale was humongous, mind-boggling," said Patrick Manning, an Irish architect who took part in the expedition. "There are hundreds of buildings." He said he understands how hard it is for a poor nation such as Peru to protect its many pre-Columbian ruins. "The big problem is the lack of funding," Manning said. The Savoys live most of the year in Reno, Nevada, where Gene Savoy directs the Andean Explorers Foundation. After his last trip to Gran Saposoa en 2001, the elder Savoy has dedicated his time to writing a book about his last 15 years of exploration, his son said. He already has authored three books on his expeditions. The elder Savoy is credited with finding three of Peru's most important ruins: Vilcabamba, the last refuge of the Incas; Gran Pajaten, a citadel city atop a jungle-shrouded peak; and Gran Vilaya, a complex of more than 20,000 stone buildings. Much of his work has focused on the Chachapoyas, whose empire extended along a 135-mile stretch of the Andes' fogbound eastern slopes. He has now found six of the seven fabled Chachapoyas cities. http://edition.cnn.com/ From museum-security at museum-security.org Wed Sep 7 06:42:41 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)) Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2005 06:42:41 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] New hope for finding missing Peking Man Message-ID: <200509070442.j874gg2s010260@smtp-vbr4.xs4all.nl> New hope for finding missing Peking Man September 06 2005 at 12:12PM Beijing - Chinese researchers are hopeful of finding the remains of the world's most famous cave dweller, the 500 000-year-old Peking Man, more than 60 years after they disappeared, state media said on Tuesday. Several interesting clues have come to light in recent months, according to members of a recently established committee charged with looking for the Peking Man's bones and other missing relics, the China Daily reported. If the clues lead anywhere, it could potentially mark a breakthrough in a search that has lasted since the early 1940s. Five skull fragments belonging to Peking Man were lost under mysterious circumstances during World War II and have never been recovered. Just in the last two months, the committee has received 63 tip-offs on the whereabouts of the elusive relics, said Liu Yajun, deputy head of the commission. However, it may be a while before the Peking Man bones see the light of day, as one of the clues has them buried under a residential building in Beijing. The discovery in 1929 of the Peking Man was one of the most decisive steps in the scientific quest to trace man's prehistoric development from the apes. Since Peking Man was first unearthed in a cave 50 kilometres south-west of Beijing, archaeologists have found fossils belonging to 40 different individuals and more than 100 000 stone implements and other objects. - Sapa-AFP http://www.iol.co.za/ From museum-security at museum-security.org Wed Sep 7 06:52:22 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)) Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2005 06:52:22 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] Trafficking in art objects next only to narcotics trade: UNESCO Message-ID: <200509070452.j874qN6T063079@smtp-vbr11.xs4all.nl> Trafficking in art objects next only to narcotics trade: UNESCO UNI New Delhi Sept 6: Terming trafficking in cultural property a "seamless trade" and pegging its value at US $6 billion annually, a high-profile United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organisation meet here today revealed that it was next only to narcotics trade worth $7 billion."Trafficking in cultural property has assumed the dimensions of a seamless trade as drug cartels peddle art objects for ploughing the huge monetary gains in their narcotics trade and also for arms dealings," Dr A Galla, vice-president of World Council of Museums, told the UNESCO's workshop for the Asia-Pacific region on 'illicit trafficking of cultural property'. Dr Galla said the nefarious trade in art objects had transcended the national and regional boundaries to emerge as an international phenomenon, and could be effectively curbed only through collaborative international ventures. "The 1954 Hague convention on the subject is extremely euro-centric and does not address the concern of asian nations whose priceless cultural heritage continues to be trafficked in western markets," he pointed out. Arguing that the unbridled trafficking of art objects would be difficult to be curbed through archaic laws, Dr Galla, who teaches at the Canberra University, said India, being projected as an emerging superpower, should join hands with countries like Brazil and South Africa to counter the hegemonist trade of the western powers. The four-day brainstorming meet is being attended by representatives from countries like Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, France, Australia, Bangladesh, Nepal, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Malaysia. Legal experts and officials from Interpol, the Central Bureau of Investigation and customs are also attending the seminar, which is expected to chalk out a blueprint to better fight the reprehensible phenomenon of illicit trafficking of cultural objects. The Culture Minister, Mr S Jaipal Reddy, who was to launch the meet, could not do so because of some pressing engagements. The culture secretary, Ms Neena Ranjan said barring the UNIDROIT, India had signed most of the UN conventions on prevention of trafficking in cultural objects. "We have also enacted the Antiquities Act, but experience has shown that it lacks adequate teeth," she said, adding that the government was planning to amend the law. Ms Ranjan said India had not laid any stake to the return of its stolen cultural property. However, eminent scholar Ms Kapila Vatsyayan, who also addressed the gathering, said India had sought return of the famous Amravati sculptures from the British museum. Without identifying auction centres in the West, like Sotheby's where prized cultural objects are being put under the hammer, Ms Vatsyayan said Asia was the worst sufferer in terms of trafficking of its cultural property. "There is a need for museums not to buy artefacts unless it is done by clear legal certification," she reasoned out. Concurring with the culture secretary, she said it was imperative to raise awareness about cultural heritage as the younger generation in Asia "faces the risk of amnesia of their countries' cultural antiquities". Ms Vatsyayan said it was an absolute necessity to protect the distinctiveness of each culture and lauded the role of the UNESCO in setting standards through various conventions and projects like the silk route and excavation of artefacts in the Aswan dam in Egypt. Dr Galla, a native of Amravati, said awareness should be raised by preparing digital repositories of cultural artefacts. "I have prepared a database of all Amravati sculptures. Similar projects should be made in other countries for the younger generation." http://www.navhindtimes.com/ From museum-security at museum-security.org Wed Sep 7 06:58:51 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)) Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2005 06:58:51 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] =?iso-8859-1?q?Retten=2C_was_noch_zu_retten_ist=2E_?= =?iso-8859-1?q?Gegen_den_=22S=E4urefra=DF_in_B=FCchern=22=3A_Volks?= =?iso-8859-1?q?wagenStiftung_unterst=FCtzt_derzeit_mit_210=2E000_E?= =?iso-8859-1?q?uro_die_konzeptionellen_Vorbereitungen_f=FCr_den_Er?= =?iso-8859-1?q?halt_alter_Buchbest=E4nde?= Message-ID: <200509070458.j874wqlP011627@smtp-vbr14.xs4all.nl> Retten, was noch zu retten ist 07.09.2005 Gegen den "S?urefra? in B?chern": VolkswagenStiftung unterst?tzt derzeit mit 210.000 Euro die konzeptionellen Vorbereitungen f?r den Erhalt alter Buchbest?nde Es war vor gut einem Jahr die Trag?die in Weimar, die aufr?ttelte. Am 2. September brannte dort die Herzogin Anna Amalia-Bibliothek, Weltkulturerbe der UNESCO. Rund 50.000 B?cher wurden f?r immer vernichtet, 62.000 B?nde durch Feuer und L?schwasser besch?digt. Am 2. September 2005 nun werden 70 Bibliotheken und Archive unter dem Patronat von G?nter Grass mit der Aktion "Deutsche Trag?dien" auf die Verpflichtung hinweisen, das schriftliche Kulturerbe zu retten. Die VolkswagenStiftung ihrerseits hat vor gut einem Jahr der "Allianz zur Erhaltung des schriftlichen Kulturgutes" 210.000 Euro zur "Erarbeitung einer nationalen operativen Strategie zur Bestandserhaltung des bedrohten schriftlichen Kulturguts" bereitgestellt. Das Vorhaben steht unter der Leitung der Bayerischen Staatsbibliothek M?nchen, weitere elf gro?e Bibliotheken und Archive in Deutschland sind zurzeit an diesem Initiativkreis beteiligt. Es geht bei dem Projekt um eine Gesamtsicht auf die Probleme der Bestandserhaltung. Dabei sollen alle vor 1850 erschienenen Originale erhalten werden; bei B?chern und Dokumenten insbesondere der Zeit nach 1850 kann dies wirtschaftlich nur in einem abgestimmten kooperativen Konzept erfolgen. Warum gerade das Jahr 1850 als zeitliche Grenze? Damals begann die industrielle Herstellung von Papier. Diese brachte den Nachteil mit sich, dass bei der Produktion Substanzen von realem oder potenziellem S?urecharakter zur?ckbleiben - und das f?hrt fr?her oder sp?ter zu einer Zersetzung des Papiers von innen her. Sch?tzungen zufolge sind davon allein in Deutschland 60 Millionen B?cher betroffen. Da eine Erhaltung dieses Gesamtbestandes angesichts der daf?r notwendigen Mittel unrealistisch erscheint, wird mit den Geldern der Stiftung derzeit ein Konzept erarbeitet, das Folgendes leistet: Zum einen gilt es die Frage zu beantworten, welche Priorit?ten aus bibliotheks- und archivwissenschaftlicher Sicht zu setzen sind. Auch bedarf es einer "Best-practice-Analyse" der zurzeit vorhandenen technischen Verfahren zur Ents?uerung, vor allem im Massenverfahren. Die gedruckten Werke des deutschen Sprach- und Kulturraumes werden in Deutschland von f?nf Bibliotheken, die sich mit einer Startf?rderung der VolkswagenStiftung von seinerzeit 25 Millionen Mark (knapp 13 Millionen Euro) bereits Ende der 1980er Jahre zur Arbeitsgemeinschaft Sammlung Deutscher Drucke zusammengeschlossen haben, arbeitsteilig gesammelt. Die Best?nde Der Deutschen Bibliothek als zentraler Archivbibliothek beginnen erst mit ihrer Gr?ndung 1913. "Daher m?ssen Strukturen der Zusammenarbeit zwischen den beteiligten Bibliotheken und Archiven aufgebaut werden, damit in Zeiten knapper Kassen nicht an zwei Orten zugleich dasselbe Buch 'gerettet' wird", erl?utert der Generalsekret?r der VolkswagenStiftung Dr. Wilhelm Krull ein wesentliches Ziel der F?rderung. Des Weiteren entwickelt eine Agentur f?r Kulturmarketing eine Strategie mit dem Ziel, die ?ffentlichkeit f?r das Problem zu sensibilisieren - nicht zuletzt in dem Bewusstsein, dass f?r dieses langfristig angelegte Vorhaben m?glichst umgehend weitere Finanzierungsquellen zu erschlie?en sind. "Es ist klar, dass bei einem Projekt dieses Ausma?es die Mittel der ?ffentlichen Hand nicht ausreichend k?nnen", sagt Krull. "Hier ist die B?rgergesellschaft gefordert, sich auch finanziell f?r die Bewahrung ihres kulturellen Erbes einzusetzen." Wie findet man nun jene Dokumente, die einer Rettung dringend bed?rfen? Neben der Bedeutung des Inhalts und der Bedeutung f?r die Sammlung sollen sie bevorzugt nach der H?ufigkeit ihrer Benutzung ausgew?hlt werden. Diese Priorisierung folgt der Erkenntnis, dass Sch?den weniger auf das reine Alter eines Buches zur?ckzuf?hren sind als vielmehr auf das Ausma? der Nutzung, also die mechanische Beanspruchung. So versucht man zu gew?hrleisten, dass zuerst die am meisten gef?hrdeten Originalbest?nde gesichert werden. Als wesentliches Ziel des Vorhabens legt die VolkswagenStiftung Wert darauf, dass die entstehenden Sicherungsverfilmungen an alle ?ffentlichen wissenschaftlichen Bibliotheken und Archive in Deutschland zum gleichen Preis und m?glichst kosteng?nstig abgegeben werden. Zur VolkswagenStiftung: Die VolkswagenStiftung ist eine gemeinn?tzige Stiftung privaten Rechts und f?rdert Wissenschaft und Technik in Forschung und Lehre; die Geistes- und Gesellschaftswissenschaften ebenso wie die Natur- und Ingenieurwissenschaften und die Medizin. Sie erm?glicht Forschungsvorhaben in zukunftstr?chtigen Gebieten und hilft wissenschaftlichen Institutionen bei der Verbesserung der strukturellen Voraussetzungen f?r ihre Arbeit. Besondere Aufmerksamkeit widmet sie dem wissenschaftlichen Nachwuchs sowie der Zusammenarbeit von Forschern ?ber disziplin?re und staatliche Grenzen hinweg. Die Stiftung verf?gt derzeit ?ber ein Kapital von rund 2,3 Milliarden Euro, das sie so ertragreich und nachhaltig wie m?glich anlegt. Sie ist wirtschaftlich autark und in ihren Entscheidungen autonom. In den 43 Jahren ihres Bestehens hat sie gut drei Milliarden Euro f?r rund 28.000 Projekte bewilligt; pro Jahr stellt sie bis zu 100 Millionen Euro f?r neue Vorhaben bereit. Das aktuelle F?rderangebot und die in den einzelnen F?rderinitiativen bewilligten Vorhaben sind zu finden im jetzt erschienenen Jahresbericht 2004 und unter www.volkswagenstiftung.de. Die Stiftung hat wiederholt - wie eingangs beschrieben f?r die Sammlung Deutscher Drucke - Mittel f?r infrastrukturelle Vorhaben bereitgestellt, darunter auch 5,5 Millionen Euro f?r das Handbuch Historischer Buchbest?nde und knapp 17 Millionen Euro f?r die Initiative "Archive als Fundus der Forschung". Kontakt VolkswagenStiftung Presse- und ?ffentlichkeitsarbeit Dr. Christian Jung Telefon: 0511 8381 380 E-Mail: jung at volkswagenstiftung.de ---------------------------------------------------- Der Text der Presseinformation steht im Internet zur Verf?gung unter http://www.volkswagenstiftung.de/presse-news/presse05/24082005.pdf From museum-security at museum-security.org Wed Sep 7 07:05:01 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)) Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2005 07:05:01 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] Eine alte Handschrift ist am alten Platz: In Zittau wird das "Ostfriesische Landrecht" gezeigt, ein Kulturgut mit Kriminal-Geschichte. Message-ID: <200509070505.j87552Ca094257@smtp-vbr3.xs4all.nl> Verloren geglaubter Kunstschatz ist zu Hause Von Jana Ulbrich September 7, 2005 Ausstellung. Eine alte Handschrift ist am alten Platz: In Zittau wird das ?Ostfriesische Landrecht? gezeigt, ein Kulturgut mit Kriminal-Geschichte. Leuchtend Rot und Blau strahlen die fein verzierten Initialen von 500 Jahre altem Pergament. Als w?ren sie erst gestern geschrieben worden. ?Naturfarben, die sind f?r die Ewigkeit gemacht?, schw?rmt Uwe Kahl. Der Leiter des historischen Altbestandes der Zittauer Christian-Weise-Bibliothek kann den Blick nicht lassen von der alten Handschrift, die aufgeschlagen vor ihm in der Vitrine liegt. Wie lange hat er auf diesen Augenblick gewartet: Seit Montag wird das ?Ostfriesische Landrecht des Grafen Edzard?, fast 300 handbeschriebene Seiten aus dem Jahre 1520, in Zittau gezeigt. Nach zweij?hrigem Rechtsstreit hat sich der Landkreis L?bau-Zittau sein rechtm??iges Eigentum zur?ckgeholt ? zumindest leihweise. Jahrhundertelang lagerte die wertvolle Schrift im Altbestand der Zittauer Bibliothek. Bis an einem Wintertag 1988 bei einer Bestandsaufnahme festgestellt wurde, dass einige der wertvollsten historischen Schriften verschwunden waren. Der mysteri?se Diebstahl wurde nie aufgekl?rt und ist nach heutigem Recht verj?hrt. Dennoch verfolgen die Zittauer seitdem akribisch alle Hinweise und Spuren, die sie zu den verlorenen Kunstsch?tzen f?hren k?nnen. Im Falle des ?Ostfriesischen Landrechts? hat der Zufall geholfen. Die Bibliothek in Emden hatte in einer Fachzeitschrift einen Artikel ?ber die Rechtsschrift ver?ffentlicht. Der war einem Historiker aufgefallen, der das Buch kannte ? und die Zittauer Bibliothek informierte. F?r 130 000 D-Mark, so stellte sich sp?ter heraus, hatten es die Emdener bei einer Auktion in ?gutem Glauben? gekauft. ?Der Rechtsstreit war schwierig und in einigen Punkten strittig?, erkl?rt Karl Ilg, Jurist im Zittauer Landratsamt. Die Zittauer konnten den Diebstahl nicht eindeutig nachweisen und willigten letztlich in einen Vergleich ein: Die Schrift geh?rt fortan der Bibliothek in Emden und dem Landkreis L?bau-Zittau gemeinsam. Das Buch wird weiterhin in Emden verwahrt, darf aber regelm??ig in Zittau gezeigt werden. Erstmals seit seinem Verschwinden ist es nun zu sehen. Vor drei Jahren ist es den Zittauern gelungen, einen weiteren 1988 gestohlenen Kunstschatz wieder in Besitz zu nehmen. Auch im Falle des ?Missale Pragense?, des ber?hmten Prager Messbuches, war es ein Zufall, erinnert sich Uwe Kahl. Ein Auktionshaus sollte die mittelalterliche Handschrift f?r einen Privatbesitzer versteigern. Eine mit der Wertermittlung beauftragte Gutachterin wurde stutzig . . . Drei Jahre dauerte der Rechtsstreit, ehe die Zittauer das Prager Missale wieder in ihren Besitz nehmen konnten. Auch ein alter Handwerkerbrief aus dem Diebstahl ist mittlerweile wieder in Zittau. Den hatte ein Wissenschaftler ? durch Zufall ? im Internet-Auktionshaus ?Ebay? entdeckt ? und der Landkreis L?bau-Zittau ersteigerte sich sein Eigentum kurzerhand zur?ck. ?Wir werden nichts unversucht lassen, auch die anderen Sch?tze zur?ckzubekommen?, sagt Kahl. Anhaltspunkte gibt es zwar keinen einzigen, aber vielleicht hilft ja wieder der Zufall. Das ?Ostfriesische Landrecht? ist bis Februar 2006 im Altbestand der Christian-Weise-Bibliothek Zittau zu sehen (Kreisarchiv im Verwaltungszentrum, Lisa-Tetzner-Str. 11). From museum-security at museum-security.org Wed Sep 7 07:05:01 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)) Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2005 07:05:01 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] Dem Brand auf der Spur (moderne Brandschutz soll Flammen im historischen Haus aktiv vorbeugen) Message-ID: <200509070505.j87552CZ094257@smtp-vbr3.xs4all.nl> Dem Brand auf der Spur Coudrays Erbe bewahrte die Anna-Amalia-Bibliothek vor der v?lligen Zerst?rung. Der moderne Brandschutz soll Flammen im historischen Haus aktiv vorbeugen. Sachverst?ndiger Erhard Arnhold stellte im B?cherkubus historische und neue Brandschutzkonzepte vor. "Mit dem Coudrayschen Anbau bekam die Bibliothek 1849 ihre erste massive Treppe. Sie erwies sich in der Brandnacht als Nonplusultra", wei? Erhard Arnhold aus Erfahrung. Der Sachverst?ndige ist Feuerwehrmann und geh?rte vor einem Jahr zu den Rettern der Bibliothek. Bisher beschr?nkte sich der Brandschutz im historischen Haus auf passive Formen, die ein Feuer lediglich aufhalten. Nun plant Arnholds B?ro im Auftrag der Stiftung mit aktiven Elementen. So soll die Bibliothek im Zuge der Sanierung eine Hochdruck-L?schanlage erhalten, die im Brandfall feinen Wassernebel verspr?ht. Wie die Brandnacht zeigte, kann Wasser an B?chern mitunter ebenso hohen Schaden hinterlassen wie Feuer. Tr?pfchen von nur 100 Mikrometer Gr??e sollen das Risiko jedoch minimieren. Die wirkungsvollere Alternative, mit Gas zu l?schen, kommt in der Bibliothek dagegen nicht in Frage. Einerseits sei die Bausubstanz nicht dicht genug. Noch schwerer wiegt: Durch L?schgas, das automatisch freigesetzt wird, k?nnten Besucher Schaden nehmen. Die Brandw?nde im Haus bleiben indes erhalten. "Sie haben ihre Tauglichkeit bewiesen", so der Experte. Erweitert wird die Brandmeldeanlage. Gegen?ber der 1993 installierten Version soll die neue in der Lage sein, auch Hohlr?ume zu ?berwachen und somit Schwelbr?nde zu erkennen. Ein solcher hatte das Haus vor einem Jahr in Brand gesetzt. Auch Arnhold st?tzt die These, dass der Entstehungsort nicht zwischen dem zweiten Ober- und dem Dachgeschoss zu suchen ist. Er geht sogar davon aus, dass das Feuer noch darunter - auf der ersten Galerie - seinen Ursprung nahm und sich hinter der Verkleidung nach oben ausbreitete. An der zweiten St?tze der n?rdlichen Fassade findet sich auch eine Steckdose - m?gliches Indiz f?r einen Elektrobrand, nach dem die Ermittler im Dachgeschoss vergeblich gesucht hatten. Ebenso entscheidend im Brandschutzkonzept: die materielle und personelle St?rke der Weimarer Feuerwehren. "Was wir per Gesetz in Weimar leisten m?ssen, k?nnen wir auch leisten. Die Anforderungen, um das umfangreiche Kulturerbe zu sch?tzen, werden im Gesetz jedoch gar nicht erfasst", sieht Arnhold einen Schwachpunkt. Es sei nicht allein Sache der Kommune, das zu gew?hrleisten. So, wie die Klassik-Stiftung von Bund und Land mitgetragen werde, m?sse auch der Kulturgutschutz auf mehrere Schultern verteilt werden. 06.09.2005 http://www.thueringer-allgemeine.de/ From museum-security at museum-security.org Wed Sep 7 18:00:20 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)) Date: Wed, 7 Sep 2005 18:00:20 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] Saquean valiosas piezas de arte sacro en Ayacucho Message-ID: <200509071600.j87G0N0G090429@smtp-vbr8.xs4all.nl> Saquean valiosas piezas de arte sacro en Ayacucho El Universal Mi?rcoles 07 de septiembre de 2005 Sustrajeron objetos de oro y plata y cinco lienzos con iconograf?a de la Virgen del Pilar AYACUCHO, Per?(AP).- Cinco lienzos coloniales y varios adornos de oro y plata de incalculable valor fueron robados de una iglesia en la ciudad de Ayacucho, se inform? el martes. V?ctor Cuadros y ?scar Gamarra, encargados de hacer el inventario de objetos de las iglesias, dijeron que los ladrones ingresaron la madrugada del domingo a la iglesia Virgen del Pilar de Zaragoza del Arco forzando una puerta lateral. Se llevaron cinco lienzos con iconograf?a de la Virgen, pertenecientes a la Escuela Cusque?a y Ayacuchana, y sustrajeron del altar mayor dos coronas de plata, un adorno de plata labrada, una canasta peque?a de plata, un par de aretes de la Virgen de la Candelaria, un cop?n de plata ba?ado en oro y una alcanc?a con dinero que depositaron los feligreses. De la oficina de la sacrist?a robaron un c?liz de plata, un atril de plata labrada y una vestimenta con bordados de oro y plata del sacerdote de la iglesia, seg?n el informe. Ra?l Mancilla, especialista en conservaci?n del Instituto Nacional de Cultura en Ayacucho, dijo que dichos lienzos y objetos tienen un "valor incalculable". Este robo es uno m?s de muchos otros que se han producido por la falta de vigilancia en las iglesias coloniales del departamento de Ayacucho, al sudeste de Lima. Hace una semana, se hurt? de una iglesia del distrito de San Pedro de Cachi, adornos y coronas de plata. Dos meses atr?s, ladrones ingresaron en la capilla del Se?or de Quinuapata y se llevaron cinco coronas de oro, entre otros objetos. http://estadis.eluniversal.com.mx/ From museum-security at museum-security.org Thu Sep 8 05:24:48 2005 From: museum-security at museum-security.org (MSN CPPnet (Ton Cremers)) Date: Thu, 8 Sep 2005 05:24:48 +0200 Subject: [CPProt.net] Katrina ruins some Gulf cultural sites Message-ID: <200509080324.j883OnPQ080277@smtp-vbr13.xs4all.nl> Katrina ruins some Gulf cultural sites September 7, 2005 RICHARD PYLE Associated Press As it ripped through Mississippi's coast and submerged New Orleans in a toxic stew, Hurricane Katrina laid waste to some of the region's cultural institutions but spared others with slight or moderate damage. >From Mobile, Ala., where the retired World War II battleship USS Alabama was listing eight degrees at its pier and its memorial park closed indefinitely, to Baton Rouge, La., where the zoo lost some of its trees but none of its animals, the storm wreaked capricious damage on historical sites, science centers, art museums and botanical gardens. "We're learning now that the destruction was even greater than we thought," Ed Able, president of the American Association of Museums in Washington, D.C., said Wednesday. "What we need most now is skeleton staffs to protect these collections - not just in New Orleans but all along the Gulf Coast." He said that state officials were to meet Wednesday in Baton Rouge to discuss museum security. "We can't just lock the doors of the museums and walk away," Able said. The region includes 126 historical and cultural sites, "literally from A to Z - aquariums to zoos." New Orleans especially is noted for its gardens and more than 40 museums. But with most telephones out of service, it has been difficult to contact many of them for damage reports, Able said. At most institutions, phones rang busy and e-mails were not answered. At the New Orleans Museum of Art, which has one of