A few years ago, a group of Native American leaders drove 12 hours from Oklahoma to Denver Museum of Nature and Science, a natural history museum in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, to collect 26 …
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Making amends to Native Americans may be endangering their history
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How Neil MacGregor saved the British Museum
‘Neil MacGregor saved the British Museum from becoming a toxic and dated irrelevance When, in 2002, MacGregor succeeded the historian of chemistry, Robert Anderson, as director, the British Museum was in turmoil. It was struggling …
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Events like Iliad Live are all about the audience: they do little for the art itself
Article on Apollo. ‘…let men first do some great thing that shall be told among men hereafter’. These stirring words from the Iliad were spoken aloud last week, to an audience in the most unusual of …
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Bring Botticelli back to where it belongs
Museum loans with the purpose of raising cash can end up short-changing art, I argue in the Scotsman. “Come face to face with a masterpiece.” “Amazing art in a spectacular setting.” “Something for everyone.” These …
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Judgement At Last, Four Thought, Radio 4
In this programme for Four Thought on Radio 4, I argue that we need more judgement about quality in art, culture and life. Judgement about quality is unfashionable in today’s art world, and this is …
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Art is More than Brain Deep
What is a beautiful artwork? Ask anyone and you will get an answer, but it will differ from person to person. For me, it’s a work that is truthful and deep, one that is inexhaustible. …
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Exhibit B: A Review of the Human Zoo
AT the entrance to Exhibit B is a sign warning audiences the performance art they’re about to see contains nudity. It somewhat misses the point: this is a show that confronts slavery, colonialism and present-day …
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Women are raped for our entertainment on stage and on TV, The Independent
Violence against women has been rife on TV and the Edinburgh Fringe. But the way it’s portrayed demeans both sexes and ignores healthy relationships, I argue in the following article in the Independent newspaper. You can …
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Stop Children Taking Over Museums
We have all done it. Those of us who have kids, or who have been in charge of one for the day, say a niece or a nephew, have all grabbed the easy option of …
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The Tate should take BP’s money—and ask for more
Article for the Art Newspaper on the ongoing furore over BP’s sponsorship of the arts and the legal case with Tate. I argue that Tate should take the money from BP, and that the demands …
