Mexico wants artifacts back, France calls it ‘nationalist opportunism’

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: ARTnews
30 Mar 2023 15:51
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The Mexican Ministry of Culture has been quite active in requesting the return of cultural items, and some of those requests have been granted.

A curved stone carved to depict the Aztec earth god Tlaltecuhtli (GALERIE ZACKE)

The Mexican government has ordered that the pre-Columbian art auction, which is scheduled to begin in less than two weeks at the Paris-based auction house Millon, be called off, arguing that 83 of the 148 pieces are legally protected as parts of Mexico's cultural heritage.

The Mexican state's efforts for restitution are "often unsuccessful because they are based on unfounded facts," the auction house claimed as quoted by ARTnews, stressing that it still intends to proceed with the sale.

“The sale of all the objects is maintained because all lots have an irreproachable origin and answer perfectly to the criteria fixed by UNESCO’s convention ratified by Mexico and France,” a spokesperson further claimed as quoted by ARTnews.

“France is today one of the most rigorous countries in terms of laws governing the art market and the traceability of the provenance of objects and the Millon auction house, founded in 1928, is the guarantor of the law,” the spokesperson added.

A formal complaint has been made against Millon, according to a joint statement from the Mexican Ministry of Culture and the National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), and letters have been sent to Interpol, the Director General of International Police Affairs, and the Legal Consultancy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in an effort to repatriate the allegedly stolen works.

Alejandra Frausto Guerrero, Mexico's Secretary of Culture, has additionally encouraged the auction house to take "ethics and respect for cultural heritage" into account as well as "the historical, symbolic, and cultural importance" of the works that are being offered for sale and repatriate them to Mexico.

The auction house seemingly ignored these appeals.

Despite Millon's remarks, the Mexican Ministry of Culture has been quite active in requesting the return of cultural items, and some of those requests have been granted. The government made a request earlier this month to over 100 galleries and auction houses in Europe to stop selling cultural artifacts, and one Vienna-based gallery, Galerie Zacke, complied by returning an image of the Aztec earth god Tlaltecuhtli.

It is worth noting that the Mexican government received 34 pre-Columbian items from an unnamed German couple last summer, while 223 relics were returned to Mexico from the Netherlands in December.

Mexico has become more active in attempting to restore looted artifacts from around the world. Officials in the country have launched a campaign known as #MiPatrimonioNoSeVende (#MyHeritageIsNotForSale), and the Mexican Ministry of Culture has become accustomed to directly calling out auction houses hosting such sales. Their efforts have yielded mixed results.