Episode 60: Benin Bronzes: History as Loot
Have you heard the good news? The Benin Bronzes are to be repatriated! Oh, what a wonderful time to be a part of the cultural heritage scene! Whilst the United Kingdom and commonwealth nations mourn the loss of the Queen’s Consort Prince Philip, the wheels of change and progress are seeing restitution and justice be enacted on these national treasures. What are these Benin Bronzes? Why do they matter? We’ve got you.
Join us as we dive deep into the history of the bronzes, celebrate a ‘monumental’ victory in the world of looted goods, and contemplate the fate of so many other spoils of war (and colonialism).
Things have changed, but we're changing with it.
Donate. Sign petitions. Support Black-owned businesses. Challenge racism. Educate yourselves. Listen. Speak. Repatriate.
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Our music was written and recorded by Elene Kadagidze.
Our cover art was designed by Lindsey Anton-Wood.
List of Public Sources:
Wikipedia contributors (n.d.). Benin Bronzes. In Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benin_Bronzes#Social_context_and_creation
Adebayo, F. (2020). Nigeria’s Benin Bronzes: ‘It’s not the place of the British to decide their fate’. In The Africa Report. Retrieved from: https://www.theafricareport.com/42855/nigerias-benin-bronzes-its-not-the-place-of-the-british-to-decide-their-fate/
Hicks, D. (2020). How Did the Benin Bronzes Come to Europe? Here’s How Colonial Powers Raced to Loot Them Amid a Program of Imperial Destruction. In Artnet. Retrieved from: https://news.artnet.com/opinion/benin-bronzes-dan-hicks-1931538
Brown, M. (2020). New museum in Nigeria raises hopes of resolution to Benin bronzes dispute. The Guardian. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2020/nov/14/new-museum-in-nigeria-raises-hopes-of-resolution-to-benin-bronzes-dispute-david-adjaye
Pluto Press (2020). The Brutish Museums (Book launch) | Pluto Live [Video]. Youtube. Retrieved from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vxx3bb-8Qs
Kiwara-Wilson, S. (2013). Restituting Colonial Plunder: The Case for the Benin Bronzes and Ivories. 23 De Paul Journal of Art, Technology and Intellectual Property Law, Volume 3(2), 375-427. Retrieved from: https://via.library.depaul.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1052&=&context=jatip&=&sei-redir=1&referer=https%253A%252F%252Fscholar.google.be%252Fscholar%253Fhl%253Dnl%2526as_sdt%253D0%25252C5%2526q%253Dbenin%252Bbronzes%2526oq%253Dben#search=%22benin%20bronzes%22
