British Museum right to loan Parthenon marbles to Russia, says minister

http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2014/dec/14/british-museum-parthenon-marbles-russia-sajid-javid

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The British Museum was right to loan part of the Partheon marbles to a museum in Russia because cultural boycotts do not work, the UK culture secretary, Sajid Javid, will say in a speech on Sunday.

Talking at the Union of Jewish Students, Javid will say the decision to allow the headless statue of a Greek river-god, Ilissos, to go on display in the State Hermitage Museum in St Petersburg earlier this month was justified despite widespread objections.

“Britain is currently leading the way in imposing economic sanctions on Russia over its actions in Ukraine,” he will say. “But that’s not a reason to stop the British Museum loaning part of the Parthenon sculptures to a museum in St Petersburg. Because culture is bigger than politics.”

Javid will insist that art and culture should be used to build understanding rather than create division.

“None of us should be allowed to ban it from a gallery, or tell others that they must not, cannot, see it and decide for themselves,” he will say. “It sounds obvious, indisputable. Sadly, not everyone agrees.”

Javid will cite examples where Jewish cultural productions in the UK have been targeted because of links to Israel, saying “this sort of political interference will strip the UK’s vibrant art and culture of its diversity and colour”.

In August, the Tricycle theatre in north London attempted to cancel the UK Jewish Film Festival because it had received a grant from the Israeli government.

“The moment I heard about the Tricycle ban I knew I couldn’t just let it go,” Javid will say. “It’s completely unacceptable for a theatre to act in this way, and I didn’t shy away from telling its directors that.”

After lengthy discussions, the Tricycle and the UK Jewish Film Festival resolved their differences and the ban was lifted.

Javid will say that it is time people recognised that cultural boycotts do not work.

“I don’t believe in artistic and cultural boycotts. As we have said many times, a cultural boycott would achieve nothing. It would be needlessly divisive, and would run counter to the long history of cultural freedom that this country holds dear.”