Exhibitions
Events
On display
Art Crime
Solomon Joseph Solomon Psyche 1902. Oil on canvas. Collection of Christchurch Art Gallery Te Puna o Waiwhetū, presented by the Canterbury Society of Arts 1932
Talk
Past event
Philip Carter Family Auditorium
FREE
Louisa Gommans (lawyer and founding trustee and secretary of the New Zealand Art Crime Research Trust) and Ngarino Ellis (senior lecturer in art history at the University of Auckland) discuss art crime in Aotearoa New Zealand and beyond.
Vandalism, Art Theft, Illicit Antiquities, Forgery - the art world is increasingly becoming hub of criminal activities, from snatching priceless Old Master paintings off gallery walls to digging up ancient South American pottery and jewellery. With political turmoil erupting into military violence, cultural heritage is often targeted to the dismay of national and international communities. This talk will provide a brief survey of the field of trans-national art crime today, and examine some of the key issues at stake for us as a global community. It will also discuss how 'provenance makes perfect' and the importance of doing your homework when buying a work of art for art lovers, buyers and collectors.