Okay, just have to add this amazing story (there is at the moment discussion about giving back stolen art to africa, there is also a man from Congo who visits museums and takes art, but in a way he get caught, he was in Nijmegen, now he is arrested in Paris...) article: These ‘Bad Beuys’ Stole an Artwork by Joseph Beuys From Germany—and Gave It to a Tanzanian Museum as a Comment on Colonial Plunder The brazen group of German artists have even created a video documenting their actions.
Kate Brown, October 23, 2020
A German artist collective stole a Joseph Beuys artwork from a Münster museum and gave it to an institution in Tanzania—and made a rollicking video about their stunt.
The collective, Frankfurter Hauptschule, say they stole Beuys’s Capri-Batterie as a comment on European imperialism and the forced transfer of objects from the African continent into German collections during the colonial era.
The work, which was taken from an exhibition at the Oberhausen City Theater, belongs to the LWL Museum of Art and Culture. It has since been handed over to the Museum Iringa Boma.
A goofy and satirical video, set to the Toto song “Africa,” records masked figures stealing the artwork and taking it, via plane, to Tanzania. Before the handover, the artists tour around in safari-clothing and perform a dance in the rain with the Beuys work before giving it up to the Museum Iringa Boma and representatives of the Hehe tribe. In a description accompanying the video, the artists write that, during German colonial rule in East African, “art objects, cultural assets and skulls of Hehe leaders were stolen from Iringa and brought to Germany.”
But Hermann Arnold, director of the LWL Museum, says he is “very dismayed” by the incident. “We expect the Oberhausen City Theater and the curators to treat the works of art in the exhibition responsibly and to work together in a sincere and transparent manner,” he told German press. The theater has filed a police report, and confirmed to German media that the work, which is a sculptural multiple and part of a 200-plus edition, was missing.
In an sternly worded email claiming responsibility, a spokesperson from Frankfurter Hauptschule denied that the act was criminal.
“You call that theft? You teach your children that stealing is evil and then you exhibit stolen goods, appropriated by force, in your museums,” the spokesperson said. “You say that the stolen items cannot be returned because people in Africa are barbarians, who are unable to properly handle them, while masses of non-inventoried looted art are molding away in the cellars of German museums.”
Dear Xzyzst, I am just looking at 8 copies of NPTL 1 zines, will send them tomorrow Monday is the plan. I hope this little message reaches you well and sound. Talking about sound, I am just listening to a best of 1989 lp and Mister Rose sings about Paradise city. Oh my! Beach Boys Kokomo, De la with me myself and I and Neneh Cherry Buffalo Stance. Milli Vanilli? Roxette? Lambada? I remember I was on holiday at my godfathers place in a little village in France and they played Kaoma, Lambada and I thought, this must be some music for this small place, only to come home and it's a big hit in Germany too... It was mostly a hit in Europe, don't know if it reached your ears? Big hug! Ju
Thanks for writing! I finished the transcription for your post. It is clear that you and your father had a beautiful relationship, and he seemed like a truly great man. I especially enjoyed reading the poetry you attached ("The End of the Raven" gave me a good laugh). I join you in wishing him a happy birthday. - Jane
Hey chuck! Don’t know if you remember but you wrote me letter a while back, my name is Kate and I’m from Ireland. It has took me this long to even get something down to send back and for that I apologise. It’s been flat out here, I’ve bought a house, had a little girl who is beautiful, Isabella. I’ve followed up and watched all that was included in the letter. I actually lost your address in the move, it was only by chance I’ve stumbled across this. Maybe you’ll see it , maybe you won’t. If you do my mail is being rerouted to my new home so if you drop a line or two I’ll for sure get back to you. It’s 7.22pm here and it’s WET the rain is beating of the windows and the smell of the fields is STRONG pure wet earth! It’s getting cold here now.. although kids can’t look forward to trick or treating! Virus lol it’s wild you cough the wrong way people are almost tackling you to the ground. I had it at Christmas time, I survived lol I feel like I’ve survived the apocalypse. Maybe not quite yet as they’ve locked Northern Ireland down AGAIN .... no nice dinners out of this wee girl 😂
Well I hope you’re well as well can be I suppose!
As I said if you’ve still got my deets drop me a line I’ll sort it out ...
Then Dad says "If we don't fix it who will?" kneeling at the little boy's level. This line sheds so much light on the story and yet it seems to be missing from the transcription. Indeed, if we don't fix this, who will?
RSS
These ‘Bad Beuys’ Stole an Artwork by Joseph Beuys From Germany—and Gave It to a Tanzanian Museum as a Comment on Colonial Plunder
The brazen group of German artists have even created a video documenting their actions.
Kate Brown, October 23, 2020
A German artist collective stole a Joseph Beuys artwork from a Münster museum and gave it to an institution in Tanzania—and made a rollicking video about their stunt.
The collective, Frankfurter Hauptschule, say they stole Beuys’s Capri-Batterie as a comment on European imperialism and the forced transfer of objects from the African continent into German collections during the colonial era.
The work, which was taken from an exhibition at the Oberhausen City Theater, belongs to the LWL Museum of Art and Culture. It has since been handed over to the Museum Iringa Boma.
A goofy and satirical video, set to the Toto song “Africa,” records masked figures stealing the artwork and taking it, via plane, to Tanzania. Before the handover, the artists tour around in safari-clothing and perform a dance in the rain with the Beuys work before giving it up to the Museum Iringa Boma and representatives of the Hehe tribe.
In a description accompanying the video, the artists write that, during German colonial rule in East African, “art objects, cultural assets and skulls of Hehe leaders were stolen from Iringa and brought to Germany.”
But Hermann Arnold, director of the LWL Museum, says he is “very dismayed” by the incident.
“We expect the Oberhausen City Theater and the curators to treat the works of art in the exhibition responsibly and to work together in a sincere and transparent manner,” he told German press. The theater has filed a police report, and confirmed to German media that the work, which is a sculptural multiple and part of a 200-plus edition, was missing.
In an sternly worded email claiming responsibility, a spokesperson from Frankfurter Hauptschule denied that the act was criminal.
“You call that theft? You teach your children that stealing is evil and then you exhibit stolen goods, appropriated by force, in your museums,” the spokesperson said. “You say that the stolen items cannot be returned because people in Africa are barbarians, who are unable to properly handle them, while masses of non-inventoried looted art are molding away in the cellars of German museums.”
I am just looking at 8 copies of NPTL 1 zines, will send them tomorrow Monday is the plan. I hope this little message reaches you well and sound. Talking about sound, I am just listening to a best of 1989 lp and Mister Rose sings about Paradise city. Oh my! Beach Boys Kokomo, De la with me myself and I and Neneh Cherry Buffalo Stance. Milli Vanilli? Roxette? Lambada? I remember I was on holiday at my godfathers place in a little village in France and they played Kaoma, Lambada and I thought, this must be some music for this small place, only to come home and it's a big hit in Germany too... It was mostly a hit in Europe, don't know if it reached your ears?
Big hug! Ju
- Jane
I hear your custody level dropped from maximum security to MEDIUM, congrats. Next thing you know, you will be getting out.
T
Don’t know if you remember but you wrote me letter a while back, my name is Kate and I’m from Ireland.
It has took me this long to even get something down to send back and for that I apologise.
It’s been flat out here, I’ve bought a house, had a little girl who is beautiful, Isabella. I’ve followed up and watched all that was included in the letter.
I actually lost your address in the move, it was only by chance I’ve stumbled across this. Maybe you’ll see it , maybe you won’t. If you do my mail is being rerouted to my new home so if you drop a line or two I’ll for sure get back to you. It’s 7.22pm here and it’s WET the rain is beating of the windows and the smell of the fields is STRONG pure wet earth! It’s getting cold here now.. although kids can’t look forward to trick or treating! Virus lol it’s wild you cough the wrong way people are almost tackling you to the ground. I had it at Christmas time, I survived lol I feel like I’ve survived the apocalypse. Maybe not quite yet as they’ve locked Northern Ireland down AGAIN .... no nice dinners out of this wee girl 😂
Well I hope you’re well as well can be I suppose!
As I said if you’ve still got my deets drop me a line I’ll sort it out ...
Regards
Kate
Keep on keeping on...