Sir Mark Jones put forward as interim director of
British Museum
Former head of V&A has suggested Parthenon marbles
could be shared with Greece
Jane
Clinton
Sat 2 Sep
2023 21.49 BST
A former
head of the V&A Museum, who previously suggested the Parthenon marbles
could be shared with Greece, has been put forward as the interim director of
the British Museum.
Sir Mark
Jones will replace Hartwig Fischer, who quit after it emerged thousands of
objects had been stolen from the museum’s collection. A police investigation is
under way regarding the reported thefts.
His
appointment has led to increasing speculation there could be further
developments in the long-running dispute over the ancient Greek sculptures.
In a 2002
interview with the Observer, Jones, then the director of the V&A, advocated
the idea of sharing them with Greece. He said: “There must be a possibility
that something could now work for all parties.
“I cannot
tell another museum how to behave on this, but I do believe it is possible to
develop partnerships. It can be good to display objects at different places.
“Wherever
there is a strongly held belief there is an opportunity, too, if it can be
recognised. It is not necessarily a case of transferred ownership or of giving
the marbles back for good, but when people believe things are really important,
as the Greeks and the British Museum do in this case, that is actually a good
thing. Apathy is our great enemy.”
In January,
the British Museum confirmed that it was involved in “constructive discussions”
with Greece over the return of some of the Parthenon marbles.
Under a
proposed plan, which is still under discussion, Greece would renounce its claim
to the marbles but the British Museum would loan some of the sculptures to
Athens, with Greek treasures coming to London.
In March
Rishi Sunak vowed he would protect the Parthenon marbles from being returned to
Greece.
“The UK has
cared for the Elgin marbles for generations,” he said, using an alternative
name derived from the British earl who removed them from the Acropolis in the
early 19th century. “The collection of the British Museum is protected by law,
and we have no plans to change it.”
In a
statement on Saturday, George Osborne, chair of the British Museum, said Jones
had received the “unanimous approval” of the board of trustees to become the
interim director, subject to the approval of the prime minister.
“Mark is
one of the most experienced and respected museum leaders in the world, and he
will offer the leadership and grip the museum needs right now,” he said. “We
are both clear that his priorities are to accelerate the cataloguing of the
collection, improve security, and reinforce pride in the curatorial mission of
the museum.
“This sits
alongside the major renovation work we’re undertaking, and the partnerships
we’re forging, to ensure that we build a stronger future for the museum we all
love and admire.
“I promised
we would learn lessons and then lay the foundations for a strong future. Mark’s
appointment is a big step in that direction.”
The British
Museum had no further comment beyond Osborne’s statement.
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