ART2002: Assessment 3

ESSAY QUESTIONS

What role did cultural objects play in the Imperial actions of France and England in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and why was collecting part of the political agenda of both countries?

What are the legal and political difficulties faced by nation-states in reclaiming cultural objects and why are institutions so reluctant to address the reclamation claims made by nation-states?

Why is it so difficult to prevent the circulation of looted antiquities and art on the open market and what are some of the strategies museums are developing to address this issue?

Why has it taken so long for Jewish families to reclaim their art and cultural objects after WWII, and what issues have they faced at national and institutional levels?

How and why did the Nazi regime use art as a means of propaganda during WWII to promote their ideologies?

Is it ever okay for cultural institutions to censor a work of art and if so, on what grounds?

What measures are museums taking to be more inclusive of minorities?

What role have feminists, feminist groups, artists and organisations played in making museums more diverse?

Why do individuals and groups destroy works of art and are such actions ever justified?

Why is the toppling of statues such a critical strategy for protesters, and what should the fate of these statues be?

When and under what circumstances should objects and bodily remains be returned to communities and who is entitled to speak for the objects and/or remains?

How has contemporary art played a role in re-contextualising First Nations objects in museums?

Is it possible to decolonise museums? Discuss decolonial approaches and use an artwork as an example.

Discuss through an artwork what a contact zone means and how can artists comment on the contested history of museums' collections.