Episode 114: What is art crime?

The Arch and Anth Podcast

In her research, Professor Erin Thompson (John Jay College, CUNY) focuses on the legalities and ethics of art theft, curation and repatriations of heritage objects, antiquarian and archaeological foragies, the destruction of archaeological sites, and digital reproductions of cultural heritage sites.

How common is the problem of art crime, and what forms may these crimes take? What circumstances need to align in order for there to be a successful legal prosecution relating to the committing of art forgery, theft or destruction? How do issues of cultural object ownership or destruction (as a strategy in war) get further complicated in transnational cases? What would the results be if states or bodies of individuals do get held to account in a criminal court?

We also talk about what first motivated Erin to pursue this line of work, and her experience of studying antiquities, art and law in a unique career trajectory to get to the point she is at now. In Erin's journey to professorship, when and how did she realize that there was a 'myth of neutrality' in the field of classical archaeology?

You can find more information in the show notes under the episode on our website.

You can find Erin on Twitter or her website if you have any feedback or questions.

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