expropriation of artists – or more necessary protection of national treasures? Opinions are divided on the planned reform of the Cultural Property Protection Act. Now Culture Minister Grütters has plans defends explains what is at stake in the dispute.
If one of Germany’s most renowned contemporary artists reclaiming its loans to German museums, the trouble must be large. The painter Georg Baselitz makes exactly that, other artists and art patrons want to follow his example – to protest the planned reform of the Cultural Property Protection Act. They are afraid to lose the rights to their works.
triggers are the plans of Culture Minister Monika Grütters (CDU), which regulate the cross-border trade in art and cultural goods more stringent and to EU wants to adapt privilege
The planned revision of the Cultural Property Protection Act has two main focuses:. On the one hand, it relates to the importation of cultural goods to Germany. The intensification of these rules is largely uncontroversial, shall it be prevented by, for example, ancient treasures are smuggled from illegal excavations and plundered museums in Germany and sold here.
According to connoisseurs of the art scene Germany is currently one of the main hubs for stolen antiquities from Syria or Iraq. Terrorist organizations such as the “Islamic State” used this trade as a source of income. In the future, may, according to bill only art treasures across the border are brought to Germany for which there is an official export permit of the country of origin. So far, the countries of origin
had to prove that pieces were illegally exported.
Tighter rules on export of artworks
On the other hand – and thereto the dispute ignited – will, according to the plans of the state minister for culture works as” “apply nationally valuable, only can be marketed abroad more difficult. So far is that someone needs a permit if he wants to run antiques worth more than 1,000 euros or paintings worth more than 150,000 euros, which are older than 50 years old, from the EU. About this authorization decided by an expert committee of the federal state.
Grütters now wants to spread to the EU internal market these rules. Background is among others the dispute over the Humboldt diaries whose impending sale was prevented abroad only with difficulty.
fear Many artists and collectors, through the new regulation works hardly abroad to sell. The term “nationally valuable cultural asset” is too vague – it was not clear which works fell under it. If a work of art would be declared a national treasure, it is only salable at home – at prices which would lie far below the world market level, precisely because clear is that there can never be exported. So the state could cheaply get at what he would like to have in German museums.
“This is tantamount to expropriation”
The critics therefore see in the proposed law a nannying and expropriation of art owners. In the “Dresdner Morgenpost” thunders the German painter Gerhard Richter-Star: “Nobody has the right to tell me what I do with my pictures.” He could understand Baselitz and all art owners who now reclaim their works, good. “I would do it that way. Getting the images from museums, bring quickly to the market and beat up”
Culture Minister Grütters be seen in light of the allegations “irrtiert”. In the hearings on the draft laws of the art market was finally integrated continuously. But was still open to changes.
“Culture must be protected from market forces”
Proponents of the new rules to see in shield the ban on exports of nationally valuable cultural assets the chance of important works against increasingly strong market forces and protect. Rein Wolfs, director of the Art and Exhibition Hall in Bonn, therefore welcomes the Art Magazine “monopoly” the project: culture should be public and focus on substantive, non-financial values. “At the moment can no longer bid on a large scale in the art market public museums.” Using the new version of Cultural Property Protection Act could be the sale of national treasures controlled and restricted
.
“damage for the entire art world”
Daniel Marzona is former curator of the Museum of Modern Art in New York and has her own gallery in the Friedrichstrasse in Berlin. His father – Egidio Marzona – is one of the most important patrons of the arts in Germany. So Marzona knows both sides and sees talking to a loss for the entire art scene in Germany. All who feared an arbitrary government access to their property, their works would now quickly create abroad before the proposed law comes into force. “If only to prevent such an exodus, the legislature should as soon as possible bring itself to changes in the legal text” so Marzona.
Culture Minister Grütters now wants to make up the face of fierce criticism again with the Federal Association of German Galleries and art dealers. An objectification of the debate was “desperately needed”.
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dispute over Kunstgutschutzgesetz
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