tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174756573570334952.post1026937461644915205..comments2024-03-27T04:46:33.198-07:00Comments on Portable Antiquity Collecting and Heritage Issues: Al-Sabah Collection of Ungrounded AntiquitiesPaul Barfordhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10443302899233809948noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174756573570334952.post-69602306884260534282016-08-19T12:05:59.846-07:002016-08-19T12:05:59.846-07:00And David has written that up as a post on his blo...And David has written that up as a post on his blog: http://ancient-heritage.blogspot.co.uk/2016/08/art-vs-artefact-deceptive-distinction.html<br /><br />worth reading.<br />Paul Barfordhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10443302899233809948noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8174756573570334952.post-69961676660087411942016-08-19T06:17:16.013-07:002016-08-19T06:17:16.013-07:00I do cringe at the use of the word "arts"...I do cringe at the use of the word "arts" to describe ancient objects. The word is much beloved by certain museums that restrict their holdings to only the flashiest examples of any type, perhaps because it is well suited to that pompous and superficial approach to history. By definition, it focuses attention on the objects themselves - almost as if they existed in a vacuum to be admired for their beauty and artistry alone - and thus tends to sideline their deeper historical and social significance. In such "arts" centric frameworks, the objects are very often presented as though even their wider context were only worthy of a mere label or footnote and their immediate context were of no interest at all.<br /><br />Small wonder then that, unless it entails the name of an impressive former owner, the concept of provenance holds little meaning to the people who run some museums with that focus.<br />David Knellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13488678409144873954noreply@blogger.com