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*** Apologies for any cross-postings ***

Help save the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities in Stockholm

The Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities in Stockholm (MFEA) is threatened by
closure.  A bill presented by the Swedish Ministry of Culture on September
18, 1996, proposes that three major museums in Stockholm - the MFEA, the
Ethnographical Museum and the Museum of Mediterranean and Near Eastern
Antiquities - be abolished and their collections moved to Gothenburg, where
they are to be amalgamated with the Gothenburg Ethnographical Museum to
form a new National Ethnographical Museum.

The Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities strongly opposes this proposal for
several reasons:

The fragility of the objects: A full-scale relocation of the museum's
collection from one city to another would put at risk a great number of its
objects.  Ancient bronzes, many of which suffer from corrosion, and
calcified glass, for example, are extremely sensitive to vibrations and
there is a great risk of their literally turning to dust during transport.
Furthermore, when the bronzes are being packed it will be difficult to
continually survey their condition, so there is considerable danger of
bronze disease.  Low-fired earthenware objects of archaeological origin are
also liable to suffer irreparable damage during packing and transport.

The unavailabilty of collections: A full-scale move, packing and unpacking
included, would result in the collections being unavailable for exhibitions
and research for a lengthy period (a moderate estimate is 10 years.)

Unsatisfactory storage: The climate of Gothenburg is saltier and more
polluted and humid than that of Stockholm, which means that storage with
acceptable conditions will be extremely costly to achieve and to maintain.
Although the Minister of Culture has offered very few details regarding the
new museum, she has stated in interviews that the new museum will be a
low cost operation.

No permanent exhibition of East Asian art and archaeology: According to the
proposal the new museum is to be a museum of "immigrant cultures." Since
the internationally renowned collections of the MFEA do not fit this
exhibition policy most of their objects would probably be kept in storage
and visitors and scholars would have very limited access to view them.

In the proposal all objects from non-Western cultures are considered to be
ethnographical objects, with only art from Western countries being
acknowledged as such. This demonstrates an extremely ethnocentric bias and
can only be regarded as a great insult towards the art traditions of China,
Japan and Korea.

The decision regarding the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities will be taken
in the Swedish Parliament on Dec. 19 this year.  The outcome of the
decision will depend to a great degree on public opinion, in Sweden and
abroad.

Time is short and protests from institutions and private persons are needed
to prevent a close-down. if you want to support the museum please write to
the:

Committee of Cultural Affairs, Sveriges Riksdag, 100 12 Stockholm, Sweden,
preferably sending also a copy to the Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities,
Box 16176, 103 24 Stockholm, Sweden

or take any other action you consider appropriate.