Mitsotakis: We are sending a message for the repatriation of other parts of our cultural heritage

The exhibition “Shooting. Cycladic Treasures on the Return Journey”, through which 15 of the 161 priceless proto-Cycladic antiquities of the Leonard Stern collection are exhibited for the first time worldwide, was inaugurated tonight by the Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakisat the Museum of Cycladic Art.

“We are carving out a passable path of repatriation and other valuable parts of our cultural heritage, sending a message to states, to museums, to organizations, to collectors, that this return, which is also the name of the exhibition that we will have the opportunity to shortly to inaugurate, it is not only morally imperative, but it is also technically, legally feasible”, said the Prime Minister during his greeting.

“Greece now becomes the sole owner of the largest collection of antiquities that will ever return to our homeland,” Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasized. “The realistic claim of our heritage is a central political commitment of our government, which permeates all the manipulations of the relevant ministry,” he added.

“The millions of eyes that will see these largely unknown works will eventually become the best ambassadors of our culture and history,” said the prime minister, while referring to the temporary exhibition of the collection at New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art (MET) and noted that its visitors “will be the first to recognize that although these antiquities may be exhibited in New York, in the context of a cultural exchange, they are the property of Greece”.

“And I imagine that the more they become familiar with the uniqueness of the Cycladic culture, the more they will want to visit the cradle of the Cycladic culture, which is none other than the Museum of Cycladic Art but also the Aegean islands where this unique culture developed”, he added .

“I would like to personally congratulate Lina Mendonis, the Minister of Culture, and her colleagues who completed it quietly and efficiently”, the prime minister also pointed out during his presentation.

Afterwards, Kyriakos Mitsotakis was guided around the exhibition premises by its curator, Dr. Ioannis Fappa.

The exhibition is the first step in the implementation of the parliamentaryly ratified agreement between the Ministry of Culture and Sports, the Museum of Cycladic Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art of New York for the gradual return of the entire collection to Greece, while it is already the property and province of the Greek state.

The 15 archaeological treasures, ten figurines and five vases, cover a wide chronological spectrum that extends from the latest Neolithic to the Proto-Cycladic II period.

The Minister of Culture Lina Mendoni, the president and managing director of the Museum of Cycladic Art Kassandra Marinopoulou and the director of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Max Hollein, also spoke at the event. The Speaker of the Parliament Konstantinos Tasoulas and the Deputy Prime Minister Panagiotis Pikrammenos were also present.

The exhibition opens its doors to the public on Thursday 3 November and will run until the end of October 2023.

The Prime Minister’s full speech follows

Mr. President of the Parliament of the Greeks, Mr. Deputy Prime Minister, Madam Minister, Madam President, Ladies and Gentlemen,

Today is indeed a very special day for the cultural life of the country which welcomes the first 15 of the total of 161 unique examples of Cycladic art. Antiquities of very rare beauty and incalculable value, which return to their home, without any burden on the public and without any more disputes and legal obstacles.

We are thus carving out a passable path for repatriation and other valuable parts of our cultural heritage, sending a message to states, to museums, to organizations, to collectors, that this return, which is also the name of the Exhibition that we will have the opportunity to a little to launch, dear Sandra, it is not only morally imperative, but also technically, legally possible.

I do not claim, of course, that there are no difficulties. On the contrary, as it turned out with this collection, complex and tough negotiations are required. With the right manipulations, however, these can lead to convergences and ultimately to beneficial partnerships. And this is exactly what this agreement between the Ministry of Culture and the Institute of Ancient Culture, which has already been ratified by the Hellenic Parliament, reflects.

And I would like to personally congratulate Lina Mendoni, the Minister of Culture, and her collaborators who completed it quietly and efficiently and as the Minister explained in detail, always in accordance with archaeological legislation.

And I remember the first time the Minister mentioned to me the existence of this collection, which I was unaware of, as most people in our country were unaware of, and then I told her that we would use all our legal ingenuity to be able to ensure that with the right way this collection must return and will return, eventually, to our homeland.

And when I had the opportunity to personally visit the collector’s home and see what he was all about, then they understood why this effort had to, after all, work out the way it did.

Therefore, I want to congratulate the President of the Museum of Cycladic Art, Sandra Marinopoulou. I also want to congratulate the Director of the Metropolitan Museum. Dear Max, thank you very much for being here. And the executives of the two organizations who labored for this remarkable achievement as you described it, Mr. Hollein.

Because from our museums these vases, these figurines will primarily radiate to the whole world, underlining that the repatriation of antiquities is not only a diplomatic victory of our country, it is an important cultural event that is happening today for the whole world , because this specific agreement foresees parallel to the exhibition and the international promotion of Cycladic art at the MET for decades, without any expense on our part.

And in fact, in the room where the findings of this collection will be exhibited, it will now be clearly stated that they are the property of the Greek state. Something that is happening – as far as I know – for the first time in the history of this emblematic Museum. I want to remind you that the Metropolitan Museum has more than 7 million visitors a year. Multiply that number by 25 years of exposure. You realize the scope of the projection of the Cycladic culture, of the Aegean to the whole world.

And the millions of eyes that will see these largely unknown works will eventually become the best ambassadors of our culture and history. And they will be the first to recognize that although these antiquities may be exhibited in New York, as part of a cultural exchange, they are the property of Greece.

And I imagine that the more they become familiar with the uniqueness of Cycladic culture, the more they will want to visit the cradle of Cycladic culture, which is none other than the Museum of Cycladic Art but also the Aegean islands where this unique culture developed, starting before 5,000 years.

And they will recognize that it is a monument of world cultural heritage, a historical property which, after making its rounds around the world, will eventually return to its birthplace to be reunited with the existing collection, to remain from then on and forever in Greek museums.

And, as you can see, I insist on this political dimension of the venture. Not only because others far more competent than I have spoken and will certainly speak of the archaeological and artistic significance of this collection – besides you will have the opportunity, we will have the opportunity, to get a small sample of the quality of these objects shortly – but as well as because it practically records the effectiveness, but also the ingenuity of our choices regarding the return of antiquities to our place.

Because in this particular case, this complicated, of course also this costly process, will be completed within 25 years under the responsibility of the Metropolitan Museum, while in the meantime a collaboration with enormous cultural goodwill will be mediated, which was reflected in the memorandum of cooperation in which was signed today between the MET, the Museum of Cycladic Art and the Ministry of Culture.

And to those who scoff – we also have a few protesting friends outside the Museum today – I think they are really missing the point by looking for petty party slogans in a process which, as I have explained, is undoubtedly for the benefit of our country, because Greece is now becoming the only owner of the largest collection of antiquities that will ever return to our homeland.

And this is an indisputable fact and contrary to what is being spread, I would say boldly, by some who seem to not even know the basics of archaeological legislation, the Greek government not only does not waive its rights and claims, but on the contrary, it claims them that belong to him, with responsibility and with realism, that’s why he lends them when needed so that he can finally earn them.

The first for a certain period of time. The second forever. So I wonder if all of those who object to the choice we made were even aware of the existence of the Stern Collection before we got involved with it. And secondly, if they had a proposal and if they really believed that another legal claim could bring about the result that we finally managed to achieve.

So, on a day of joy and celebration of culture, I don’t believe these miserable approaches fit, especially as I said from circles that ignore the basics of archaeological legislation.

I return, however, to the pragmatic claim of our heritage. It is a central political commitment of our government, which permeates all the operations of the relevant Ministry.

We must not forget that at the beginning of the year, in another very moving moment, we welcomed to the Acropolis Museum the “Fagan fragment”, a small but precious part which was reunited with the Parthenon Frieze, to mark from there the road of return, of the reunification of all the mutilated sculptures which are still exhibited elsewhere. A universal request, which I believe is gaining more momentum every day.

So the omens are happy and one of them is this exhibition, “Return”, an important cultural event, a historical moment for our country and at the same time a strong and practical exhortation to institutions, to other private collectors, so that this many other antiquities which have, in various ways, been found outside of our country will soon begin their return journey.

I close, therefore, looking forward – and long speeches should never follow between the public and your interest in seeing these exhibits – and I can’t wait to admire them, to see them again. This time not in an apartment in New York to which few have access, but in an open museum, in its natural space, the Museum of Cycladic Art, together with tens of thousands of visitors.

Congratulations again to the protagonists of this important initiative.

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