This is an audio-visual work I have produced in my role as International Liaison Officer, and Vice Chair of the International Organising Committee – Australia – for the Restitution of the Parthenon Marbles (IOCARPM).
The work was completed with assistance from colleagues who form part of the global campaign for the reunification of the Parthenon Marbles. Our motivation was to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the opening of the new Acropolis Museum, arguably the world’s best museum.
This piece begins with a contemplative mood built by means of static images yet conveying the impression of movement with pan and zoom techniques.
Revealing dynamic relations between the ancient monuments of Attica [1] and their biophysical environment, the work moves on into the Acropolis Museum. Here it exposes the museum’s creative use of this dynamism.
Cutting to the British Museum, the work becomes more disjointed, the music more discordant. Then images of protest dominate.
The only voiced segment follows.
Marlen Godwin, Secretary of the British Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon Marbles (BCRPM), reads a poem written by Mrs Eyvah T. Dafaranos.
Next, Dame Janet Suzman, Chair of BCRPM reads from an interview with the current Lord Elgin.
The work closes with a simple installation created by a Greek Australian.
Lina Palera’s beautiful music, Seikilos Epitaph With the Lyre of Apollo from the Lyre 20 Project [2], lifts this work blending flawlessly with the images. There is some beautiful lyre music throughout.
[1] See: British Museum Diminishes the meaning of the Parthenon Marbles
[2] Attribution Non-Commercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported (CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)
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