OPENING REMARKS mony puzzle, we’re talking at least implicitly about wholes that are much more than the Opening Remarks RICHARD BRILLIANT (Director, The sums of their parts. Because in or out of dis- Italian Academy for Advanced Studies in pute, these pieces of the larger cultural-proper- America): We gave this conference the general ty story have the potential to leap way past the title “Who Owns Culture?” We did not define providence disputes or the finite limits of mar- what “culture” is, and perhaps that definition ket price or aesthetic value to claims like will emerge over the next two and a half days. nationhood and nationalism, bitter legacies of persecution and war, cultural identity and cul- We are here in a very opportune moment. The tural war, plunder and atonement, pride, pos- nature or dimension of cultural property has session, and obsession. None of these fit easily been under serious consideration for the last with such rational values as openness, access or several years. We are concerned here about not free exchange. We need look no further than to only the nature of cultural property, but also the terrible events in the former Yugoslavia for the distinction that might be developed cases of looting of cultural property. between intellectual and material property. A few notes that others might find useful to I think there is an issue here, an important one, expand on or to dispute: First, the arrival of so of knowledge. Sometimes, by looking at culture many once-arcane cultural-property issues on as if it was “the other side,” we are aware that the front pages of newspapers of late raises the acculturation is a matter of the increase in larger question, “Why now?” What part of the knowledge. I would like to think that one of cultural-property phenomenon flows from the the most important properties of culture itself end of the cold war? From statutes of limita- is that a work of art—a work of thought—cre- tions running out? From trends in art markets? ates opportunities for greater knowledge, which From the contemporary cult of “the market”? is our responsibility to share. From shifts in relations between countries of origin and countries in which collectors and MICHAEL JANEWAY (Director, National traders are active? From trends in globalization Arts Journalism Program): Conferences have and international agreement? From trends in taken place within the world of cultural-prop- sociopolitical fragmentation or separatism? erty expertise. But between that world and the public lies a vast gulf that only journalism can Second, the international scope of this confer- bridge. In attempting to build such bridges, we ence underscores the distance between acknowledge that the universe of issues that fall Americans’ experience of cultural-property under the headings of “cultural property” and and patrimony issues and the experience of “cultural patrimony” is vast. Some of those older nations. issues are separate, some intersect, almost all are thorny, and some are the cause of tension or Third, on a personal note, it strikes me that— dispute. In taking on so many of those issues as the kind of investigative-reportorial interest here, we risk being too far-flung. And we that cultural-property issues have aroused in haven’t even taken on intellectual property, the U.S. is in many cases new—for many in landmark and preservation issues, and cultural the art world, the idea of being covered jour- property issues in the age of the Internet. nalistically as government or business routine- ly are is also new and even shocking. In this A reason for spreading the canvas so broadly is forum are some chances to develop better to enrich awareness among journalists and mutual awareness of what will, in the nature experts alike, so that when we talk and write of active journalistic inquiry, always be to about a piece of the cultural-property or patri- some extent an adversarial relationship. 11 National Arts Journalism Program OPENING ADDRESS: was OK. For some of the apes had “WHO OWNS CULTURE? straightened their backbone and started walking upright, but there was one tribe, WHY NOW AN INTERNATIONAL unfortunately that lingered behind. And CONFERENCE ON CULTURAL that was the nigger. If you apes will PATRIMONY?” behave like gentlemen, who knows what could happen? The battle could go round. SPEAKER: But first it behooves me, Corporal Opening Address Lestrade, to perform my duty according DEREK WALCOTT, 1992 Nobel Laureate to the rules of the majesty’s government in Literature so don’t interrupt. Please let me examine the Lion of Judah.” WALCOTT: I’m going to read a couple of sections from a play of mine called “Dream on So he examines him. And this is the conse- Monkey Mountain.” I think that what I’m quence of the examination. going to read may demonstrate or encapsulate the topic that we have for the next couple of “You forget your name. You’re a racist days. coward, your denominational affiliation is Catholic. Therefore, as the Roman law In this scene, a mulatto corporal called had pity on our blessed Savior, by giving Lestrade, because he straddles two cultures, is him in extremis a draught of vinegar talking to Makak, who has been arrested for which in your own language you would drunken behavior in a small village. Makak, or call ‘vinegre,’ I shall give all and Sunday “the ape,” which is what we are all supposed here, including these two thieves, a hand- to come from, is the most-reduced human ful of rum before I press my charge.” being possible. He is ugly, he feels old, he is black, he is poor, his occupation is that of a When he speaks in the passion of his con- charcoal burner. When he is arrested, his tempt, he makes a number of mistakes gram- inquisitor is this man Lestrade, who’s such a matically but he does them with a lot of confi- complete convert to his culture that he serves dence. as a policeman. And he serves it with the total fury of someone who is a convert, and who in “My noble judges. When this crime has that position may have a great deal of self-con- been categorically examined by due tempt, as well as admiration for the thing he is process of law, and when the motive of supposed to be a part of but doesn’t quite feel the hereby accused by whereas and ad that he is. So the corporal is talking to Makak hoc shall be established without dichoto- who is in his cell, and there are two other my, and long after we have perambulated thieves next to him. And this is the gist of the through the labyrinthine bewilderment of corporal’s contempt for this black man he has the defendant’s ignorance, let us hope arrested. that justice, whom we all serve, will not only be done, but will appear, my lords, “In the beginning was the ape, and the to have itself been done. Ignorance is no ape had no name so God called him Man. excuse. Ignorance of the law is no excuse. Now there were various tribes of the ape; Ignorance of one’s own ignorance is no it had gorilla, baboon, orangutan, chim- excuse. This is a prisoner. I will ask the panzee, the blue-arsed monkey, and God prisoner to lift up his face. looked at his handiwork and saw that it 12 Who Owns Culture? “My lords, as you can see, this is a being all this was rightly received with civic without a mind, a will, a name, a tribe of laughter and horror, the prisoner, in des- Opening Address its own. I will ask the prisoner to turn peration and shame, began to willfully out his hands. I will spare you the sound damage the premises of the proprietor, of that voice which shall come from a Felicien Alcindor, urging destruction on cave of darkness, dripping with horror. church and state, claiming that he was the These hands are the hands of Esau, the direct descendant of African kings, a heal- fingers are like roots, the arteries as hard er of leprosy, and the savior of his race. as twine, and the palms are seamed with coal. But the animal is tamed and obedi- You claimed that with the camera of your ent. Walk around the cage.” eye you had taken a photograph of God, and all that you could see was blackness. Now he makes his procession. Blackness, my lords. What did the prison- er imply? That God was neither white nor “His rightful name is unknown, yet on black but nothing? That God was not Saturday evening July 25, to wit tonight, white but black, that he had lost his faith, at exactly three hours ago, to wit 5:30 or what?” p.m., having tried to dispose of four bags of charcoal in the market of Quatre This is in Act I. In Act II, after a lot of Chemin, to wit this place, my lords, in changes, the corporal is a total convert to which aforesaid market your alias, to wit being a complete African. He is against any- Makak, is well-known to all and Sunday. thing white in the second half of the play. And The prisoner, in a state of incomprehensi- he addresses the court. Makak has now ble intoxication from money or monies become king of his tribe, and the corporal accrued by the sale of self-said bags, is now talks to the assembled tribes.