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"We
are the heirs of 3000 years of Civilization."
Article
by artist, Mark Vallen - © December 2003
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In
1954 Spanish artist Josep Renau created the photomontage shown
at right titled Surprise Party in the Metropolitan Museum.
Credited with having helped developed the artform of photomontage
in the 1930's, Renau intended his piece to be a scathing critique
of capitalist societies consumed by easy distraction and self-absorption.
But
the political clarity of Renau's artwork rings especially true
in light of the sacking of the Baghdad National Art Museum and
other cultural institutions directly after the US invasion and
occupation of Iraq in April 2003.
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US
occupation troops quickly moved to secure Iraq's Ministry
of Oil building in downtown Baghdad, but left the country's
museums unguarded. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, commenting
on the whirlwind of looting that resulted in the near total
destruction of Iraq's irreplaceable art treasures, said, "Stuff
happens."
Apparently
the historical importance of the Cradle of Civilization and
the cultural significance of its ancient Babylonian, Akkadian,
Sumerian and Assyrian Kingdoms, is as meaningless to today's
military occupiers as it was to the Mongol chieftain Hulegu
(Grandson of Genghis Khan), who sacked Baghdad in 1260.
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It
should come as no surprise that military leaders have such
little regard for art treasures, but what about the rest
of us? While priceless artifacts from the beginning of
civilization were being destroyed or stolen, pioneering works
in the history of art, masterworks from the world's first
great civilizations... we seemed more interested in the next
big Hollywood blockbuster. Of
the over 14,000 priceless objects looted during the chaos
of the US invasion, less than 4,000 have been recovered at
the time of this writing. While organized art thieves succeeded
in smuggling out of the country a great deal of the nation's
artistic treasures, a few discarded artifacts are today slowly
being recovered... like the 4,300 year old Mesopotamian statue
recently found in a Baghdad cesspool.
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Copper
head of Akkadian King, four millennia old.
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Cuneiform
clay tablets display the world's first written language.
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In
Renau's photomontage, great art treasures of the Western world
are a mere backdrop for a frenetic rock 'n roll dance party.
The legions of privileged white
middle-class youth enjoying themselves in wild abandon are
oblivious to their historic surroundings. The past has no
meaning or resonance for them, and certainly no relevance
to their goal of immediate satisfaction. The crowd is self-contained
in a bubble of hedonism, politically disarmed by their apathy
and ignorance.
Renau
makes his point clear by inserting a written message in the
form of a sign held up by one of the throng, We are the
heirs of 3000 years of civilization.
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We
have become the inane mob in Renau's prophetic image, only
thrust into the afflicted present. Historical amnesia has
placed us on the doorstep of the new dark ages, with year
zero beginning as a new-sprung reality show called Operation
Iraqi Liberation (OIL).
Thousands
of cuneiform clay tablets displaying the world's first written
language have been reduced to dust. The world's most precious
artifacts from the dawn of civilization have been looted and
carted off to be sold on the black market. One of the greatest
tragedies of the century has been our indifference to this
tremendous loss. History will record that we stood transfixed
by the easy distractions of celebrities, pop music, movies,
and sports while our collective cultural heritage was plundered.
__________________________________
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Babylonian
wooden harp with gold inlay.
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