Issue 5

Beyond Irony

Vice-chancellor Holmes appropriates copies of appropriated Elgin Marbles.  You couldn't make it up

Vice-chancellor Holmes  (2nd from right) with plaster copies behind

Relief copies of the Elgin Marbles presented to the University of Bolton for art students to work from have been removed from the art department and hung in vice-chancellor George Holmes offices. 









The original scupltures were removed from the Parthenon in Athens by Lord Elgin in highly controversial circumstances between 1801-10. Greece. At the time Greece was under the control of the Ottoman Empire. The Greek government has been engaged in diplomatic efforts since the mid 1980s to recover the priceless sculptures  




 The freize dates from the 5th century BC and portrays the victories of Greek gods and heroes over their enemies and thus the victory of civilization over barbarism. Elgin removed 56 of the 92 reliefs. They are in the possession of the British Museum. 


  

The plaster copies were presented to the fine art department for the benefit of students.
When a request was made for access to the copies, photographs were supplied instead. 
 

 Art work by MA student Andrew Smith

The Bolton Marbles. Charcoal on cotton sheet. Inspired by a denied request to make observational drawings of the 3 plaster copies of the Parthenon marbles held for decades by the fine art dept at Bolton University. The 'marbles' were removed without consent to be hung in the offices of the vice-chancellor.