Ben Uri to present and chair international seminar:

Provenance Research and CAJM Leadership: Not an Option, an Imperative

MoMA, New York, 4 February 2009

"It is a huge honour for a European museum to be invited by our American colleagues to plan and chair such an important half day seminar" said David Glasser, Chairman of Ben Uri, The London Jewish Museum of Art. "For us the honour is particularly gratifying as CAJM, the Council of American Jewish Museums, is demonstrating their commitment to lead by example in this complex and sensitive area. The responsibility reflects the dedication of Suzanne Lewis and her team in maintaining a constant spotlight on the importance of effective provenance research across museums worldwide and the moral imperatives that, alongside the Washington principles of ten years ago, should dictate restitution or agreed settlement in all cases where claims are proven. However, ten years on from Washington, regrettably the international museum community is far from being able to demonstrate either consistency of application or a universal willingness to fulfil either responsibility of effective provenance research or the moral right to restitution or appropriate settlement."

Suzanne Lewis, Director of Operations at Ben Uri said "We are committed to generating wide general public interest in the history and huge scale of Nazi looting of art and cultural property, whether direct or through forced sales, from 1933-45 through different educational means both in the UK and abroad in relation to museum collections. Since 2007 we have been honoured to be the custodians and international tour managers of Auktion 392: Reclaiming the Galerie Stern, Düsseldorf conceived, researched and curated by the Faculty of Fine Arts Gallery, Concordia University, Montreal which, since our showing in London, toured last year to Liverpool World Museum and Hebrew University, Jerusalem and opens in Hereford Art Gallery and Museum on January 16 2009. Plans are being made for further exhibitions in the UK, Israel, Poland and America. Ben Uri also sponsored a series of six seminars held by The Institute of Art and Law, entitled Holocaust Reparation: Law, Policy and Principle, in London during the second half of 2008 which brought many distinguished experts to London in the autumn of last year. 

The objective of this day at MOMA is to give around 100 museum professionals from a wide and diverse range of Jewish museums from across the United States an overview of how, why and where to start and build best practice in Provenance Research now and for the future with papers presented by renowned experts Charles Goldstein, Dr Wesley Fisher, Konstantin Akinsha and Sophie Lillie. 

The second part of the day sees the innovation of Specialist Focus Groups addressing and providing tool kits on Provenance Research and pertinent Legal issues. 

I am hugely grateful to my colleagues from across the international interface for adding their presence in New York and sharing their experience and expertise. I firmly believe that the Jewish Museum sector has to take a strong and positive lead in provenance research and our approach to the complex issues on the right of restitution or fair settlement where the case is proven which is reflected in the day's title, "Provenance Research; Not an Option, An Imperative."

For further information please contact Suzanne Lewis: suzanne@benuri.org.uk

Additional information on the conference may be viewed at www.jewishculture.org/cajm