How Egypt Defied Terrorism and Saved Its Heritage
EGYPT: It must have been a terrifying moment in 2014 when Abdel Hamid Salah el-Sharief arrived at the Museum of Islamic Art in Cairo, Egypt, to be met with a glittering sea of broken glass. The museum once offered a glimpse into the world of Islam’s Golden Age, but now was a shattering reminder of the current age – of war and destruction. The bomb had caused priceless damage to 15th-century glass lamps, hundreds of ceramic artefacts, and irreplaceable history in the Egyptian National Library and Archives. It’s a lesson not easily forgotten and one that has led to the establishment of a crack Egyptian heritage team that swoops in post-bombs to save priceless artefacts. READ MORE.
Extremist Enters Guilty Plea at ICC for Destroying Timbuktu Cultural Sites
PARIS: In a game-changing move that is likely to act as a deterrent for years to come, the International Criminal Court (ICC) in August heard a guilty plea from an Islamic extremist pleaded guilty who admitted to destroying shrines and damaging a mosque in the ancient city of Timbuktu, Mali, in the court’s first prosecution of the destruction of cultural heritage as a war crime. Ahmad al-Faqi al-Mahdi, a member of a jihadist group linked to Al Qaeda, took part in the smashing of a number of venerable centuries-old mud and stone buildings holding the tombs of holy men and scholars. Mr. Mahdi, is a teacher who was who studied Islamic law in a Saudi-sponsored school in Libya. He faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison, but prosecutors will request a sentence of nine to 11 years as part of a plea agreement. The case could set an international precedent for those who partake in the destruction of cultural and heritage sites. READ MORE.
Nigeria, Sudan to deepen relations in culture, creative sectors
ABUJA: The Nigerian Federal Government this month said it would deepen relations with Sudan in the culture and creative sectors for the economic development of the two countries. The comments were made by the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, when he received the Sudanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Ibrahim-Bushra Ali. Mohammed said that Nigeria and Sudan, ‘though not neighbours, were kindred and have cultural affiliation and exchange through education’ .He added that many Sudanese traced their origin to Nigeria and vice versa, while there were many Nigerians that studied and some still studying in Sudan. READ MORE.
Demise of the gallery predicted as art sales move online
LONDON: According to the Evening Standard Arts the days of the auctioneer and the gallery are drawing to a close – now collectors are just as likely to use a smartphone or tablet to add to their collection. In a recent piece on why it pays to buy art online, the London-based paper says there’s been a huge rise in art sales online – a trend many insurers are also picking up on. A report from Hiscox and ArtTactic found that, despite a decrease in global art auction sales last year, the online art market continues to grow. An estimated 24% rise in online art sales in 2015, totalling $3.27 billion (£2.5 billion), suggests that works which fall in the lower price bracket will be less susceptible to a sales slump than those in the middle and high-price ranges. If the online art market continues to grow at this rate, it will be worth $9.58 billion by 2020. Robert Read, Head of Fine Art at insurer Hiscox said: “We are in a protracted game of hide and seek as we try to discover who will win the online art market battle and what it will look like.” READ MORE.