Greeks get shirty over British Museum’s Elgin Marbles fashion show
A fashion show that took place in front of the Elgin Marbles at the British Museum showed “zero respect”, Greece’s culture minister said.
The catwalk show in Room 18, where the contested sculptures are displayed, was held amid ongoing talks between the British Museum and the Greek government regarding a potential deal for the repatriation of the 2,500-year-old Marbles, which once adorned the Parthenon.
Dr Lina Mendoni, who has long campaigned for the artefacts to be returned to Athens, said: “By organising a fashion show in the rooms where the Parthenon Sculptures are exhibited, the British Museum, once again, proves its zero respect for the masterpieces of Pheidias (the sculptor who created the artworks).
“The directors of the British Museum trivialise and insult not only the monument but also the universal values that it transmits.
“The conditions of display and storage of the sculptures, at the Duveen Gallery, are constantly deteriorating. It is time for the stolen and abused sculptural masterpieces to shine in the Attic light.”
However, sources close to the British Museum pointed out that in 2021 fashion house Dior was given permission to carry out a photoshoot at the Acropolis.
Dr Mendoni was reported to have been involved in the permissions for the shoot on the Sacred Rock of Athens, which was accompanied by a show at the Panathenaic Stadium.
Greek officials gave the first-ever shoot at the site the green light in part because of the advertising opportunity for the country.
Dior reportedly paid about €700,000 for the permits to conduct shoots in archaeological sites and museums and up to €200,000 for lost earnings from closing the Acropolis early.
In response to questions about the Dior shoot, Dr Mendoni told The Telegraph that there was “no fashion show” at the Acropolis as a request to hold one was rejected by the ministry. After “negotiation”, the show took place at the Panathenaic Stadium.
She added that the phot shoot at the Acropolis, of a collection “inspired by ancient Greece” and made in collaboration with Greek artists, took place while the landmark was closed and the models were photographed “motionless, just like statues”.
“The fashion show at the British Museum was held in the Duveen Gallery, in an enclosed space, with dozens of guests present. It should be noted that at times the sculptures at the British Museum have been damaged, due to overcrowding,” Dr Mendoni said.
“The Parthenon sculptures were merely decoration, since, thematically, the collection had no dialectical connection to Greek antiquity. The Parthenon Sculptures were used only as backdrop and hence their universal value, which the British Museum claims to be so concerned about, was utterly minimised.”
The latest perceived insult to the Marbles comes during a legal stalemate between British Museum chairman George Osborne, who has been open about his wish to reach an agreement over the artworks, and the Greek government, with both sides unable to agree on a deal that does not cross their respective red lines.
The museum has repeatedly been asked to return the Elgin Marbles, which the Greek government insists were stolen from the Parthenon by Lord Elgin in the early 19th century, a claim the museum denies.
The British Museum has long argued that as a universal museum it can use the contested artefacts, alongside others in its collection, to tell a more universal human history that puts the Ancient Greeks in a broader context.
The museum is also barred by law from giving away objects in its collection, but Mr Osborne and the Greek government have been holding discussions for months on how to negotiate this legal impasse in a way that could allow the Marbles to be displayed in Athens.
Sources have told The Telegraph that some kind of “hybrid” deal that fits within legal parameters may provide a way forward, and it has been suggested that loans going from Greece to the UK could act as collateral.
The museum is a commercial venue outside of opening hours, and often hosts events. Risk assessments are held to ensure the safety of the collection.
The Erdem show was a tribute to American-born Greek soprano Maria Callas, and designer Erdem Moralioglu has said that he had her personal history in mind when he applied for the show to be in the same room as the marbles.
“I wanted to show in this space that epitomised her Greekness,” he told Vogue, adding: “I was interested in the idea of someone starting off somewhere and ending up somewhere else.”
A source close to the museum told The Telegraph that it is important artists “can continue to respond to the living legacy that the Parthenon sculptures represent”.
The British Museum and Erdem were contacted for comment.
