Metropolitan Museum Reconsiders Display of Benin Bronzes, Cultural Artifacts

‍ ⁢ ‍ Updated July 02, 2025

the ​Metropolitan Museum of Art is attempting to ⁣provide new context to its display of cultural artifacts. A recent renovation seeks to move away from presenting objects as either timeless customs⁤ or art for art’s sake. ‍Instead, the ⁤museum aims to ​highlight the vital expression of communities.

One example is the Kwoma ⁤ceremonial-house ceiling, a replica ‌of a ritual men’s lodge ‍in‍ New Guinea. The​ Met commissioned its ⁢creation⁢ in‍ the 1970s but initially ⁢did not ⁤involve the creators‌ in its ​exhibition. For the renovation,the‍ museum invited the descendants⁤ of the ‌original artists to consult on ‍the reinstallation and share their perspectives in an in-gallery film.

The museum also explores the‌ ongoing refinement of traditional ⁢arts, featuring videos on⁢ contemporary Australian bark-cloth painting and African masquerade traditions. Sosena Solomon’s films include footage of brass-casters in Benin City, Nigeria, who continue their work despite‍ limited resources.

The museum’s collection includes several dozen Benin art works, including a rooster and ‌plaques from the royal palace that British troops ransacked in 1897. While wall text acknowledges the seizure of these works, it does not fully address ⁣the ⁢campaign for their return.

Other ⁤institutions, such as those in Germany, the netherlands, and the Smithsonian, have begun relinquishing⁢ ownership⁤ of Benin art works. The Met, while mentioning provenance research and the return of two Benin works to Nigeria⁤ in 2021, seems to ‌present an implicit ​argument against widespread restitution.

The museum also ⁤features a video by Theo Eshetu documenting the ‌reërection of an Aksumite obelisk stolen from Ethiopia and returned by Italy. Though,⁤ without a ⁣broader‌ discussion of⁤ the Met’s own ‍acquisitions, the video’s placement appears to deflect from‌ the issue.

The Met suggests ‍its collection⁤ offers expanded opportunities for these works compared to their places of origin. Labels provide detailed facts about Benin’s history, while a label titled “Benin Court art at the Met” cites Alain Locke’s desire for African⁢ art to be accessible in a New York institution.

The museum has ‌also surrendered‌ looted art to ‌Egypt, Greece, Nepal, and Iraq ‍in recent years. An‌ Igbo ⁢sculpture, acquired during the Biafran War,‍ had its provenance record updated after concerns were raised by Ike Anya, a doctor from Abiriba.​ Anya contributed to ‌the audio ‍guide and attended the reopening of the galleries.

Anya believes decisions about the ⁢sculpture should⁢ be made by its rightful owners. He sees the museum’s gesture ⁢as a potential step toward more important changes.

What’s ⁣next

The Met continues to​ engage in discussions about provenance and restitution, signaling a willingness to address concerns about ⁣its collection of⁢ cultural artifacts and Benin ⁢bronzes.