Looted | Edwin Daughtry

A red Balinese cloth with a pattern of gold lotus flowers. The cloth is overpainted to draw attention to one unpainted element of the flower design, allowing it to shine through. To the upper left is a museum catalogue tag from the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam.

A dark blue Balinese cloth with a pattern of gold lotus flowers. The cloth is overpainted to draw attention to one unpainted section of the design allowing it to shine through the overpainting. To the bottom right is a museum catalogue tag from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

The artworks residing in “Looted” unveil a profound narrative, created by Edwin Daughtry, an artist who delves into the intricate layers of cultural looting and its implications. Daughtry's visual tapestry not only reflects on the historical transgressions of cultural theft but also beckons museums, writers, and academics to play a vital role in acknowledging, preserving, and disseminating these stories.

Daughtry's compositions, rendered with meticulous detail, serve as more than aesthetic expressions; they are visceral reckonings with the histories of displacement and cultural loss. This series of photographs engages with the role of museums as custodians of cultural heritage, urging these institutions to grapple with the ethical complexities of acquisition and ownership. The artworks challenge the conventional narratives often embedded in museum displays, prompting a reconsideration of the historical context and provenance of artefacts.

Writers and academics, as stewards of knowledge and critical discourse, find themselves woven into the fabric of Daughtry's narrative. His works implore them to scrutinise the narratives surrounding looted artefacts and contribute to a broader dialogue on provenance, restitution, and ethical curation. The artworks invite these intellectuals to be catalysts for change, fostering a nuanced understanding of the cultural significance embedded in each piece.

Daughtry's visual narrative transcends the confines of traditional storytelling. It serves as a call to action, imploring museums, writers, and academics to become active participants in the ongoing discourse surrounding cultural heritage. By engaging with the nuanced stories of looting depicted in the collection, these cultural custodians can contribute to a more informed and ethically grounded approach to preserving and sharing the diverse narratives of our shared global history. Daughtry's works, stand as a testament to the power of art to stimulate critical conversations and inspire collective responsibility for the preservation of cultural memory.

Chat GPT: Write a 300 word artist's statement (referencing the role of museums, writers and academics) about the works found at https://www.edwindaughtry.com/looted

This work was developed in a space managed by the City of Melbourne’s Creative Spaces program.