[Symposium] Biographies and Restitution of Hindu and Buddhist Objects from Java, Sumatra and Bali

Readers may be interested in this SOAS symposium on Hindu and Buddhist objects from Java, Bali and Sumatra on 18 May. The symposium is conducted both in-person and online.

This full day art history symposium, being held both in-person and on-line, has been twice deferred since it was first scheduled for May 2020.

This symposium examines the life stories of certain Hindu and Buddhist objects which originated from the islands of Java, Bali and Sumatra.

Nine international scholars are being brought together to consider certain issues surrounding such objects now to be found in various locations around the world. In particular, the discussions will focus on the biographies of such objects and the issues of their restitution.

This symposium addresses why certain objects were selected to be moved from their find-spots, how such objects passed from one location to another, and who were their major agents in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Finally, it will touch on the various ethical issues surrounding such objects which occupy our deliberations today in the early 21st century.

Source: Biographies and Restitution of Hindu and Buddhist Objects from Java, Sumatra and Bali