In this episode, Ben Lewis focuses on a group of sculptures known as the Benin Bronzes

Learning Goal: I’m working on a art writing question and need the explanation and answer to help me learn.

For this assignment, you will listen to episode 2, Benin Bronzes found on the podcast Art Bust: Scandalous Stories of the Art World. You will find this podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or here
Links to an external site.. In this episode, Ben Lewis focuses on a group of sculptures known as the Benin Bronzes to discuss the issue of looted African artifacts, the calls to return them, and the prominent museums at the center of it all.

After listening to the podcast, go to MFA Boston’s Art of Africa and Oceania
Links to an external site.page and read the section on Art of Africa and the museum’s statement on colonialism
Links to an external site.. Compare Boston’s response to having looted African art in its collections with various responses
Links to an external site. by other museums and institutions.

In your 1 to 1.5 page essay:

1. Describe your initial reactions to what you learned in the podcast.
2. In your view, is the “Robin Hood of Restitution” activist Mwazulu Diyabanza
   Links to an external site. and his colleagues thieves for removing looted African artifacts from museums as a form of protest? Why or why not?
3. Which of the various museum responses to the issue of looted African artifacts do you believe are examples of doing what is right and which are examples of doing what is legally permitted. How do you feel about each type of response?
4. In response to some European museums wishing to loan African art to a proposed new museum in Nigeria, Ben Lewis asks the question, “Can you loan what’s not really yours?” Now that you are familiar with the issues presented, how do you respond to this question?

Use 12 point font and 1.5 line spacing for this writing assignment. Remember to cite all sources of information that are not your own original thoughts and ideas.