Empty Showcase Syndrome

Dr. Jos van Beurden is a senior researcher colonial cultural collections and restitution (Free University, Amsterdam). His most recent publications are: Treasures in Trusted Hands – Negotiating the Future of Colonial Cultural Objects (Leiden 2017) (nominated for the NWO Boekman Dissertation Price), and The Return of Cultural and Historical Treasures – The Case of the Netherlands (Amsterdam 2012). For his merits in the cultural heritage field, Van Beurden was appointed Officer in the Order of Orange Nassau. Jos van Beurden is founder of the news-clipping service RM* (restitution matters).

• To the reader 1 Three Encounters, Three Questions A visitor from Sri Lanka – A quick sale in Amsterdam – Conversation in Jakarta 2 Museums: From Looking Away to Changing The Dubois fossil collection – Collections on loan – Working together 3 The Dutch Government: A U-turn at Last Frugal in giving back – Gradual shift – The first results – ‘They should never have been in the Netherlands’ 4 Ethical Compass: Three Principles Beware of exaggeration – Looting as a form of colonial violence – The three concepts: Trust, equality, and justice 5 No Research About Us Without Us Inequality in provenance research – Surprising approach in the 1990s – Working towards equality now – Paradigm shift – Bumps in the road 6 Come Out, Private Collector and Art Trader! Growing insight – Unable to return – Art dealers, private collectors, and the media – Interlude: Is it about ‘human remains’ or ‘ancestral remains’? – What is the Dutch government doing? 7 Ex-Colonies: to whom do the returned objects go? An installation that touches – Who decides what is claimed? – Friction over a weapon and a gemstone – Papuan and Moluccan skulls – Indigenous group claims ‘baby in strong water’ – Weakness in Dutch policy? 8 Giving Back: The New Normal? Slow steps of European countries – What does the European- Nigerian Benin dialogue yield? – How are other former colonies doing? – Will restitution become the new normal? Notes Acknowledgements Sources consulted Index

“In his book, Van Beurden analyzes in clear language and with many concrete examples where change halts but also where breakthrough is possible.”- Katrijn D'hamers, FARO-bibliotheek, March, 2024