ARCA (the Association for Research into Crimes against Art)
is pleased to announce the winners of its annual awards for the year 2012. ARCA
is an international research group that promotes the study of art crime
cultural heritage protection, registered as a 501c3 in the United States and an
Associazione Culturale in Italy.
ARCA presents
four annual awards. Nominations
are made by ARCA staff, trustees, and members of the editorial board of ARCA’s
peer-reviewed publication, The Journal of
Art Crime. The winners are
decided by a vote of the trustees, and are presented at ARCA’s annual
conference, held in Amelia, Italy on June 23 and 24 of this year. For more
information about ARCA or to attend its annual conference, please contact Lynda
Albertson: lynda.albertson (at) artcrimeresearch.org.
ARCA Award for Lifetime Achievement in
Defense of Art
Past winners:
Carabinieri TPC (2009), Howard Spiegler (2010), John Merryman (2011)
Shortlisted
nominees: Matthew Bogdanos, Mark Dalrymple, Maurizio Seracini, Sandy Nairne
2012 winner: George H. O. Abungu
Dr. Abungu, a
native of Kenya, has served as Chairman of the International Standing Committee
on the Traffic of Illicit Antiquities since 1999, and as Director-General of
the National Museums of Kenya from 1999-2002. Among his many projects, he was involved in the return to
Kenya of looted Vigango (grave markers).
Dr.
Abungu has over 60 publications in the disciplines of archaeology, heritage management,
and museology, culture and development and has championed the role of the arts
and its respect and protection in many of his publications, public forums and
in his works as a museum professional, scholar and administrator.
He
has been an advisor to the Aluka project of the Mellon Foundation, the Global
Heritage Fund, and is Vice President of International Council of Museums
(ICOM), a Member of the International Jury of the UNESCO Melina Mecouri
International Prize for Safeguard and Management of Cultural Landscapes and
Board member for TARA, the Trust for African Rock Art, among others. He has sat
on the World Monuments Watch panel and was Kenya’s Representative to the UNESCO
World Heritage Committee, and Vice-President of its Bureau (2004-2009).
He
is awarded for his long-term efforts to secure the cultural heritage of Kenya
and other African nations.
Cngratulations to Dr Abungu for this achievement which in my view has been long overdue. Dr Abungu has dedicated all his life to the promotion of culture, art and community service. His knowledge in the field of museology and Heritage is unmarched and the many publications and public forums he has contributed in are immense.
ReplyDeleteThis award is timely and once more congratulations to Dr Abungu.
Félicitations ! Le Dr Abungu - il est toujours bon de comprendre quelqu'un pour faire quelque chose d'extraordinaire !
ReplyDelete