YVES-BERNARD DEBIE
T.A.M.: Finally, the currents of the times dictate
that I should broach the subject of “restitution”
in this discussion. Ever since the Ouagadougou
declaration by French President Macron, you
have, in your position as an attorney, stood as
one of the most critical (but always respectful)
voices on the restitution issue. As a collector, what
worries you about this debate?
Y.-B. D.: What frustrates me about this
“restitution” debate is that it was launched so
abruptly and irresponsibly, and it’s based on
completely false preconceptions. I’ve stated my
position often and written about it repeatedly,
especially in this magazine, so I won’t repeat
myself now, but I have been truly shocked by
the ferocity of the proposals that ensued after
President Macron’s Ouagadougou declaration,
especially with regard to the Musée du Quai
Branly – Jacques Chirac. In just a few months,
this marvelous place of culture and sharing, this
embassy for civilizations that are not our own
and where all have the right to reside and to be
exalted, has been thrown to the wolves. Those
behind this are a handful of professional penitents
concerned exclusively with their own business
assets, and, unfortunately, the press has served as
a resonating chamber for them. In their discourses
on history, they forget History—the real History
that needs to be understood with precision,
respect, and without the kind of revisionism that
would allow us to condemn Julius Caesar on the
basis of the Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907
for the “crimes” he admitted to in his writings
on the Gallic Wars between 58 and 50 BC. That
would be an intolerable absurdity to any legal
scholar or to any art history afi cionado, and this
is a comparable situation.
As a collector, however, I’m not worried, and
my interest in non-European art and that of
peoples all over the world continues unabated.
And I’m not alone. There will always be takers
for beautiful objects and masterpieces at auction
and in gallery shows. As a reaction to alarmist
announcements, the market might briefl y become
more selective, but that will be a good time to
seize the opportunities that arise. For instance, in
the midst of this “restitution” hysteria, the 2018
Parcours des Mondes turned out to be the most
successful ever in terms of sales and attendance.
As the African proverb says, “Hope is the pillar
of the world.”
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FIG. 15 (above right): Hand
club. Maori, New Zealand.
Ex James Hooper.
Photo © Paul Louis, Brussels.
FIG. 16 (right): Trumpet,
horagai or rappakai. Japan.
Edo Period, 19th century.
Photo © Paul Louis, Brussels.