Barnaby Phillips

Loot – Britain and the Benin Bronzes

In conversation with Fiammetta Rocco, Senior editor and culture correspondent for The Economist

Saturday 24th September, 2-3pm

William Morris Tent

£15

More than a century after British troops looted and destroyed Benin City, this dark episode continues to cast a shadow as cultural institutions wrestle with the legacies of empire.

Former BBC and Al Jazeera journalist Barnaby Phillips joins us to discuss the dramatic and tragic tale of the Benin Bronzes, their subsequent dispersal amongst the world’s museums and private collections and how these cultural and sacred objects are at the centre of international conversation and debate about their restitution.

‘Barnaby takes us on a journey raising important questions about empire and the meaning of art, civilisation and culture.' - Clive Myrie, BBC Chief Correspondent and Presenter