Cambodian Sculptures Head Home After Decades in Australia

• NGA has repatriated 3 bronze sculptures to Cambodia.
• The sculptures date back to the 9th and 10th centuries.
• Sculptures will be exhibited in the NGA for a period of 3 years.

National Gallery of Australia (NGA) declared that it would be repatriating three sculptures to the government of Cambodia.

After conducting a thorough investigation spanning a decade, the NGA has determined that there is a high likelihood that these bronze sculptures were illegally taken from Cambodia, their country of origin.

The sculptures, dating back to the 9th and 10th centuries, were acquired for A$2.3 million ($1 million) in 2011. Following the investigation, the NGA removed these artifacts from display in 2021 until their provenance was clarified.

“The decision to repatriate these sculptures to the Kingdom of Cambodia is the culmination of years of research and due diligence that would not have been possible without the support of the Cambodian Government through the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts,” NGA director Nick Mitzevich said in a statement on Thursday.

“We are grateful for their support in identifying the place of origin of these culturally significant sculptures and are pleased we can now return them to their rightful home.”

In a ceremony held in late July, the sculptures were officially given back.

These artworks will be exhibited in the gallery for a period of three years under a loan agreement, during which time the Cambodian government will make arrangements for their new permanent location.

Susan Templeman, the Special Envoy for the Arts representing the Australian Government, expressed that the repatriation of the sculptures demonstrates the mutual respect and understanding between the two nations.

“It is an opportunity to put right a historical wrong but also to strengthen our ties and deepen our understanding,” she said.

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