Parthenon Sculptures need Attica’s sun, not London weather says Dame Suzman

The British Chair of the Committee for the Reunification of the Parthenon sculptures Dame Janet Suzman struck a defiant tone against recent British Museum rhetoric as published in the Saturday edition of the Nea newspaper.

"I am neither an intellect nor an academic. My position in the committee is of a simple visitor of the museum and as a visitor, I can see clearly that the Marbles are in the wrong place. They need Attica's sun to shine on them with background the blue sky. They ask to be reunited with their other half at the New Acropolis Museum where a place is always waiting for them," said Suzman in her article.

"They must be displayed in front of the Parthenon which continues to stand up. They must see this place in order I, the visitor to be able to turn my head and cry, "'Now I can see it, that's from where they come from!"' Not any more dim light, no more orphan sculptures. They must be reunited with the other half of the pediment that is in this magnificent museum in order I, the visitor, to be able to understand the silent discussion that is held between them" she added.

Referring to British Museum director Hartwig Fischer statements that the "museum will not return the marbles permanently to Greece" she commented "I do not trust the terminology of the art historian and of the art directors when they arrogantly refer to 'creative actions' implying that the Marbles acquire another, equally important, nature when they are violently deprived from their siblings".

However, she acknowledged that the director "is forced to speak diplomatically" and attacked the Museum's custodians that "obviously as complacent-crypto-imperialists do not examine something that is fair and right".

Concluding, Suzman quoted another member of the Committee (Alexi Kaye Campbell) "Asking for something back of huge significance which has been taken from you when you were under foreign occupation is a demand for simple justice".