IGRCT Donor's Celebration 2024

Maeve Brennan’s An Excavation (2022) documents a forensic investigation into a crate of looted antiquities discovered at Geneva Freeport in 2014.  

In total, 45 crates of looted antiquities were found, belonging to disgraced antiquities dealer Robin Symes. They contained tens of thousands of archaeological remnants worth around £7 million. After their confiscation by the Swiss and Italian authorities, the Italian Carabinieri sent three of the crates to the Aarhus University Museum of Ancient Art in Denmark, where forensic archaeologist Dr Christos Tsirogiannis and Dr Vinnie Norskov conducted further research. 

Since 2018, Brennan has observed and documented Tsirogiannis’ investigations, mapping the illicit antiquities network from looters and smugglers to auction houses and museums. Brennan’s works trace the circulation of objects through layered temporalities, focusing on figures such as restorers, joyriders and smugglers whose material actions and practices tie them to wider networks, histories and economies.  

Join us for a film screening of An Excavation and Q&A to hear Maeve Brennan and Dr Christos Tsirogiannis discuss their collaboration, the artistic process and the broader implications of their work. 

Book your free ticket here! All welcome.