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29 Mar, 2014

Australian galleries embroiled in Indian antiquities scandal – FT.com

Two of the biggest public art galleries in Australia have become embroiled in a controversy over their purchases of allegedly stolen Indian artefacts, amid concerns that the multibillion dollar international trade in looted antiquities continues to flourish.

Visitors to the Art Gallery of New South Wales on Friday were greeted with a conspicuous blank space in its Asian exhibition, following the removal of a 900-year old stone statue of Shiva, a popular Hindu deity.

Earlier this week, the National Gallery of Australia in Canberra removed a bronze statue of Shiva from display. The artefacts were two of 26 items bought by the galleries from art dealer Subhash Kapoor, who is on trial in India on charges relating to the alleged theft of millions of dollars worth of antiquities subsequently sold overseas.

Read the rest: Australian galleries embroiled in Indian antiquities scandal – FT.com.