Frequently asked questions
Is this project anti-British or anti-museum?
Not at all. This project comes from a place of deep, lifelong affection for museums. I'm British, and these institutions are a part of my cultural DNA. Satire is often a love language; it's a way to gently critique the things we care about in the hope of making them better. This is less an attack and more a caricature, poking fun at the very British, stiff-upper-lip way we've handled a very complicated history.
Are you making fun of a serious issue? Isn't the topic of stolen artefacts too important for a musical comedy?
It's the opposite. The topic is so important that it demands to be looked at from every possible angle. Sometimes, humour is the sharpest tool we have to cut through dense academic debate and polite, circular arguments. The comedy in this project is aimed at the absurdity of the institutional stalemate, not at the profound loss felt by the cultures of origin. The goal isn't to diminish the issue's gravity, but to make it more accessible and to highlight its inherent absurdities.
Why are you anonymous?
Two reasons. First, the project isn't about me; it's about the ideas. I prefer to let the work speak for itself, from the perspective of the "institution" it's satirising. The anonymous curator is a character. Second, frankly, anonymity allows for a more honest and unflinching look at a sensitive topic without fear of personal reprisal. It keeps the focus on the art.
You used AI to help create the music. Isn't that hypocritical for a project critiquing the uncredited use of cultural heritage?
This is the most important question, and the answer is at the heart of the project. I chose to use AI deliberately, as a way to explore this very paradox. It felt fitting to use a powerful, modern, and ethically complex tool to critique the way a powerful, historical entity used its tools.
But acknowledgment is not enough. Accountability requires action. That's why I am committed to establishing The Synthesis Fund, a charitable initiative to support human artists impacted by AI. I'm trying to model the behaviour I wish institutions would adopt: acknowledge complicity and take tangible steps to address it. The paradox is the point.
Is this album based on the story of a specific artifact?
The project was initially inspired by the long-running debate over the Parthenon Marbles (often called the Elgin Marbles). However, the themes are universal. The story of "acquisition," institutional justification, and calls for repatriation applies to countless artifacts from cultures all over the world, including the Benin Bronzes from Nigeria, the Rosetta Stone from Egypt, and many more. The album is dedicated to all the stories that are waiting to go home.
Where can I learn more about the real history behind these songs?
A wonderful question! I highly recommend starting with books like "The Brutish Museums" by Dan Hicks, which is a powerful look at the Benin Bronzes. For the Parthenon Marbles, the works of authors like Christopher Hitchens and the official positions of the Acropolis Museum in Athens are essential reading. A quick search for "repatriation debate" will open up a world of incredible journalism, documentaries, and academic work on the subject.
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