Poras Dhakan MFA

"This book collects my output from the Masters in Fine Art at Hochschule Trier, where I considered the ongoing impact of artefacts which were looted from India and the role that British and other museums around the world play in perpetuating residual colonial legacies.  It focuses in particular on the artefacts taken by the British following their war against Tipu Sultan and his ultimate defeat and the sacking of his palace in India in 1799.  It focuses on how these objects are presented and interpreted by institutions such as the Royal Collection Trust and the V&A Museum in Britain. 

It explores the writings of prominent writers on the subject, such as Edward Said and Michel Foucault, to investigate the narratives constructed around these artefacts and the implications this has on India’s cultural memory, identity, and representation. 

In finding a way forward, it proposes strategies for addressing these issues, including making changes to museum spaces, returning looted artefacts, urging public participation and creating new universal museum spaces. It ultimately advocates for a more equitable and critically engaged approach to cultural heritage within European museum institutions if these artefacts cannot be returned back to India."

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