Mexico Demands a Halt to an Auction of Mexican Artifacts in Colorado
Mexico’s Ministry of Culture called for the suspension of an Artemis Fine Arts auction in Louisville, Colorado, scheduled for today, that includes 80 artifacts of Mexican origin. The items were flagged by Mexico’s National Institute of Anthropology and History (INAH), and Culture Secretary Claudia Curiel de Icaza said, “Our heritage is not an object of profit,” citing cultural sovereignty. Mexican authorities argue such artifacts are state property under federal law and that export has been prohibited since 1827, making pieces outside Mexico illegally extracted in their view. Artemis owners Bob and Teresa Dodge have previously refused to halt similar auctions, and Mexico says it has recovered about 16,500 artifacts since 2018 through its “Mi Patrimonio No Se Vende” campaign.
From This Briefing
This story was covered in Restitution Wars and the Auction Market’s Misfires