The professional public demands an investigation into the transport of the bust of Cecilia Gonzagová, a collection object of the Slovak National Museum (SNM) – Spiš Museum in Levoča, to the premises of the Ministry of the Interior (MV) of the Slovak Republic in Topoľčianky. At the same time, he asks for a return of the bust to the Levoča Museum.
“The Museums and Gallery Act says that museums and galleries are responsible for the protection and safety of collection items. The Ministry of Culture as a founder is obliged to create financial and spatial possibilities so that museums and galleries can carry out this professional protection and ensure the safety of collection items, ”said Cultural Anthropologist Ivana Rumanová at Monday’s press briefing.
She pointed out that the law lays down a single possible case where this competence is taken over by the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic, and this is the declaration of an extraordinary or crisis situation that applies to, for example, to a natural disaster, war or fire. “These conditions have not been fulfilled, they certainly do not apply to the alarm that was launched at the end of February, as the Ministry claims,” added.
Rumanová recalled that, according to the State Secretary of the Ministry of Culture of the Slovak Republic Tibor Bernaták, a contract with the museum was not signed in the acceptance of the work in Levoča, only the acceptance protocol. “However, it is an integral part of the contract, without it, it has no legal relevance. Rumanová claims.
She pointed out that the contract, invoice or any other type of document with the transport company that carried out the transport company has not been published to this day. “At the same time, it is not yet evident, who is currently providing professional protection of the work, as the law provides for the law,” Rumanová pointed out. She noted that it was not even published with the MoI, in which the work was stored.
According to experts, this situation is unacceptable, so they appeal to the General Prosecutor’s Office, the control authorities, the law enforcement authorities to investigate the whole thing, infer responsibility and make an immediate remedy. “This is not only the exceptional work of Busty Cecia Gonzagová, but this creates a dangerous precedent for other collection items in institutions throughout Slovakia,” “ added Ruman.
Restorer Jakub Huba sees no reason to hide the work from the eyes of experts and the public. “Research is ongoing six years, it could have continued, if the work was in safe spaces in Levoča, ideally exhibited. The trend in top foreign galleries is not to move such significant works from the exposition, even some restore directly in the museum,” he said the restorer. He warned against any stone samples or was cleaned from the bust because it is preserved in an authentic state. “The work can be peacefully exposed, and when financial, political conditions are appropriate, standard research will start in cooperation with abroad,” He added Huba.
The bust of Cecilia Gonzagová was transferred from the SNM – Spiš Museum in Levoča 29. According to the Ministry, the transfer was in accordance with all security and legal standards. The resort was supposed to move the bust to a strictly protected place to have adequate protection. He announced that an international expertise will be held to confirm the authorship of the work.
