Patti Gerstenblith

Matthew Bogdanos, an Assistant District Attorney and chief of New York's Antiquities Trafficking Unit, joins economist Jim Marone and law professor Patti Gerstenblith. They unravel the perplexing journey of a looted Egyptian gold coffin to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, emphasizing the ethics of art ownership. Discussions reveal how Kim Kardashian influenced cultural restitution efforts. The trio dives into the complex market of looted antiquities, shedding light on the legal challenges and moral dilemmas facing museums and art collectors today.

Patty Gerstenblith, a law professor and pioneer in cultural heritage law, discusses destruction of cultural sites in war. She covers the evolution of the field, legal tools against trafficking and returns, limits of international courts like the ICC, comparisons between Ukraine and Gaza, and why documentation, political will, and preservation planning matter.