Ivory - a material in the crossfire of arguments

Few materials are as controversial as ivory. At least since the exhibition terribly beautiful. Elephant - Man - Ivory, which was shown at the Humboldt Forum in Berlin from 20 July 2021 to 23 January 2022, the discussion about the exhibitability of ivory has reached the heart of Europe's historical collections. The major museums, above all the Kunsthistorisches Museum, but also the Grünes Gewölbe in Dresden, the Liebieghaus in Frankfurt with the Winkler Collection and many other museums are grappling with the question of whether they are still allowed to exhibit their ivories and, if so, how these exhibitions should be contextualised. Elena Holzhausen, diocesan curator of the Archdiocese of Vienna, presents a completely new approach to dealing with additions to ivory objects. She presents the results of a three-year research project and reflects on the material, the exhibitability of ivory and the various ethical approaches to additions.