mmmMarbles. Espen Gleditsch

In this photographic series, Gleditsch takes as his starting point the sculptures created to adorn the Parthenon temple in Athens, around 500 BC. In 1816, Britain purchased these from the officer, diplomat, and art collector Thomas Bruce, the Earl of Elgin. Since then, they have been part of the collection at the British Museum.

The removal of these marble sculptures from their original location and their transportation to England was controversial from the beginning. In the work mmmMarbles, Gleditsch addresses the ongoing conflict that has long existed between Greece and Britain regarding who truly owns these sculptures. In Athens, a dedicated museum has been built, awaiting their return.

Gleditsch also highlights how conservation methods over time have not always been in the best interest of the sculptures. They were originally painted in vibrant colors but have repeatedly been cleaned to align with the modern ideal of white marble sculptures. As a result, traces of colored pigments have largely been removed, making it difficult to know the full spectrum of colors the sculptures once had. One of the few pigments that has been rediscovered is the blue color visible in some of Gleditsch's photographs, as well as in the exhibition space where they are displayed.

Espen Gleditsch (b. 1983) has a master’s degree in fine art from the Oslo National Academy of the Arts (2015). His photographs are often grounded in specific events related to the history of art and architecture, and he uses photography as a medium to explore how history is narrated, evolves over time, and is interpreted.