Louvre 'courting disaster' over plans to send works to Fukushima

telegraph.co.uk ^ | January 12, 2012 | By Henry Samuel Paris

[Razzz42]

...While describing the museum's intention "laudable", he said it was not "the Louvre's role to come to the aid, via exhibitions, of populations that are victims of cataclysms."

"(If so), why not do it in all countries hit by earthquakes, forest fires, volcanic eruptions or even wars? ... Why doesn't the Louvre just send the works onto Bagdad?," he complained.

France's nuclear safety and protection institute, IRSN, had advised French citizens only to visit the areas for essential reasons and to "regularly pass the vacuum cleaner over the surface of furniture and carpets" in the fallout zone.

"What about the paintings and 16th century Flemish tapestry that the Louvre is sending? Will they 'regularly' vacuum these?," asked Mr Rykner.

The Louvre's words of reassurance were also questioned by Roland Desbordes, an independent nuclear expert, who said: "Radioactivity, present all around Fukishima, can come into the town depending on weather conditions."

"It is totally possible that these works will come back slightly contaminated. Then what will they do?"

Decontamination would be a "complex and delicate" operation, he added...

[Razzz42]

[dfwgator]

Art Strike!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBS_twXhI30

[SunkenCiv]

GGG managers are SunkenCiv, StayAt HomeMother & Ernest_at_the_Beach	join list or digest view topics view or post blog bookmark post a topic subscribe
Thanks Razzz42. Just adding to the catalog, not sending a general distribution. To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list.