via The Art Newspaper, 09 June 2023: The podcast “Dynamite Doug” reveals the story of Douglas Latchford and Emma Bunker, who illegally removed hundreds of Cambodian sculptures, highlighting the ongoing issue of antiquities trafficking and the complicity of museums and the art world.
The programme offers a compelling narrative for art crime beginners but more depth is needed when it comes to colonial repatriation
Conversations around repatriation and the return of stolen art to its country of origin have finally moved into the mainstream. But it is still relatively rare to hear, outside of the industry, about the people who have recently been involved in the illegal antiquities trade. The new podcast Dynamite Doug tells the story of how Douglas Latchford and his collaborator Emma Bunker illegally removed hundreds of sculptures from Cambodia, often by faking provenance records and export licences, to fill the galleries of museums in the West. Latchford was charged for antiquities trafficking in New York in 2019 but died the following year.
Source: Dynamite Doug podcast is a pioneer in ‘looted heritage’ genre—but not its peak
