In an audacious act of artistic defiance, Brazilian artist Ilê Sartuzi executed a meticulously planned heist at the British Museum last month. The heist, more a performance than a crime, saw Sartuzi lift a historic coin from its display case, only to return it by depositing it in the museum’s donation box. This bold move has now been immortalized in a seven-minute video titled Sleight of Hand, forming a pivotal piece of Sartuzi’s MFA thesis exhibition at Goldsmiths, University of London, which runs until July 16.
On June 18, under the guise of a typical museum-goer, Sartuzi targeted a silver coin minted in Newark, England in 1645. This artifact, located in Room 68, was part of the museum’s handling collection—a selection of items visitors are encouraged to touch under volunteer supervision since January 2000. During a demonstration, Sartuzi swiftly replaced the original coin with a replica. The following day, he returned the original coin by dropping it into a designated change donation box.
The caper, documented by three accomplices wielding handheld cameras, was a year in the making. Sartuzi’s first attempt on June 17 was thwarted by a vigilant volunteer guide. To ensure success the next day, he altered his appearance by shaving his beard, a small but effective disguise that allowed him to evade detection.
The British Museum’s handling collection, of which the coin was a part, remains uncatalogued in the institution’s database. This loophole, Sartuzi and his legal team argue, means his actions do not contravene museum policies or the Theft Act of 1968. The museum, however, sees things differently. “This is a disappointing and derivative act that abuses a volunteer-led service aimed at giving visitors the opportunity to handle real items and engage with history,” a spokesperson lamented. The incident, they suggested, might necessitate a reevaluation of these interactive services, which rely on mutual trust and decency.
Sartuzi’s actions, provocative as they are, serve as a critique of what he terms “the problem of universal museums.” He argues that institutions like the British Museum are entrenched in a colonial, imperialist legacy, a point underscored by the fact that the coin he pilfered was the sole British-origin item on display.
This episode is a chapter in the museum’s ongoing saga of security lapses and thefts. Recently, the institution recovered 268 artifacts following the theft of approximately 1,500 items, a scandal that led to the resignation of museum director Hartwig Fischer.
Sartuzi’s Sleight of Hand thus not only highlights the museum’s vulnerabilities but also questions the ethics of cultural curation and ownership, raising profound questions about the role of museums in the 21st century.
