As part of the exhibition "The Collection of Maximilian von Goldschmidt-Rothschild" at the Museum Angewandte Kunst Frankfurt, the focus is on the things in the museum. There are not only objects whose origins are sometimes unclear, but which may also face an uncertain future. We also reflect on the different perspectives that can be taken when questioning objects - or is it the objects themselves that speak to us, tell us their own story?

The results of recent provenance research and research projects on cultural property in a colonial context illustrate how the approach and treatment of objects has shifted throughout history. Things that were collected, revered, or "used" throughout the lives of their former owners are all at once "saved," conserved, and protected through the attribution of others. What exactly happens to the objects in this "shift" and how do their contexts change due to the way they are viewed by those who want to own them? From today's perspective, clarified and unclarified provenances give rise to multi-layered questions about cultural objects: What understanding of art (craft) is expressed in the form of presentation and storage alone? Who determines a change, an altered view of what is or is designated as cultural property? What future awaits objects that were once stolen from their rightful owners and what remains in museums when parts of the holdings are restituted?

We will discuss these and other questions from a variety of perspectives.

The event at the Museum Angewandte Kunst is without registration and included in the museum's admission fee, including a guided tour at 5pm.