Martin Roth: ON ETHICS & MUSEUMS AS THE KEEPERS OF MEMORY

Note: We sincerely apologise for difficulties with the sound quality of this video. Professor Dr. Martin Roth was Director of the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London from September 2011 until he stepped down to pursue other interests at the end of October 2016 after a highly successful five-year term. During his tenure, the V&A won the coveted Museum of the Year Award from the Art Fund in 2016 and has pursued an active international policy that included developing extensive networks of international partners and regional relations such as those with China, India, Russia, Qatar and Rwanda. Martin Roth’s perspective is global and inspiringly mindful of the stories behind the Museum’s extraordinary collection of over approximately three million objects from medieval times through today’s newest technology. His reflections intertwine Prince Albert’s founding mission for the V&A of improving lives through access to education and culture for all people with a focus on openness and responsibility to society today. Prior to joining the V&A, Professor Dr. Roth was Director General of the Dresden State Art Collections (Staatliche Kunstsammlungen Dresden), a collection of 12 museums and galleries. Dr. Roth’s views on ethics and the arts also draw from his many other engagements, including serving as a personal member of the German Olympic Sports Foundation, a Trustee of the British Council, a member of the Council of the Royal College of Art and a member of the Court of Imperial College London to name a few. He was recently appointed President-elect of the Institut für Auslandsbeziehungen in Germany. Welcome to my conversation with Professor Dr. Martin Roth. Watch the video interview of this podcast at [http://ethicsincubator.net/ethics-and-the-arts-interviews/martin-roth]