My long interview with Mikhail Piotrovsky has been published, timed to the release of his new book "I Am an Arabist" but focused mainly on the modern museum and the cultural environment around it

I met Mikhail Borisovich Piotrovsky after the presentation of his book at the Peredelkino House of Creativity. After several hours with the public, an autograph session and filming, the legendary Piotrovsky nonetheless received me with energy and good humour. I tried not to ask the questions that every journalist has already put to him dozens of times, nor to duplicate the analysis of the book that had already been heard at the presentation.

Naturally, the temptation to speak about events in Iran was there, but that would have turned a conversation occasioned by a new book into an episode of a political talk show, so I tried to build our discussion around themes that were close to both of us and might add fresh touches to the picture of the day.

Given the limited time on such a crowded day, I think we managed to cover a great deal and to discuss some rather interesting things: the return of the Dresden collection, the practice of restitution in general, anti-colonialism in culture, the transfer of artefacts from the mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi to Kazakhstan, the robbery of the Louvre, Moscow's "directorfall", the interference of marginal figures in culture, Soviet oriental studies, Arabic studies and the future of museums.

Read it on the website, and share your impressions.