At the Osaka Design Expo 2025, visitors will encounter a unique synthesis of technology, art, and cultural memory: the artclone of the Goddess of Morgantina, meticulously recreated by Artficial. This isn’t just an artwork—it’s a story of resilience, restitution, and regeneration.
The Mysterious Journey of a Stolen Goddess
The Goddess of Morgantina—a majestic, over-two-meter-tall statue sculpted in the late 5th century BC—was unearthed illegally from the ancient Greek site of Morgantina, in central Sicily, during the 1970s. Smuggled out of Italy through the illicit antiquities market, the statue surfaced at one of the most prestigious institutions in the world: the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles.
In 1988, the Getty purchased the statue for nearly $18 million, despite longstanding suspicions about its looted origins. For over two decades, the statue stood as one of the Getty Villa’s highlights, drawing praise for its serene beauty and flowing drapery—until mounting pressure from archaeologists, journalists, and the Italian government forced a reckoning.
After years of diplomatic negotiations and international scrutiny, the Getty agreed to return the statue to Italy. In 2011, the Goddess of Morgantina came home, welcomed by the people of Sicily and displayed at the Museo Archeologico di Aidone, just a few kilometers from where she was originally discovered.
Why Osaka? Why Now?
For the first time, thanks to Artficial’s groundbreaking artclone technology, the Goddess of Morgantina will be exhibited in Asia. Her artclone represents not just physical form, but a deep cultural narrative—one that stretches from ancient Sicily to modern Japan.
Artficial’s process combines ultra-high-resolution 3D scanning, advanced fabrication, and artisan craftsmanship to recreate artworks with extraordinary precision. The result is not a replica but a fully realized, museum-grade artclone—faithful to the original in every dimension, tone, and texture.
This moment at the Osaka Design Expo is about more than art. It’s about how technology can restore access, honor heritage, and rebuild what was broken.
What the Goddess Teaches Us
This statue’s history is a powerful reminder that cultural treasures are not commodities. The journey from plunder to restitution, from the Getty Museum to Aidone, now continues through the ethical innovation of artcloning. By visiting the Goddess in Osaka, you become part of this evolving story.
- Witness a masterpiece once hidden from the public, now made accessible to the world
- Reflect on the role of museums, ownership, and justice in the global art world
- Experience how regenerative design can heal the fractures of the past
We would love to meet you and discuss the various dimensions of cultural regeneration. The Goddess of Morgantina will be on display in the Italian pavilion – the Sicilian region.