Spanish Mural

Restoration? of the Spanish Mural: Speaking out for the octogenarian

    See
    <URL:http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2012/aug/22/spain-church-mural-ruin-restoration>

    **** Moderator's comments: See also
    <URL:http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/aug/24/spain-europe-news?intcmp=239>
    which has a before treatment photo (source not attributed)

Some of you may have seen this news item.  It seems to be currently
going around the newspapers and the digital media.  I find it sad
that the elderly woman who repainted it is being referred to as
unspeakable and she should be condemned.  I feel it does highlight
some very important issues that as conservators we should discuss.
If, as I imagine, the elderly woman was a parishioner in the church
and she loved and cherished the mural, then what she did was done in
good faith.  What is the message that is given by a religious mural,
is it just a piece of art or a representation of what the church is
there for?   There are the issues of ownership and permission but as
a principal, perhaps she was right. I would be interested to hear
the views of fellow conservators.

If there are any Spanish conservators who live nearby then go and
give her a bunch of flowers and show your support for her strength
of feeling and faith.  Perhaps involve her in the tidying up of the
mural, if that is thought necessary and introduce her to the ideas
and practices of conservation.  Never too late to learn.

I look forward to hearing your views

John Greenwood
Senior Lecturer, Cultural Heritage Conservation
Faculty of Arts and Design
University of Canberra
ACT 2601
Australia
+61 2 6201 2693


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 26:15
                 Distributed: Sunday, September 2, 2012
                       Message Id: cdl-26-15-009
                                  ***