Spanish Mural

Susanne Traub <s.traub1 [at] gmx__de> writes

>John Greenwood <john.greenwood [at] canberra__edu__au> writes
>
>>...
>>...  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. ...
>>...
>>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.

Not having had first hand knowledge of the circumstances, I cannot
comment on this one case, but for me it brings up the issue of
volunteer help in the Heritage sector. I feel indebtedness towards
all those volunteers who keep open heritage sites against the odds
in this financial climate, they deserve recognition.

I do have experience of real damage caused to collections and the
fabric of historic buildings by dreadful management decisions, made
by volunteers. This happened through a lack of supervising managers
trained in conservation practices, and through failing to entertain
the notion that perhaps it would be sensible to pay for professional
advice.

A voluntary association without any relevant experience or training
on the board were let loose on a historic site and made these
hubristic decisions with the tacit support of the Body which was
holding this site in Trust for the local people who gifted the site.
This Body is therefore responsible for the damage.

I think volunteers should be given thanks, respect and recognition,
but the artefacts and buildings they are safeguarding deserve even
greater respect than any one individual's ego because they are an
irreplaceable truthful record and resource of the past, and we are
all just passing through. UNESCO reports that for societies who have
suffered devastating loss, as soon as the survivors have emergency
shelter, safety and food, their concern is to protect the tangible
and intangible heritage which proves their unique identity in the
world. It is the reference point which gives them dignity and
self-respect when they have lost everything else. That is why I
became a conservator and hoped it might be useful work and great
volunteers I have worked alongside also see this, and are thrilled
to be effectual without causing damage.

Patricia Hughes
Conservator
Albion Conservation Consultancy,
California/Scotland


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 26:17
                Distributed: Friday, September 14, 2012
                       Message Id: cdl-26-17-005
                                  ***