-
Ethics of conservation
Introduction to ethics and problems in contemporary practice..
What are ethics and why do we need them in conservation?
1) a set of moral principals
2) the science of morals in human conduct• Ethics are essentially systems which allow the classification of human behavior as “good” or “bad”
• They provide a means of evaluating actions and their consequences
• Ethical conservation is conservation work that takes into account all the potential for good and bad, evaluates the options, and ends in taking a
decision based on the greatest possible good -
3 odpovede/odpovedí
-
There is a tendency to equate ethics with morals and morals with some sort of universal, objective truth. It has been realized that ‘Truth’ does not exist in the absolute sense in the context of conservation – no such comforting certainty exists. (However, it has taken a long time for this idea to sink in…)
The search for truth may be seen as the first identifiable aim or ethical concept in conservation – Renaissance collectors wished for restoration to bring about the revelation of the ‘true’ nature of the antique objects they collected.
The earliest statements made against restoration of a master’s work were based around the idea that modern craftsmen could not hope to match the work of the master – their ‘corrections’ would not be ‘true’ and would obscure the appreciation of the ‘original’. The discussions about what ‘truth’ was in terms ofbuildings in the 19th century were the first major ethical debates in restoration.
The search for ‘truth’ and the development of the field of conservation runs parallel to the development of modern science. Science has often been perceived as a way of getting to the ‘truth’ of things – clearly, the temptation to apply this method of thought to conservation was too big to resist.
The idea of ‘scientific conservation’, practice where actions are taken on the basis of facts (truth) has been one of the most compelling ideas in conservation in the 20th century.
As we now know, the eye CAN be deceived. In fact, perception is learned.
So are unconscious preferences for color harmonies, lighting conditions,
horizontals vs. verticals, etc. which all interact with the innate genetic preferences for shape and form.The will to ‘truth’ is so strong that it was still mentioned in codes of ethics
as late as the 1980s – the obligation of a conservator was to reveal the ‘true
nature’ of an object.
– UKIC (United Kingdom Institute for Conservations) 1983
– NZPCG (New Zealand Paintings Conservation Group) 1988Conservation ethics enable us only to demonstrate, at best, that we have tried our best to make an informed, educated decision, within our own particular socio-historical context.
That we have TRIED to find the TRUTH of our situation:
– provide protection for ourselves
– provide protection for the objects being treated
– provide protection for the stakeholders
who have interest in the objectLecture in conservation UIO
-
Summary: the progression in ethic thought (the Renaissance to the 19th Century)
• 16th century – Recognition of the work of a master (along with the desire to present material in the most authentic form possible). In circulation, as a concept, by at least by the 16th century.
• 18th century – Recognition of the misleading nature of forgeries and need to avoid obscuring original material with restoration. Caylus, Wincklemann,
Edwards.• 19th century – Recognition of the value inherent in the material aspect of a historical work, not just in its aesthetic aspect. Popularized with Ruskin.
• 19th century – recognition of the value of historic accretions (Boito). Popularized with Morris and SPAB.
• late 19th century – recognition of the effects of work undertaken.
-
(Some of) the important Concepts
• First THE ORIGINAL – history of art (Renaissance)
• Then THE MATERIAL – history of technology, archaeology (late 18th century)
• Then THE HISTORICAL – cultural history (19th century)
• Then PERPETUITY (the long term) – nationalism the future
• Then CONSENSUS – the first code of ETHICS, AIC
‘Standards of practice and professional relationships for conservators’ in 1963 – now, many codes of ethics exist, which are generally accompanied by
‘Codes of Practice’.• Now, all of this is under REVISION and REXAMINATION…
Log in to reply.