The other day I had a chance to get a (funny and cleverly made)
insight into the work of art conservators; Polish art conservators, I should specify, as it must make a difference - I can't imagine that, say, German ones have even half the fun!
The occasion - a result of this one - got me thinking again about why we're ready to put so many resources, time and thought into rescuing, preserving, conserving or, more appropriately in this case, restoring things that we could simply* recreate.
One possible answer goes: the reason is obvious, emotional and not worth further explanation -we simply feel differently when we are in contact with objects that have a track record (and a high price), objects that have been toched, seen, used by peple of old; and if the track record is international, turbulent or glamorous, the feeling increases. And that's the end of the argument.
But I in the case of objects of art, there must be more at work.
After all in art the material carrier should be of secondary significance. Isn't art's core the vision, the idea, the thought? If we can give to a vision a new, longer-lasting body rather that spend a fortune on patching up the old one, why shouldn't we?
Once we've recorded, re-discovered, sometimes even grasped a vision, it's safe. We shouldn't worry too much about the particular, original piece of matter through which it was expressed. We could at ease, it would seem, dispose of the old worn-out, cracked, faded stuff and replace it with some brand-new. So why is re-creation merely the second-best option?
Because, deep down, we know that objects of art belong to a cult. We feel that they have been made special by their closeness to something that inspires awe. They are like furnishigs of a temple. Each of them has been consecrated - the whole of it: the matter and what it expresses, i.e. its the soul - through being made in a god's presence and with a god's involvement. Lack of respect for any part of it would mean lack of respect for the cult - and thus for the god. Conservators are those who, on behalf on all worshipers, confirm their respect for that which is consecrated.
They are the Levites in a temple where Artists are the priests. And the cult is that of Art, a minor god, which itself is a mere shadow of another one.
*OK - I give it to you - not so simlply
The occasion - a result of this one - got me thinking again about why we're ready to put so many resources, time and thought into rescuing, preserving, conserving or, more appropriately in this case, restoring things that we could simply* recreate.
One possible answer goes: the reason is obvious, emotional and not worth further explanation -we simply feel differently when we are in contact with objects that have a track record (and a high price), objects that have been toched, seen, used by peple of old; and if the track record is international, turbulent or glamorous, the feeling increases. And that's the end of the argument.
But I in the case of objects of art, there must be more at work.
After all in art the material carrier should be of secondary significance. Isn't art's core the vision, the idea, the thought? If we can give to a vision a new, longer-lasting body rather that spend a fortune on patching up the old one, why shouldn't we?
Once we've recorded, re-discovered, sometimes even grasped a vision, it's safe. We shouldn't worry too much about the particular, original piece of matter through which it was expressed. We could at ease, it would seem, dispose of the old worn-out, cracked, faded stuff and replace it with some brand-new. So why is re-creation merely the second-best option?
Because, deep down, we know that objects of art belong to a cult. We feel that they have been made special by their closeness to something that inspires awe. They are like furnishigs of a temple. Each of them has been consecrated - the whole of it: the matter and what it expresses, i.e. its the soul - through being made in a god's presence and with a god's involvement. Lack of respect for any part of it would mean lack of respect for the cult - and thus for the god. Conservators are those who, on behalf on all worshipers, confirm their respect for that which is consecrated.
They are the Levites in a temple where Artists are the priests. And the cult is that of Art, a minor god, which itself is a mere shadow of another one.
*OK - I give it to you - not so simlply
