Cultural redemption: an exploration of the psychological dimensions of visual art restoration within post-traumatic culture
Date
2011-05-25
Authors
Howse, Jeannine
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Abstract
In this research report I explore the role of visual art restoration as a form of
cultural redemption. My temporal focus is the post-traumatic moment in
contemporary culture, and the process I am trying to make visible through the idea
of restoration is the containment of loss. This process is redemptive in the sense
that it saves the artwork from defect or loss through the expenditure of effort.
Speaking out of a post-colonial context, I focus primarily on the psychological
impulse in Western restoration practice. While the impulse to conserve objects of
cultural value is not limited to Western society, Western practice is my central
concern. In my analysis therefore, I make use of different Western discursive
histories and philosophies to examine this process and its cultural engagement.
These include complex issues around value, trauma, and the therapeutic potential
of art. My argument is centred around the psychological aspects of the traumatic
crisis of loss. I examine how trauma impacts on the individual to throw some
light on the manifestation of this crisis on a social level within the collective. This
application of psychotherapy relates to the notions of collective guilt and the
working through of loss as presented by Alexander and Margarete Mitscherlich in
The Inability to Mourn (1967/1975), where they explore how the psychological
functions in similar ways on both levels.
My analysis is motivated by personal interest in art restoration and my own
artistic practice. Through my research it became evident to me that very little has
been written about restoration beyond its technical and historical range. It is
important to note that a limited scope of relevant literature is available locally.
Much more regarding the field of restoration is available overseas, as there has
been increased interest in this field and the far-reaching after effects of restoration
in recent times. Books, journals, and papers addressing the technical aspects of
restoration abound. Yet while the technical is imperative for the continued
development of restoration practice, it is equally necessary to explore the role this
process has in wider psychological and cultural terms. In this research report I
hope to present a start to understanding the effect of restoration within the wider
cultural moment.