Article presented at the IIC congress Conservation and Access, London September 2008.
by Will Shank and Debbie Hess Norris
Abstract
Rescue Public Murals (RPM) is the latest initiative undertaken by Heritage Preservation to address the urgent concerns of artists and communities about the preservation of public works of art. While resembling Save Outdoor Sculpture!, an award-winning programme that inventoried 32000 sculptures and resulted in $8 million in support, the efforts of RPM offer considerable differences from established conservation procedures. Vulnerable by nature, outdoor murals are susceptible to the ravages of weather and to interaction with the public at large. Outdoor paint media, protective coatings, and primary supports have a limited life span. Is it sufficient to document the existence of a public mural and allow the original to deteriorate? Is it ethical to allow an artist to repaint earlier work as the neighbourhood changes? RPM is addressing the ethical and preservation challenges presented by these enormous works of art, and validating their importance as a significant artistic and social expression of the past half century.
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SHANK, W and NORRIS, D Giving Contemporary Murals a Longer Life
Important copyright information
This article was presented at the IIC congress Conservation and Access in London from September 15-19, 2008. The text was first published in the IIC 2008 congress preceedings. The permission to publish this article on the INCCA website has kindly been given by the IIC. This article may only be downloaded for personal use. It may not be redistributed. Permission for redistribution must be requested from IIC.