My goal in this paper is to investigate the values that underlie different choices regarding the reconstruction of damaged heritage sites. Apparently, to reconstruct something means to recreate it as it was, but what exactly should be recreated, and how, and to what extent? Can perfect replicas be ultimately counter-educational to the way in which people in a society conceive of their own history? And what specific educational value may a damaged site possess as a ruin to be preserved exactly in this state? When considering these questions, I argue, the symbolic meaning of an artefact should play a greater role than theoreticians have allowed. Thus, rather than discussing the degree of authenticity of potential restitutions, we should look into how our conservational efforts can best educate people about heritage sites and help history relates to the needs of contemporary society
Giombini, L. (2020). Heritage in Danger. On the Educational Value of Ruins and Reconstructions. In Slavka Kopcakova (a cura di), Aesthetics Education and the practice of Aesthetics teaching in the frame of 19th-20th-century European aesthetics thinking. A dialogue between traditional and current concepts (pp. 273-289). Presov (SK) : University of Presov in Presov.
Heritage in Danger. On the Educational Value of Ruins and Reconstructions
Lisa Giombini
2020-01-01
Abstract
My goal in this paper is to investigate the values that underlie different choices regarding the reconstruction of damaged heritage sites. Apparently, to reconstruct something means to recreate it as it was, but what exactly should be recreated, and how, and to what extent? Can perfect replicas be ultimately counter-educational to the way in which people in a society conceive of their own history? And what specific educational value may a damaged site possess as a ruin to be preserved exactly in this state? When considering these questions, I argue, the symbolic meaning of an artefact should play a greater role than theoreticians have allowed. Thus, rather than discussing the degree of authenticity of potential restitutions, we should look into how our conservational efforts can best educate people about heritage sites and help history relates to the needs of contemporary societyI documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
