Disaster Response and Recovery – Page 8 – AIC Blog Archives: Conservators Converse

Blue Shield Statement on Syria

Following the recent events in Syria, the U.S. Committee of the Blue Shield expresses its deep concern regarding the safeguarding of the country’s invaluable cultural and historical heritage. The Blue Shield also deplores the suffering and loss of life during this conflict.

Read the full press release 110517_FINAL_BS_Statement_Syria[1]

Settlement reached in Ascalon Case

Previous posts summarized the opinions of conservators about the case ASCALON v. DEPARTMENT OF PARKS AND RECREATION, et al. A settlement has been reached and is available on the blog run by the Ascalon family.

David Ascalon’s sculpture will be restored in accordance with his original vision. This is a triumph for the artist, for VARA, and for conservators.

Eric Ascalon communicated to me by e-mail:

I hope the publicity the case has generated has helped raise awareness and educate art consumers and commissioning entities about VARA. As awareness of this law increases, where an artist’s moral rights would otherwise be at risk, perhaps a potential violator will give pause. Furthermore, I hope that with increase awareness, commissioning entities will be more likely to leave art conservation to professionals.

Discussions about The Visual Artist’s Rights Act (VARA) continues, as in this article recently in the Huffington Post.

“In Haiti: Rescuing Art Amid the Rubble”

AIC Members Rosa Lowinger and Viviana Dominguez recently deployed to Haiti to assess the murals at The Cathedral of Sainte Trinité. Read about their trip in Lowinger’s article for the Gallerina blog at the wnyc.org/culture website.

One of the more poignant quotes from the article:

So, one afternoon, in the rubble-strewn courtyard of Ste. Trinité, I asked architect Magdalena Carmelita Douby, the project’s registrar, about local attitudes towards our somewhat unusual rescue effort. Her answer came without hesitation: ‘We have lost everything except our culture,’ she said calmly. ‘We have to protect what is left.’