Trust and “Oral Tradition” as a Proposed Strategy for the Conservation of Performance Art

Ruth del Fresno-Guillem
Electronic Media Review, Volume Seven: 2021-2022

ABSTRACT

The proposed talk is based on work-in-progress research on the Conservation of Performance Art. In this research, one goal is to understand oral tradition and cultural transmission, studying contemporary Indigenous artists and their link to the Indigenous tradition. Performance Art is an art manifestation non based in objects and involves humans, space and time. Some strategies developed for its conservation are based on documentation, but there are all kinds of Performances, and each would need different strategies. Although the conservation community is opening its arms to inclusive approaches, it is based on colonialism and western foundations. In this research, the focus is to study, analyze, and evaluate conservation strategies for performance-based artworks and learn what can be added to the already exciting research and how we can make it inclusive. The study is interested in learning from other cultures, specifically from Canadian Indigenous artists and art professionals. How can we be, as contemporary art conservators, more open-minded and inclusive? The idea is to open the conversation and include their point of view, understanding what Oral Transmission can add to the conservation of Performance Art.

Using the example of Tino Sehgal and his non-documentation-based transmission, this research is interested in deep diving in the possibilities that Trust could offer to conservation. Can we create a conservation strategy and protocols based on Trust? If yes, how would the art community embrace a non-material strategy? Integration of other cultural approaches, inclusivity and flexibility are the base of this research. Study the concept of Trust from the perspective of Indigenous culture and also evaluate how Trust could be (or not) included in the biography of artworks, including the economic transactional system.

AUTHOR

Ruth del Fresno-Guillem
Art Conservator and Awareness Raiser, Freelance
Ruth del Fresno Integral Art Services, Richmond Hill, Canada