Investigating REpair

Repair Defined

by Ewa Podgórska

TO REPAIR IS TO:

REPAIR WHAT?

SUBJECT/OBJECT:

REPAIR HOW?

REPAIR CAN:

align

REPAIR A:

REPAIR SOMETHING...

behavior

admit guilt

enhance

damage

broken

bodies (body & mind

adhere

extend

dent

changed

systems and parts)

apologize

help

disfunction

corroded

feelings & emotions

clarify

hinder

fix

fissure

crumbled

(dignity, self respect)

cover

improve

heal

flaw

crushed

inanimate objects

explain

inadequate

improve

fracture

damaged

memories

express since reregret

inappropriate

mend

harm

decaying

norms

fill-in

make relevant

nurse back to life

hole

dismantled

relationship

join

return functionality

offer consolation

imperfection

fallen

(individual,

mitigate

simplify

injury

fragmented

communities,

offer reparations

upgrade

rip

inadequate

nations)

patch (up)

welcomed

ruin

incomplete

reputations

plug

rupture

malfunctioning

rules

re-cover

reconstruct

scratch

mutated

re-stich

redeem

slit

splintered

reconcile

reform

tear

unhinged

recover

rehabilitate

trauma

reglue

renovate

wound

saw-back

balance complete correct fit

offer reconciliation offer reparation overhaul put-back-together readjust

restore retrieve reveal reweave salvage service set tighten troubleshoot tune up

skim stick stitch

Time Heals all Wounds? Or the Pitfalls of Repair Repair as Restoration That Wipes Away the Past

by Ewa Podgórska

“What happens when our inherited assumptions about the past come into contact with layers of accumulated myth?”1

What if an attempt at repair results in something inadequate, inappropriate, or simply unwanted? This was the case with the restoration of a statue of the Black Madonna at the Chartres Cathedral in France. This venerated 16th century wooden icon has been cleaned to reveal a white figure. Critics state that this simple act of restoration has erased cultural memory and undermined the centuries-long cult of the Black Madonna.

Questions remain: • was the restoration of the cherished icon necessary or would it be better to allow for the statue to continue accumulating dust? An art critic claimed that there is “no reason to be nostalgia or romantic about the dirt.”1 • when attempting a repair, should one strive for perfection? Were there too many layers of dust stripped from the statue, and would less aggressive or less revealing intervention be better?

• is returning to the past/original state appropriate when no one remembers such a state?

• to which point in time should one return? The restoration team at the Chartres Cathedral has worked on the entire building and left a few of the stained-glass windows uncleaned to show the “improvement” done to the space.

Footnotes: 1. Ramm, Benjamin. “A Controversial Restoration That Wipes Away the Past.” New York Times, September 1, 2017. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/01/arts/design/chartres-cathedralrestoration-controversial.html.

Image source: top: Chartres Cathedral in France. Digital image. The Great Courses. https://www. thegreatcoursesplus.com/worlds-greatest-churches/chartres-cathedral. middle & bottom: Frankenberg, Roberto. Statues of Chartres Madonna. Digital images. https://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/01/arts/design/chartres-cathedral-restorationcontroversial.html.

Time Heals all Wounds? Or the Pitfalls of Repair Repair as Restoration That Wipes Away the Past

by Ewa Podgórska

Anyone attempting a repair must be prepared to face the unpredictable process and/or result. The restoration of the Dodge’s Palace by Jorge Otero-Pailos, not only cleaned the structure, but resulted in an acclaimed exhibition and prompted more such notable commissions by the architect, including one at Westminster Abbey in London.

The silicone by-product of his restoration of the palace is not unlike the skin that is shed by some animals, including snakes. The process of ecdysis allows snakes to grow and to get rid of parasites that might have attached to their skin, not unlike the pollution removed from the walls of the Dodge’s Palace and Westminster Abbey.

However, as in the case of the Chartres Cathedral, not all restoration is positive. For example, the recent work on Pompeii’s Villa of the Mysteries is another example of a contended restoration, this time of art. A visitor to this ancient site is taken by surprise when greeted by a bright and perfectly repainted ancient interior. The saturated frescoes seem almost blinding and out of place.

It is undeniable that the restoration team of Pompeii’s Villa of the Mysteries spent immeasurable time and effort to meticulously return the frescoes to their original glory. Seeing the result, one may wonder if striving for perfection is the correct path. At the same time, there may be instances where perfect copies may be appropriate. For example, Warsaw’s Old Town, completely leveled by the Nazis during World War II, was rebuilt to resemble the original. It stands in its perfectly replicated glory to remind the world of the (almost) lost heritage.

Image sources: top left: Westminster Abbey, London. Digital image. http://www.oteropailos.com/the-ethics-of-dust-westminster-hall/3vg5u7bd7trub7bv9hnmvubw4e5ojm. top right: Snake Skin 002. Digital Image. https://www.deviantart.com/z0mbies0up/art/ snake-skin-002-128245336. bottom left: Warsaw Old Town, Poland. Ditigal image. https://www.myguidewarsaw.com/ things-to-do/old-town---starowka. bottom right: Villa of the Mysteries, Pompeii. Digital image. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/. news/article-3004498/Italy-shows-restored-Pompeii-villa-EU-deadline-looms.html.

Repair as restoration is a highly debated topic, and no matter the decision, it will always draw criticism. The Venice Charter’s definition should always be considered. It states that the “aim is to preserve and reveal the aesthetic and historic value of the monument.”1

Footnote Wong, Liliane. Adaptive Reuse: Extending the Lives of Buildings. Basel: Birkhauser, 2017, 98.

To REpair is to REtrieve, to REveal?

Stripping the Layers to Uncover the Essence

by Ewa Podgórska

“I think broken things have such a sad beauty. After years

of stories and triumph and tragedy infused into them, they

can be much more romantical than new things that haven’t

lived at all”1

Anne of Green Gables What if a repair is meant to reveal the essence of a building or object, and not return it to its original perfect state, but rather showcase the patina of time? The architects behind the Palais de Tokyo extension did exactly that, stripping the layers of the building to show the rough and raw carcass of the structure. The intervention is minimal, just enough to allow the structure to be safe and function as an art venue.

Similar examples include the Hedmark Museum in Norway and Museo Castelvechio in Verona, Italy.

This reminds me of the whale bones atop the roof of Rezno Pianos’ CA Academy of Sciences. These bones, left on the roof by the scientists, to naturally degrease, make me think of the museum building. It is an excellent example of a building that reveals and glorifies its otherwise hidden structure.

Footnotes: 1. Anne with an E. Directed by Niki Caro. Canada: Northwood Entertainment,Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), 2017. Netflix, 60min.

Image sources: top: Palais de Tokyo, Paris. Ditigal image. https://www.architectural-review.com/today/palais-de-tokyo-rejuvenated-in-paris-by-lacaton-and-vassal/8630777.article. bottom left: CA Academy of Sciences, San Francisco. Digital image. https://www.calacademy.org/exhibits/living-roof. bottom right: Hedmark Museum, Norway. Digital image. https://goo.gl/images/oxe3PA. opposite page: Museo Castelvechio, Verona. Digital image. https://goo.gl/images/gvYh25.

Not Worth (repair) Unworthy (of repair) Worth (repair) Too Precious (to repair)

by Ewa Podgórska

“There is one advantage to having nothing, it never needs repair”1

Frank Howard Clark Not everything that breaks is worthy of repair. We repair things that mean something, that possess value, whether monetary, intangible, or otherwise. An entity may not be worth repairing or may be unworthy of repair. The City Palace of Berlin was destroyed during WWII, and deemed unworthy of repair by the Soviets (it represented monarchy rule.) Now, it is undergoing another transformation. The remnant of the Soviet past has been removed, and parts of the original facade are being restored to the former glory, under a new name, the Humboldtforum.

The Dresden Castle complex, also badly damaged during the war, was also seen as unworthy of repair under Soviet Rule, but was eventually restored. It now houses the biggest collection of treasures in Europe.

Valuables such as jewelry are often restored. There are instances, however, when an item is too precious to be repaired. This is often the case with acclaimed art pieces. Who decides or who should decide about the worthiness behind repair?

Footnotes: 1. The STANDS4 Network. “Definitions for Repair.” definitions.net. https://www.definitions. net/definition/repair.

Image sources: top: Lake, Quintin. Inner Courtyard of Dresden Castle. https://quintinlake.photoshelter.com/ image/I0000a6V_5Rd4cL4. bottom left & right: City Palace, Berlin. Online image. https://goo.gl/images/QG4ySP. opposite page left: Broken pearl necklace. Online image. https://goo.gl/images/zgEUEr. opposite page right: Rothko, No. 210. Online image. https://goo.gl/images/Qv18JQ.