Specialisation: Conservation theory and ethics

Thesis: Harming Works of Art: The Challenges of Contemporary Conceptions of the Artwork

Works of art pose not only technical but also philosophical problems about conservation decision-making and intervention. Do-no-harm may be considered a foundational principle, guiding and limiting conservation practice by asserting the avoidance of harmful acts. My research examines how contemporary conceptions of the artwork may articulate harm and do-no-harm in the context of conservation. It focuses on the identification of conceptual kinds of harm to artworks rather than only material ones, and on the ethical justification of substitution and recreation as conservation practices.