Caring for the material world - an essential part of the maintenance of our public realm - is rooted in the profession of conservation. We need to put its values at the heart of policy thinking across a range of areas and open its benefits to the public.
In November, two things happened that might seem unconnected. The first was the removal of the heritage protection bill from the Queen's Speech. Only a week before, a parliamentary written answer revealed that the number of listed buildings on English Heritage's At Risk Register had risen since last year. Clearly, heritage and its conservation had fallen below other considerations.
The second was the launch of the Street Art Awards, which allowed the public to get involved in questions of value. The shortlist was determined by online voting in which the public could "upload photographs of any art that they believe deserves recognition". Those attending on the night of the awards decided the winners. These two events pose important questions about what we value and how we show it.
Demos's pamphlet, It's a Material World, was also launched in November. It argues that caring for the material world has a bearing on issues such as social wellbeing and community. Across time and geography, the choice of what to conserve and how to do it reflects and creates social value.
When Ambrogio Lorenzetti contrasted "good" and "bad" government in his Sienese frescos, he juxtaposed a well-built and cared-for city with one that had crumbling buildings and missing roof tiles; and today, worshippers at the Great Mosque of Djenné in Mali take part in the communal repair of the mud walls in an annual ceremony.
Conservation is a way of thinking and being - it expresses and reinforces social bonds and confirms identity. Conservation and the values on which it is built connect deeply with many of the major challenges we face.
Engagement in conservation can connect people with the public realm and provide a space in which to communicate the many values that shape modern society.
The values of conservation matter in policy areas from communities and cohesion to cultural diplomacy. A good example is the National Trust property, Clandon Park, where public engagement plays a significant role.
In the 19th century, a Maori meeting house, called Hinemihi, was transported to Clandon. It has since acted variously as a grotto and a garden shed. Recently, the trust decided to conserve it as a meeting house. In Maori culture, meeting houses embody gods, and looking after Hinemihi requires using the most up-to-date materials.
The trust worked with the UK's Maori community to conserve Hinemihi, providing a space for others to learn about Maori culture. Hinemihi was not conserved according to an imposed model of authenticity, but through participation based on living values.
The Demos pamphlet recommends that a "material world board" should join together government departments and be made up of conservators, cultural professionals, policy-makers and educators.
Through innovation and research, conservation has relevance to the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. The Textile Conservation Centre, for example, has researched the longevity of man-made fibres, while Tate has jointly led research into the stability of household paints. Conservation can also teach us about the ills of wastage, helping to break the habits of a throwaway society.
In all this, we need professional conservators. And there's the rub. Recently, several of the UK's conservation courses have faced closure. As with the bumping of the heritage bill, this could be the thin end of the wedge. Action must be taken now to protect conservation education and to demonstrate the value that conservation can bring.
Conservators must be supported and championed within museums and heritage. But conservators must also lead change and reflect new values themselves by bringing the public into decision making - as was done in the Street Art Awards.
Conservation juries could be set up to provide conservators with different public values and to give the public access to professional expertise. Juries would not have the final say, but would offer perspectives that could be reflected in the conservation process.
As the Street Art Awards demonstrate, caring for and celebrating material objects gets people excited. Conservation has a wide appeal - 3.5 million tuned into each episode of the TV programme Restoration and 500 volunteers helped to conserve the Cerne Abbas giant.
Conservators can provide the expertise, management and structure for public action. At a time when public understanding of different cultures is of such importance, conservation has much to offer.
Samuel Jones is co-author, with John Holden, of It's A Material World
In November, two things happened that might seem unconnected. The first was the removal of the heritage protection bill from the Queen's Speech. Only a week before, a parliamentary written answer revealed that the number of listed buildings on English Heritage's At Risk Register had risen since last year. Clearly, heritage and its conservation had fallen below other considerations.
The second was the launch of the Street Art Awards, which allowed the public to get involved in questions of value. The shortlist was determined by online voting in which the public could "upload photographs of any art that they believe deserves recognition". Those attending on the night of the awards decided the winners. These two events pose important questions about what we value and how we show it.
Demos's pamphlet, It's a Material World, was also launched in November. It argues that caring for the material world has a bearing on issues such as social wellbeing and community. Across time and geography, the choice of what to conserve and how to do it reflects and creates social value.
When Ambrogio Lorenzetti contrasted "good" and "bad" government in his Sienese frescos, he juxtaposed a well-built and cared-for city with one that had crumbling buildings and missing roof tiles; and today, worshippers at the Great Mosque of Djenné in Mali take part in the communal repair of the mud walls in an annual ceremony.
Conservation is a way of thinking and being - it expresses and reinforces social bonds and confirms identity. Conservation and the values on which it is built connect deeply with many of the major challenges we face.
Engagement in conservation can connect people with the public realm and provide a space in which to communicate the many values that shape modern society.
The values of conservation matter in policy areas from communities and cohesion to cultural diplomacy. A good example is the National Trust property, Clandon Park, where public engagement plays a significant role.
In the 19th century, a Maori meeting house, called Hinemihi, was transported to Clandon. It has since acted variously as a grotto and a garden shed. Recently, the trust decided to conserve it as a meeting house. In Maori culture, meeting houses embody gods, and looking after Hinemihi requires using the most up-to-date materials.
The trust worked with the UK's Maori community to conserve Hinemihi, providing a space for others to learn about Maori culture. Hinemihi was not conserved according to an imposed model of authenticity, but through participation based on living values.
The Demos pamphlet recommends that a "material world board" should join together government departments and be made up of conservators, cultural professionals, policy-makers and educators.
Through innovation and research, conservation has relevance to the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform. The Textile Conservation Centre, for example, has researched the longevity of man-made fibres, while Tate has jointly led research into the stability of household paints. Conservation can also teach us about the ills of wastage, helping to break the habits of a throwaway society.
In all this, we need professional conservators. And there's the rub. Recently, several of the UK's conservation courses have faced closure. As with the bumping of the heritage bill, this could be the thin end of the wedge. Action must be taken now to protect conservation education and to demonstrate the value that conservation can bring.
Conservators must be supported and championed within museums and heritage. But conservators must also lead change and reflect new values themselves by bringing the public into decision making - as was done in the Street Art Awards.
Conservation juries could be set up to provide conservators with different public values and to give the public access to professional expertise. Juries would not have the final say, but would offer perspectives that could be reflected in the conservation process.
As the Street Art Awards demonstrate, caring for and celebrating material objects gets people excited. Conservation has a wide appeal - 3.5 million tuned into each episode of the TV programme Restoration and 500 volunteers helped to conserve the Cerne Abbas giant.
Conservators can provide the expertise, management and structure for public action. At a time when public understanding of different cultures is of such importance, conservation has much to offer.
Samuel Jones is co-author, with John Holden, of It's A Material World
Links
It's A Material World can be downloaded at www.demos.co.uk/publications/materialworld.
The accompanying film can be viewed at www.youtube.com/demostv
It's A Material World can be downloaded at www.demos.co.uk/publications/materialworld.
The accompanying film can be viewed at www.youtube.com/demostv
