Making marks, changing values: The contemporary significance of graffiti at historic sites (AHRC/ English Heritage CDA in Archaeology)

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

This project aims to further explore and research examples of historic graffiti across English Heritage sites, with a particular focus on the north of England, with the aim of creating a catalogue of graffiti across the region. This project and subsequent research will become increasingly crucial and is a timely intervention, as examples of graffiti have been increasingly valued and shown to be of high socio-historic importance, revealing histories and stories that may have previously been hidden from historical narratives. Through the research of graffiti examples across the English Heritage portfolio, this project aims to create a classification and typology of graffiti from sites of all periods. Although this project aims to focus on sites across the north of England, it is hoped that this research will help to better understand the national picture and develop assets and methodologies that can be used to inform interpretation across other sites through the creation of a transferable research framework. In recent years, research has increasingly focused on assisting those responsible for historic building conservation with evaluation methods for determining whether historic graffiti is worthy of protection. By researching specific examples of historic graffiti, the project aims to work towards creating a greater understanding of the historic and contemporary significance of graffiti, which could in turn help to inform conservation practice across the region and further afield. The project aims to address questions of value in relation to examples of historic graffiti and mark making, which then hopes to help inform guidance around protection, resilience and the recording of examples of historic graffiti. The protection of important examples of historic graffiti is key, as written on the English Heritage website: 'Even our breath can impact on graffiti, within a few minutes, a group of people within a single cell breathing warm, moist air into the space can significantly change the overall environment. A hand put on to steady yourself can dislodge lime-wash flakes. If a shoulder bag scuffs the wall, it can lead a line of loss in its wake.' (English Heritage)This raises questions on the preservation of examples of historic graffiti: which examples are the most worthy of conservation efforts and what are the best methods to do this? How can you then show and reveal these important marks of history to the public - and encourage visitor participation - without causing further damage to them? The Richmond Cell Block Project, for example, has looked at how to increase public access in a controlled manner whilst also looking for ways to solve conservation challenges and protect the graffiti itself.Public interaction with historic graffiti can lead to further questions around conservation and preservation, such as how can you preserve historic graffiti whilst encouraging visitors to not leave more graffiti? How do you communicate these messages to visitors and the general public? Kelburn Castle, a 13th Century Castle in Ayrshire, was covered in a graffiti mural by Brazilian street artists in 2007 with permission from the site's owner, the Earl of Glasgow. It was later lauded as one of the world's top ten examples of street art by author and designer Tristan Manco but also caused damage to the original castle walls, thus, asking the question: are examples of historic graffiti acceptable but not modern graffiti and, if so, why? (BBC, 2012)Historic graffiti can provide information on past lives, whilst also providing information on how particular spaces have been used and valued over time. The project proposes that there is 'a human aspect to the unofficial and unsanctioned act of creating graffiti and the appropriation of a small part of a building by 'mark making'. Graffiti has the potential to reveal new stories which may not have been revealed through more traditional and conventional methods.