Conference on architectural preservation in Russian - Call for Papers

[Andreas Schonle]

Call for Papers

GLOBAL ASPIRATION AND PASTICHE IDENTITY: ARCHITECTURAL PRESERVATION IN RUSSIA
Inter-disciplinary conference

Queen Mary, University of London

6-7 November 2010

 

Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, major Russian cities have been undergoing rapid development, which has led to unprecedented destruction of the architectural heritage. In two reports and through multiple appeals, the Moscow Architecture Preservation Society has campaigned vigorously to draw attention to the on-going demolition of architectural landmarks, from seventeenth-century mansions to Constructivist masterpieces to grand Stalinist hotels. Owing to the practice of replacing historical buildings with modern structures built in concrete and disguised by a mock façade in historical style, the cityscape of the Russian capital increasingly looks like a theme park. In St Petersburg, mass demolition has not reached these levels, but unsympathetic new building has placed the fabric of the historic city under threat. There is an urgent need to assess the deep-seated historical causes of this state of affairs and to explore new ways to address the situation.


This conference proposes therefore to convene an international group of academics and preservationists to investigate the historical context of this crisis, examine current practices, and identify opportunities for future action. Our premise is that the roots of this crisis lie not only in current political and economic factors, but also in a historical background that needs to be better understood. It is hoped that through multi-disciplinary dialogue between historians, art and architecture historians, anthropologists, literary scholars, and preservationists the contextual embedding of attitudes regarding architectural preservation can be revealed. Particular emphasis will be placed on the Orthodox Church's attitude to the national heritage, as practices with regard to the restoration and reconstruction of churches have arguably set an influential precedent for preservation in contemporary Russia.


Proposals for talks (20-25 min.) that specifically address any of the following themes are particularly welcome:


-. Attitudes toward ruins, conservation, and restoration at various historical junctures

-. Preservation in a global world

-. Preservation, historical consciousness, and nationalist pride

-. Preservation and restoration from the standpoint of the Orthodox Church

-. Contemporary architecture and the national heritage 

-. The culture of sham facades and pastiche buildings: historical background and contemporary realizations

-. Preservation debates as incipient civil society.

 

Short proposals (250 words maximum) should be submitted as an attachment to a.schonle at qmul.ac.uk by Sunday 5 September 2010.

Further information will be available in due course at http://www.sllf.qmul.ac.uk/russian/

The conference is organized by Prof. Andreas Schönle (QMUL) and Prof. Catriona Kelly (Oxford, New College).



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