ABSTRACT

This paper explores concepts of changeability, variability, and malleability in the different heritage genres of time-based artworks and utilitarian machinery. Case studies bring to the surface differences in understandings, norms, and boundaries, but also demonstrate similarities between the two areas of practice, showing that they can be viewed as poles of practice within a shared field of theory and practice rather than as separate and unrelated endeavours. The key issues for all communities caring for changeable objects are how to preserve the intangible sensory, cultural, and immersive experiences created by change, and how the practical actions required to maintain this intangible heritage interact with concepts of authenticity, performativity, and intention. This paper explores how these relationships evolve as time and contexts change, and how best practice in the conservation of changeable objects must acknowledge and manage the tension between the activation that preserves intangible, embodied experience, and the static maintenance that preserves the tangible components of an object with minimal physical change. Viewing objects through the lens of change opens the door to the development of a new field of conservation expertise, one focused on the challenges and opportunities presented by an object’s changeable qualities rather than by its original field of use. A lens of change has the capacity to draw together not only those working with time-based artworks and utilitarian machinery but also other communities of people caring for and activating changeable objects, such as horologists, roboticists, musicians, car enthusiasts, people activating historic costumes, and people managing still-active historic utilities such as water and transport infrastructure.

摘要

本文探讨了基于时间的艺术品和实用机械的不同遗产类型中的可变性、可变性和延展性的概念。案例研究揭示了理解、规范和边界的差异，但也展示了两个实践领域之间的相似性，表明它们可以被视为理论和实践共享领域内的实践极点，而不是分离和不相关的努力。所有关心可变物体的社区的关键问题是如何保护由变化产生的无形感官、文化和沉浸式体验，以及维护这种非物质遗产所需的实际行动如何与真实性、表现性和意图的概念相互作用。本文探讨了这些关系如何随着时间和环境的变化而演变，以及保护可变物体的最佳实践必须如何承认和管理保留无形、具身体验的激活与以最小物理变化保留物体的有形组件的静态维护之间的紧张关系。通过变化的镜头观察物体打开了发展新的保护专业领域的大门，专注于物体多变的品质而不是其原始使用领域带来的挑战和机遇。变化的镜头不仅能够将那些使用基于时间的艺术品和实用机械的人聚集在一起，还能将其他关心和激活可变物体的人们聚集在一起，例如钟表学家、机器人专家、音乐家、汽车爱好者、激活历史服装的人们,