Location: Gravina in Puglia, Metropolitan City of Bari, Italy
Season: August 13, 2025 to August 23, 2025
Session Dates: August 13 - 23, 2025
Application Deadline: July 15, 2025
Deadline Type: Contact for Details
Website: https://messors.com/
Program Type:
Field School
RPA Certified:
No
Project Director:
Tonio Creanza
Project Description:
The Messors organization offers a short course in Fine Art, Paper and Cultural Landscape conservation in the rich cultural and historical settings of the Puglia and Basilicata regions of Southern Italy. The course is complemented by seminars on Art History and Geomorphological Studies. The course also includes several site visits, including visits to the archeological site of Botromagno (Gravina in Puglia), Sassi of Matera (Unesco World Heritage site), a visit to the rupestrian churches and museums, Itria Valley.
The course is led by Tonio Creanza, director of Messors; guest lectures and hands-on work sessions will be given by chemist/conservator Bia Fonseca and conservator Joana Diniz.
Period(s) of Occupation: 6th-century BCE - 19th-century CE
Project Size: 1-24 participants
Minimum Length of Stay for Volunteers: all period
Minimum Age: 18
Experience Required: No prerequisites required. This program offers an excursus into the multifaceted realm of art conservation, spanning traditional mediums like paintings and paper artworks to the broader context of safeguarding cultural landscapes. The short course is open to students in conservation and cultural heritage enthusiasts who want to deepen their understanding of conservation principles and acquire practical skills. Participants are introduced to conservation techniques and methodologies, unravelling the balance between artistry and conservation ethics. The hands-on studio work session includes cleaning, repairing, acidity, environmental factors, and preventive measures to conserving diverse artworks. Through field trips and lectures, attendees will explore the significance of preserving cultural landscapes and historic sites reflecting human history, preserving community identities, and maintaining harmony with the natural environment. The session begins with an introduction to the principles, standards, and guidelines for art conservation and restoration, followed by practical hands-on experience, excursions, and lectures. Lectures andpaintings and paper artworks conservation procedures are conducted in our studio located in the main piazza in Gravina‘s centro storico. The Cultural Landscape Conservation workshop session offers a comprehensive exploration of the field and encourages reflection on sustainable preservation practices and strategies. We'll analyze the heritage values of a rupestrian site, the evolution of the preservation project to date, and explore its potential for educational activities and promotion of local agro-pastoral products and sustainable land use. Activities include traditional cheese-making in the historic site. We will focus on retaining the site's heritage while planning infrastructure to facilitate cross-disciplinary fieldwork for conservation procedures. We will explore the significance of olive groves in shaping Mediterranean culture, including their historical landscape values and role in olive oil production. This session offers insights into landscape evolution, sustainable rural landscape engineering, and methodologies for recognizing olive oil quality.
Room and Board Arrangements:
Shared room occupancy accommodation in historical palazzo; 3 meals per day. Transportation from an to Bari airport (BRI) and field trips. Cost: approx $1900 USD per week (see brochure for details).
