The Rumor Underneath

A Feminist Approach to Performance-Based Art Conservation

Abstract

The article considers the possibility of adopting a feminist perspective as the theoretical backbone for performance-based art conservation. Starting from the consideration of how a feminist epistemology could support the grounding of a coherent theoretical field for conservation studies, the interesting and yet overlooked intersections between preservation, performance studies and feminist materialism are traced and systematized. The article also proposes some original paths for interweaving feminist materialism and performance-based art conservation considering the concepts of vulnerability and care. In conclusion, the contribution shows how feminist methodology can strengthen a critical and ethical perspective in preservation practices for cultural institutions.