Visual Integrity in Living Monuments

the historic gardens of Roberto Burle Marx

Abstract

Vegetation is the essence of the historic garden and thus the conservation actions need to guarantee integrity and authenticity considering the life cycle of the plant and, consequently, the periodic substitutions of species. Although, for the work of art in general, integrity is directly associated with the authenticity of the material, in the historical garden this relationship does not happen in the same way due to its condition of ephemeral work of art - perishable and renewable. The authenticity of a work of art is directed to the condition of genuine as opposed to false or copied, while integrity is linked to the meaning of continuity and honesty as opposed to fragmented and destroyed. The concept of integrity for the historic garden is still in its embryonic stage, which is why the notion of visual integrity of the cultural asset, proposed by Jukka Jokilehto, was adopted, linking it to the vegetation component under the lens of the aesthetic aspects represented in a given place. The thesis is defended that the visual integrity of the historic garden does not depend on the authenticity of the vegetation component [matter] since the new species have plastic attributes compatible with those of the original project. This may include the restoration action in which, according to Cesare Brandi, what is restored is the image and not the matter. In this way, the objective was to debate the concept of visual integrity in the historic garden, as well as to elaborate a verification methodology directed to the construction of the phytochronology and palimpsest of the vegetation component, testing it in two historic gardens that were designed in 1935 by the landscaper Roberto Burle Marx: Praça Euclides da Cunha and Praça de Casa Forte, which are recognized as national cultural heritage. With this, it was reached the understanding that the visual integrity of a historic garden is one that allows the specialist to perceive and feel an aesthetic emotion provided by the idea of whoever designed it - which guarantees the authenticity of the creation - however, it does not depend on the authenticity of the matter, of the vegetable itself. With the verification of the visual integrity of these squares, it
was noticed the presence of artistic evocation that is not found in other types of gardens. They are distinct gardens, with personality, full of meanings and which make it possible to integrate human beings into their history in a simple manner, natural and effective way at the same time.