Deadline for submission of proposals for research stays extended until 29 June

Territorio Mudéjar is extending the deadline for submitting proposals for the call for five research stays for the study and management of the heritage and natural resources of its villages until Monday 29 June due to the high number of enquiries received in recent days. This is the second edition of these stays, which bear the name of Gonzalo M. Borrás Gualis in homage to the distinguished professor and expert in Mudejar art who died last year. Each of the grants is endowed with 6,000 euros and all of them will be aimed at developing responsible, sustainable and innovative projects that have a direct impact on the rural environment and that favour its visibility and knowledge. Territorio Mudéjar is an initiative promoted by the Diputación de Zaragoza that brings together 34 municipalities to conserve and promote Mudejar art in the province.

Interested parties can submit their ideas until 29 June 2020 at 23.59 pm (CET). Both novice and mid-career researchers and professionals in heritage management with innovative territorial work or projects that also consider responsible and sustainable uses of local resources are eligible to apply. It will also be essential that they contemplate and justify the permanence for a certain period of time in one or more localities of Territorio Mudéjar. Proposals may be in an initial phase, under development, being tested or being implemented, and must demonstrate the direct impact on at least three associated municipalities, as well as their influence on the rest of the territory.

Applicants may apply as individuals or as a research group; they may be at an initial or intermediate stage of their research career or professional activity; and they must provide proof of higher education related to the areas covered by the call and a minimum of two years of research or professional experience, whether paid or unpaid. However, the professional career may be replaced by a master’s degree in areas related to cultural heritage.

With this second call for Gonzalo Borrás Gualis research stays and projects, Territorio Mudéjar has set itself the objective of promoting knowledge of the rural territory from its Mudejar identity through innovative approaches that have a positive impact on the villages and that promote a network of work on the possibilities offered by the resources of the territory and collaborative and interdisciplinary work. It also aims to create dynamics of social participation in the field of heritage. Furthermore, the specific aim is to improve knowledge of the Mudejar as a World Heritage Site and the benefits it brings as an international brand recognised by Unesco.

Five different lines of research

The first of the five areas on which the projects submitted to the call for proposals may focus is New perspectives on Mudejar art, which includes updating data on this heritage in terms of monuments, urban, ethnographic and linguistic aspects, as well as technical languages applied to this style. Geolocation and cartographies are also included, as well as other aspects that allow the scientific base on this artistic style to be broadened.

A second line of research is Mudejar Territory and cultural landscape. It will assess the action of people on heritage resources, social and natural contexts and the interaction and relationship between landscape and monumentality.

The management of cultural heritage is the third area of action, which encompasses new models of uses in heritage management other than tourism or leisure. It also includes studies of physical, economic or intellectual accessibility, as well as future ideas for conservation and intervention in heritage.

New media discourses and knowledge or information for a general public will be the subject of the proposals in Communication and dissemination of Mudejar heritage.

Finally, in Mudejar Heritage and its social function as a key element of territorial development, projects related to social participation in the enhancement and collective construction of new forms of learning, intergenerational experiences, or emotional ties and roots as a basis for the protection and management of heritage will be considered.

Basis of the call: https://www.territoriomudejar.es/estancias-de-investigacion-y-proyectos-2020/

Stays 2019: Contemporary Imaginary of the Mudejar: broadening the view of what it means to be Mudejar and creating a map of the territory through memories and emotions.

The project Contemporary Imaginary of the Mudejar aims to renew the set of symbols and memories associated with this artistic and cultural phenomenon, going beyond mere architectural elements. It proposes an investigation and reflection from an image-centred point of view on the relationships that the inhabitants of these places have maintained not only with the monuments, but also with the landscape, the traditions, the trades or even the construction materials that reflect the true attachment to the territory. This initiative has provided a new look at the already existing visual heritage, creating and integrating a new ‘level’ which, from the present time, is added to the set of references that until now have defined what is understood as Mudejar.

In its first phase, the project has worked on the state of the question by reviewing all the photographic archives produced by different local entities and agents, seeking to construct new stories that help to disseminate the importance of the image for communication in the 21st century and that serve to teach the new visual languages that can be used to transmit a new way of “being Mudejar”.

The second phase of the stay was linked to the Cartografías de Identidades Locales project, selected by the Ministry of Culture and Sport in the 2019 call for projects for Cultural Industries for the company Ad Hoc Gestión Cultural, in the execution of which local photography was collected with neighbourhood groups. The collection activities have been carried out in several localities -Cervera de la Cañada, Belmonte de Gracián and Tobed- but have had resonance in the rest of the Mudejar Territory through the internet and social networks, which has allowed to obtain a ‘feedback’ not only virtually, but also through small displacements and meetings that are helping to “create community”. More info at: https://www.cartografiadeidentidadesrurales.es/

This research has concluded, among other things, that it is necessary to develop a specific methodology for collecting family images in rural areas in order to recover the history and “intrahistory” of the communities and to try to “professionalise” the cataloguing process. The study also points out that the concept of vernacular/popular photography should be overcome as a mere instrument of documentation and memory and understood as an instrument for building identity and projecting specific values into the future. Furthermore, it opens the door to building a network between municipalities that allows the exchange of knowledge of the images, comparing them, finding similarities and reinforcing the sense of identity of the Mudejar territory. And also to establish and strengthen the link between the citizens and the Mudejar heritage by appealing to the common history.

LINE OF RESEARCH. It can be framed in a double line of research (1) New views on Mudejar art and (5) Heritage from its social function

THE AUTHOR. Irene Ruiz holds a PhD in Art History, a degree in Fine Arts with a specialisation in photography, a technical architect, a master’s degree in restoration and a diploma in business studies. She is currently a post-doctoral researcher at the Department of Architecture and Design of the Politecnico di Torino, a job she combines with her work as a professional photographer. More info: https://polito.academia.edu/IreneRuiz

2019 Residencies: Mudejar Heritage and Learning, the pedagogical material: knowing the heritage to value it and devise rural development models

A multidisciplinary team of seven researchers has developed the research stay Landscape, cultural heritage and depopulation, which consists of the development of school materials that allow secondary school students to work in the classroom on the relationship between depopulation and cultural heritage in the villages of Territorio Mudéjar. The aim is for students to acquire skills that enable them to understand and value this heritage and to be able to formulate models and proposals for rural development that will enable them to tackle depopulation.

The materials are available in open access so that they can be used by other educational centres, thus promoting knowledge of Mudejar heritage outside the towns that form part of the Mudejar Territory. They can be accessed at: https://paisaje-patrimonio-cultural-y-despoblacin-cmzgz.hub.arcgis.com/

These materials introduce the use of ICT in the classroom, with tools similar to those already in widespread use in the professional world, and provide students with a tool for geographical analysis to work on the curricular content of the subject of Geography. Moreover, they are an educational resource that favours methodological and didactic renewal and the teacher can adapt them to the characteristics of his or her group or to specific students. All this with an online accompaniment, support and training in the use and development of this application during the course.

The materials produced are presented on a website organised into sections. On the one hand, there are multimedia applications on a specific thematic content that have been developed with Story Map Cascade, a template that allows combining narrative text, maps, images and multimedia content. In each application there are interactive maps to work with different layers of information and with activities and instructions for students. In addition, there are field project viewers for planning, capturing, analysing and presenting different field projects on intangible heritage, natural heritage, cultural heritage and landscape types. Finally, short explanatory videos on interactive maps and their tools have been added.

This project for Secondary completes Territorio Mudéjar’s initiative for Primary Education called “Rural school as the beginning of the circle” with which we want to introduce the way of working with heritage into the curricula of rural schools. The aim is for pupils to learn about and value the heritage that surrounds them and thus reinforce their roots and identity in their territory.

LINE OF RESEARCH (2) Mudejar Territory and cultural landscape

THE AUTHORS:

  • Carlos Guallart Moreno, coordinator of the project, graduate in Geography and History, master’s degree in Territorial and Environmental Organisation, Santa María del Pilar school (Zaragoza).
  • Noelia Cuartero Latorre, degree in Geography and Territorial Planning from the University of Zaragoza.
  • María Felisa Ferraz Gracia, PhD in Information and Documentation, Colegio Sagrado Corazón de Jesús (Zaragoza).
  • María Laguna Marín-Yaseli, PhD in Geography, Colegio El Salvador (Zaragoza).
  • Alfredo Ollero Ojeda, PhD in Geography, Zaragoza University
  • Beatriz Rodrigo Garza, BA in Art History and MA in Cultural Heritage Management, teacher at IES La Azucarera (Zaragoza).
  • Javier Velilla Gil, graduate in Geography and History and high school teacher at IES El Portillo (Zaragoza).

More info:
www.estancias2019mudejaryaprendizaje.territoriomudejar.es

Stays 2019: Mudejar World Heritage 3D: digital graphic documentation and scholarly dissemination to revalue Mudejar architecture

The Mudejar World Heritage 3D project is a multidisciplinary initiative that proposes two complementary actions aimed at the revaluation of Mudejar heritage. On the one hand, a digital inventory has been carried out of several buildings and their virtual reconstruction using a combination of 3D scanning, photogrammetry and flight recording techniques – the Collegiate Church of Santa María in Calatayud, the church of Santa Tecla in Cervera de la Cañada, the church of the Virgin of Tobed, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the church of the Virgin of Tobed, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the church of La Virgen de Tobed, declared UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which have completed a previous work carried out by the research group on the church of San Félix de Torralba and to which a previous phase of work on the church of Santas Justa y Rufina de Maluenda has been added. On the other hand, the materials have been designed to bring data collection and analysis techniques and technologies closer to the school environment in the villages of Territorio Mudéjar. The first action, of a scientific nature, has allowed the virtual reconstruction of these buildings, having a high impact on the scientific community. The second, of a participatory nature, has enabled the generation of value through the creation of a brand image, Territorio Mudéjar, with a high impact on the population of these towns.

The virtual survey of the 3D building consists of capturing the real geometry of the constructed building, with current point cloud technology, which allows buildings to be replicated with sufficient precision to guarantee its knowledge, at least virtually, in the event of any eventuality. Having a three-dimensional survey makes it possible to preserve a copy of the current state of the building with absolute precision that allows it to be replicated; it helps in its maintenance because, for example, through geometric knowledge it is possible to simulate structures, damp, etc. Furthermore, it is useful for the knowledge of the building and for its dissemination, as the three-dimensional model can be inventoried and placed in three-dimensional databases, allowing the building to be visible from anywhere in the world for its study. Even scale replicas can be made with a 3D printer.

As a second action, this project proposes initiatives to raise awareness among the inhabitants of the villages of Territorio Mudéjar that they possess emblematic assets of universal value. The most accurate way to create opinion and brand image – in this case the Territorio Mudéjar brand – is through schools, as the younger population is more apt to learn and more sensitive to the digital world. Therefore, in order to revalue Mudejar art, educational exhibitions and workshops are proposed in schools with the participation of teachers, AMPAs and researchers and through the project-based learning methodology.

LINE OF RESEARCH. (1) New perspectives on Mudéjar art.

THE AUTHORS:

  • Luis Agustín Hernández, architect, PhD in Mechanical Engineering and lecturer at the School of Engineering and Architecture of the University of Zaragoza.
  • Miguel Sancho Mir, architect, PhD in Architectural Graphic Expression and lecturer at the School of Engineering and Architecture of the University of Zaragoza.
  • Beatriz Martin Domínguez, architect and lecturer at the Polytechnic University School of La Almunia, University of Zaragoza.

Stays 2019: Mudejar plaster, its current use: searching the memory of craftsmen for the keys to traditional manufacture

The research stay El plaster mudéjar, su uso actual has been the continuation of Pedro Bel’s doctoral thesis in which he has been able to confirm that the manufacturing technique of Mudéjar plaster did not change until the middle of the 20th century. This research delves into the traditional plaster manufacturing process to gain an in-depth knowledge of it and to detect the catalysts and motivations that favoured the changes to the current plaster production system, which increases the quantity and decreases the quality. This project has located the old plaster craftsmen and has documented the technique and its current variables. To this end, quarries and old plaster kilns have also been visited, documenting their state and making a 3D photogrammetric survey of those of special interest; the buildings in the territory with Mudejar plaster in characteristic elements have been identified with files. The ultimate objective of the conclusions is to revitalise the work spaces linked to the construction trades by reactivating them through a local company dedicated to the manufacture of traditional or Mudejar plaster.

The research has been carried out in the towns of Aniñón, Borja, Calatayud, Daroca, Fuentes de Ebro, La Almunia de Doña Godina, Longares, Maluenda, Quinto de Ebro, Ricla, San Mateo de Gállego, Tauste, Terrer, Tobed, Villamayor, Villafeliche and Villar de los Navarros.

The study shows that until 1950, gypsum production processes were traditional and that after this date there was a continuous technological development of the quarries. Those which were not updated quickly became obsolete and went bankrupt, so that it is common to find undismantled baked gypsum kilns or warehouses with gypsum stored in the old Aragonese quarries. The semi-industrialisation that took place in the 1950s altered the traditional gypsum and the most influential variation was the replacement of manual crushing by mechanical crushing.

In terms of external factors, the high demography, which was linked to a favourable social and economic environment, led to a high demand for materials and therefore accelerated pre-industrialisation.

LINE OF RESEARCH. (1) New perspectives on Mudejar art.

THE AUTHOR. Pedro Bel Anzué is an architect and holds a PhD in Architectural Heritage Restoration from the University of Granada.

Stays 2019: Mudejar civil architecture, study of new uses with an impact on the territory

The project Mudejar civil architecture, study of new uses  is a multidisciplinary initiative in which a process of data collection has been developed with two main objectives. On the one hand, to obtain current and technologically advanced material on the civil architecture of the Mudejar Territory that preserves Mudejar elements. On the other hand, to propose phase 0 of a monumental management project that will allow these buildings to be put to use, thus contributing to their sustainability, their social function and their incorporation into the life of the villages.

This research is part of one of Territorio Mudéjar’s lines of action, which is to design new uses for heritage spaces: technical visits, teaching specific subjects, internship grants or other types of local activities.

The research is an analytical study, based on the management of Mudejar heritage, in order to establish a real action plan that will become a driving force for the cultural development of the population and an integrating element. To this end, the starting point of the study has been the original state of the cultural assets themselves, their subsequent development and action plans have been drawn up for each of the cases analysed. Specifically, the heritage of Daroca, Ateca, Illueca, Borja and Saviñán has been studied.

During the study, a methodology has been used to recreate monuments in 3D through photogrammetry: images have been taken with cameras and volumetric recordings using drones. Furthermore, the proposed action plans have been designed following the business model using Osterwalder’s Canvas model to develop the idea and Porter’s forces model for the competitive strategy.

In addition, the objectives of the European project “Heritage Houses for Europe. Exchange and Innovate” project based on measuring the positive impact of the preservation of family-owned heritage houses in Europe, analysing innovative and replicable business models, creating tools to support managers for the sustainable preservation of family-owned heritage houses, raising awareness of the family-owned heritage house sector and issuing recommendations to EU institutions to unlock the potential of the sectors.

LINE OF RESEARCH: (3) Cultural Heritage Management.

THE AUTHORS:

  • Ricardo Monreal Lafuente, art historian.
  • Alba Finol, art historian.
  • Daniel Finol, computer technician.

Stays 2019: Vernacular architecture in Mudejar villages: traditional techniques as a trade of the future in the rural world

The project Arquitectura tradicional vernácula, la técnica tradicional de construcción como oficio de futuro en el ámbito rural explains that monumental Mudejar architecture shares materials and techniques with the vernacular architecture of the villages. However, throughout the 20th century, industrial development has led to a strong process of transformation and destruction of vernacular buildings and the progressive abandonment of traditional construction systems. Faced with this situation, the importance of knowledge and appreciation of local traditional architecture and its materials has been raised in order to guarantee its protection by means of an inventory and general diagnosis of materials, techniques, architecture and current use.

This research project proposes that the understanding of local traditional architecture by users avoids its replacement by new buildings and favours the development of activities aimed at its conservation. Furthermore, the projection of this architecture outside the municipality reinforces its appreciation by the local population and favours the economic revitalisation of the villages, allowing them to offer cultural experiences of longer duration than a simple visit to their most outstanding monuments.

The work aims to contribute to the valuation of traditional architecture in the area of influence of Aragonese Mudejar art, promoting the perception of indigenous construction techniques as solvent and sustainable systems, and of the buildings constructed with them as a valuable cultural heritage that must be preserved and protected; to disseminate and enhance the work of the construction craftsmen present in the area, in order to facilitate the survival of the trades and encourage the use of traditional construction techniques in interventions on vernacular heritage; and to promote the conservation, restoration and compatible rehabilitation of the traditional architecture of the area and encourage the development of sustainable and culturally respectful tourism.

To this end, we have worked to identify and study the main construction techniques present in the traditional architecture of the Mudejar villages in the south of Zaragoza, to locate the construction craftsmen present in the area and document their work, to identify and study the dynamics of intervention in traditional architecture caused by tourism, and to draw up guidelines for the compatible intervention of traditional architecture in the area of influence of the Aragonese Mudejar.

The research has been carried out in Aniñón, Ateca, Belmonte de Gracián, Cervera de la Cañada, Cosuenda, Daroca, Longares, Maluenda, Romanos, Saviñán, Terrer, Tobed, Torralba de Ribota and Villafeliche.

LÍNEA DE INVESTIGACIÓN: (1) Nuevas Miradas sobre el arte Mudéjar.

THE AUTHOR: Javier Gómez Patrocinio is an architect with a Master’s degree in Architectural Heritage Conservation and a PhD in Building, Urban Planning and Landscape Architecture from the Polytechnic University of Valencia.

More info:
www.estancias2020mudetrad.territoriomudejar.es/

Countdown to the second call for research stays in Territorio Mudéjar

If you have an idea and a Mudéjar Territory place where to develop it, we are already offering you a preview of the 2nd call for the Gonzalo M. Borrás Gualis Research Stays and Projects 2020, which will open its deadline for applications on the 10th. In the meantime, we have prepared a summary of the key aspects we are looking for in the proposals and a major update of the contents of our website, with a summary of the results of the 2019 call in the projects section, as well as an overview of the localities that make up our entity.

If you need guidance on what kind of proposals you can put forward, from today, our 2019 resident researchers will be explaining their proposals and results through our Facebook, Instagram and YouTube channels.

In addition, an explanatory video is available from the director of Territorio Mudéjar, Victoria Trasobares, on the characteristics of these grants, the requirements and the five lines of research: New perspectives on Mudejar art; Mudejar Territory and cultural landscape; Management of cultural heritage; Communication and dissemination of Mudejar heritage, and Mudejar heritage and its social function as a key element of territorial development. At the end of May we will also open live forums for the resolution of doubts.

Soon we will tell you the details of the call and we will inform you about all the news. We hope you will participate and we will see you at Territorio Mudéjar!

You can find us at

YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNlRwwS3qWi6qmHcEa6UQxQ?view_as=subscriber

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/proyectoterritoriomudejar/

INSTAGRAM: @territoriomudejar

LINKEDIN:@territoriomudejar (company profile)

April 18. Day for Monuments and Sites: Shared Heritage

Territorio Mudéjar joins the celebration of the International Day for Monuments and Sites this April 18 by taking part in the ICOMOS Spain initiative to find examples of shared heritage that you can enjoy from home. This year, ICOMOS has chosen the theme, “Shared Cultures, Shared Heritage, Shared Responsibility” as an expression of our global unity in light of the present world health situation.

This message shows that heritage is part of our cultural identity at a time in which evolving populations, conflicts and environmental uncertainty lead to constant, swift changes. The theme acknowledges that heritage – be it a place, landscape, custom or collection – is often linked to and appreciated by several diverse groups and communities, and Territorio Mudéjar shares this message in its mission and values. In sum, this means being collectively responsible for looking after and protecting heritage values.

Territorio Mudéjar invites you to enjoy its heritage with this video:

https://www.facebook.com/proyectoterritoriomudejar/videos/685295782236850/

More info: https://icomos.es/dia-internacional-de-los-monumentos-y-sitios-2020/

Territorio Mudéjar, main feature of the UNESCO “World Heritage” magazine

Our towns are featured in an extensive article in the first issue of this landmark magazine

The towns and heritage of Territorio Mudéjar are featured in the first issue of “World Heritage” magazine, published by the UNESCO World Heritage Centre. This landmark magazine has devoted two pages to Mudejar art in the province of Zaragoza, outlining the key points that make Mudejar a unique, avant-garde style in which we can read the history of Aragon.

The article, which is available in Spanish, English and French, explains how the Mudejar art of Aragon, the architecture of which was declared World Heritage by UNESCO in 2001 due to its “universality, uniqueness and authenticity”, tells the story of our region and reveals an extraordinary rural setting that contrasts with the more ethnographic image commonly associated with villages. It is cultured, refined architecture that, nonetheless, remains close to everyday life and shows us a region that exudes intellectualism and beauty.

Here is the link for you to read the article: