Bad News For Art Lovers

Certainly fire takes a dismal toll. However, remember many historical cities in Europe were rebuilt to their original standards after being bombed to destruction during WWII, and even structures that have never been destroyed undergo a more or less perpetual rebuilding. Scaffolds are a regular part of life at cathedrals and palaces around the world. So, take heart. If people who were there during the man's life will never see it as quite the same, people discovering it will have a good idea of what it was, and who he was.

That's very sad. I read Stephen Greenblatt's book on medieval manuscripts recently; he refers to this sort of thing as "The Teeth of Time". We've lost so much more than we've preserved, and we lose more and more everyday.

Entropy is a constant enemy.

"I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain." -Roy Batty. Blade Runner. 1983
Nonsense quote on the surface, but what he was talking about, not so much. Memories being lost as if never existing. I have often though about destroyed art or literature in that way. Imagine the knowledge and insight lost at the burning of the library at Alexandria. And sure Europe was(is) rebuilt after the war(s) but think of the art lost. Or in the ancient world. We all learn of a handful of renaissance artists in school because that is what we had to teach from. You can't say there haven't been a dozen other Michelangelos prior whose works had been smashed by greasy barbarian horde after greasy barbarian horde. I heard a fact once that something like 68% of all recorded music in existence has never been updated from vinyl. All that will be lost some day. Even watching Pawn Stars I feel bad when I see a nice piece of writing from the 18th or early 19th century when the language was still beautiful, nearly illegible as the ink fades. All that life, thought, and history fading into thin air. Like Roy's tears in the rain.
Googled Ted DeGrazia's church. At least it is well documented photo-wise. What a shame.

Never heard of the guy but his art is certainly appealing.
http://catholicherald.co.uk/news/2017/05/31/historic-chapel-built-by-artist-ted-degrazia-damaged-in-fire/
Regards,
Jay.

I heard a fact once that something like 68% of all recorded music in existence has never been updated from vinyl.

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That goes to one of Greenblatt's points; that there is no permanent media. The best way to preserve books, and albums, is to keep consuming them, and keep making new copies.

I heard a fact once that something like 68% of all recorded music in existence has never been updated from vinyl. All that will be lost some day

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I agree that is brutal. Even more, most of it may be lost already, because people hoard it and then when they die, it goes to the thrift shop or the dumpster.
The only thing that endures entropy is that which lives. Genetics, cultures, languages, customs, art forms, and recipes all live on because the generations pass them down. Maybe at some point we will have this for art objects and recordings.
At this point, however, an interesting side-note is that vinyl is the thriving sector of the music industry. So if you can locate the records, you can make them live.

Here's a universal truth. Everything has a beginning and an ending.