José María Pérez (Peridis) receives 2018 National Award for the Restoration and Conservation of Cultural Assets

José María Pérez, Peridis, was awarded the 2018 National Award for the Restoration and Conservation of Cultural Assets earlier today. This award is presented by the Spanish Ministry of Culture and Sport, with a further prize of 30,000 euros.

The award seeks to create public recognition for individuals or institutions that have contributed to the enrichment of cultural heritage in Spain through their work or active role in the field of restoration or conservation.

The panel bestowed this award on Peridis "for his extensive and innovative track record in the conservation of and placement of value on cultural heritage. A track record in which, alongside an integrated approach to cultural assets (tangible and intangible values), his extraordinary work on heritage education and social mediation stands out".

Biography

Peridis was born in Cabezón de Liébana, Cantabria, in 1941. He graduated in architecture. His extensive experience in the conservation of monument heritage includes the recovery of the Monastery of Santa María la Real, Aguilar de Campoó (Palencia) and the El Capricho Park.

He also undertook significant work as head of the Centre for Romanesque Studies, which converted him into a benchmark expert in the preservation and popularisation of Romanesque art both domestically and further afield. A fine demonstration of this is the Enciclopedia del Románico de la Península Ibérica [Encyclopaedia of Romanesque Work in the Iberian Peninsula].

He has promoted, presented and directed TV series on historic, artistic and natural heritage.

He has been a supporter of active and innovative policies in education and society for training and employment, from which 750,000 unemployed people around the world have benefited. His workshop schools have transformed ruined monuments into craft workshops.

In 2014, Peridis promoted an innovative initiative to combat unemployment: the charity job and entrepreneurship launch-pads.

As an architect, he has worked on raising social awareness in defence of cultural heritage through his involvement in the creation of cultural associations, foundations and coordination bodies.

He has received numerous awards, including the Gold Medal in Fine Arts, the Gold Medal for Merit in Employment, the Gold Medal from the San Fernando Royal Academy of Fine Arts and Europa Nostra Awards.

The panel

The panel was chaired by Román Fernández-Baca, Director General for Fine Arts, with Carlos Jiménez, Deputy Director General of the Institute for Spanish Cultural Heritage as Vice-Chair. The following also sat on the panel: Carmen Añón, recipient of the 2017 National Award for Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Assets; Fernando Mendoza, following a proposal by the Higher Council of the School of Architects of Spain; Ana Almagro, for ICOMOS - Spanish National Committee; Elsa María Soria, for the Higher School of Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Assets, Madrid; Ruth Chércoles, from the Spanish Group of the International Institute for Conservation (GE-IIC); Luis Cueto, for the Hispania Nostra Association; and Alicia Castillo, appointed following a proposal by the University Institute of Feminist Research at Universidad Complutense de Madrid.

Non official translation