The Temporary Ruin
Chapter 1: The Archive
indian ink paintings / site-ppecific installation 2014
Al Ma’mal Foundation for Contemporary, Jerusalem
Art Meandering through Wad el Shami is like a journey in time in the midst of the complex and fragmented fabric of the 21th century “Mega Jerusalem”. The valley is an eroded fragment of Palestinian traditional landscape, a clash of historical strata’s. The contemporary city is gradually encroaching what is left of the valley and other (post)-rural territories, fracturing the territory. Scattered ruins of field houses from the Ottoman period, “Qusur’s” or “Manateer’s”, seamlessly nestle in this terraced olive grove. They are the most visible ruins within the valley.
Archived in the form of paintings, the layout of those ruins are displayed in an attempt to rewrite the topography of the valley. The archive questions the notion of heritage, becomes a kind ironic act of to preemptive archeology.
The concept recreates a historical ecumene, focusing on the vernacular and the relationship to the territorialities. Created in-situ, the paintings attempt to share the experienced. The installation is like a timeless trip.
Archived in the form of paintings, the layout of those ruins are displayed in an attempt to rewrite the topography of the valley. The archive questions the notion of heritage, becomes a kind ironic act of to preemptive archeology.
The concept recreates a historical ecumene, focusing on the vernacular and the relationship to the territorialities. Created in-situ, the paintings attempt to share the experienced. The installation is like a timeless trip.
