RUJUM LAND

Out in the terrain one seizes simple, long forgotten tools for coexistence, both with nature and with fellow man. As veteran pilgrims to what remains of nature, we have learned that the marks we make along the way turn out, in a mysterious way, to be the shape of what awaits ahead. While hiking, when we approach a crossroads, we put up a ”Rujum” to indicate the way to those who may be walking right behind us.

The placing of the stones is done with love and intention. the hand picks several stones of varied shape and measure and puts them one upon the other in perfect equilibrium.

The outcome is a little guide made of stones, which makes a kind of gesture, meaning – “This way please and Bon Voyage, catch up with us and have a cup of sage”.

By the time we get to camp, the Rujum might have collapsed, but not before it had its way. The momentary statement it has made put forward a link in time to keep the human chain connected.

After some years of Rujum building, we came across a boy playing with stones. He pointed out for us a new conception. Instead of a singular stone-on-stone structure, the boy had built a little wall of Rujums, a row upon a row of growing smaller stones. The point has been transformed into a flowing line, a vector. That boy turned out to be our little guide, and thus we followed his directions.

Since that day, wherever bare stones are still available, we place them row on row, creating different patterns of half transparent walls, connecting rather than separating. Walls of momentary presence, which are strong enough to stand up right but are sufficiently tender to give way, in due course, to time and circumstance.

This coming fall In Pasewalk, Germany, we intend to build a rujum wall which will comment on our reaction to the site. It may expose itself in segments, it may connect the outsides with the insides, it may create specific spaces, it may include objects other then stones and probably it will exist just long enough to show us the way home

Materials:
Stone, Time, Gravity