Thoughts on the universality and valency of ruination. With a comment about the toppling of statues of erstwhile heroes. A couple of months ago Alain Schnapp was talking with me about his new book, a universal history of ruins, an exploration of an archaeological sensibility that takes us back to antiquity [Link]. I have just…
nostos – the return
materiality of the invisible
Yesterday I had the great honor to open a remarkable exhibition of artworks at the Van Eyck Academie in Maastricht – multiform institute for fine art, design and reflection Curators: Lex ter Braak, Director of Van Eyck and Huib Haye van der Werf, Head of Artistic Program. The exhibition runs through The Van Eyck Academie, Marres,…
cloud studies
Out in the field and a return to the breakup of Britain. Northern coasts, part of my chorography of the English-Scottish borders [Link]
deep time – a return
Siccar Point, Berwickshire, Scottish Borders.
returning
The past comes back to haunt in all sorts of ways. This is a key feature of the archaeological imagination. It may be something like “this happened here”, or “this was the way it was, and still is”. And, as archaeologists, as all of us do – we return, revisit, rehearse, reiterate, repeat. This familiar…
lost in the post
Ben in the old kitchen of the Estate Manager’s house, Cragside. Taken on expired (June 2001) Polaroid 690 in summer 2012, lost and forgotten, found again when I was heading back there this February 2016.