Exhibition:

Tumulus

by Ruchama Noorda

1 Jun 2019

Mediamatic Biotoop
Dijkspark 6, 1019BS Amsterdam
Mediamatic Foundation
+31206389901
http://www.mediamatic.net/

Tumulus is an enclosed garden installation that functions as a natural ruin, compost heap, cement & soil sculpture, seed bed, earth work, dyeing source, and dunghill. Over the course of 16 months from June 2019 to September 2020, artist Ruchama Noorda will transform the patch of greenery next to our Sluisdeurenloods into a living sculpture and performance site.

Tumulus in Vegetative State - Anne Lakeman

Ruchama Noorda

Tumulus is a cyclical weed-woad restoration project in 5 parts:

Vegetative State
June - mid-July 2019
Growth Imperative
mid-July - October, with a dedication ceremony on September 13, 2019
Dormant Lot
November 2019 - February 2020
Healing Property
March - August 2020
Blue Monday
Closing ceremony/celebration of the autumnal equinox, September 21st, 2020

On September 21st, 2020 (Autumnal Equinox/Blue Monday) Noorda will perform a closing ceremony using extracts from the planted woad. Woad has been used in traditional Chinese medicine as a cure for the common cold and liver complaints as well as ancient Western and Southern European tribal cultures as a clothing dye and war paint (Gaulish: glastium; Latin: Isatis tinctoria). According to Classical legend, the Picts, a confederation of Northern British Celtic language speaking people, went into battle against the Romans naked, “dressed in woad ”.