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research on the beach with movement

and a sand castle

 FROM SCRATCH 

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From Scratch is a spontaneous and improvised movement performance on the beach as well as an inquiry in material and movement to the impermanence of our existence.

 

People passing by could make the choice to either stand still and watch or continue to walk on.

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During one of her strolls on the beach in Scheveningen Aafke's quest to various points of view in regard to the finiteness of our life (for example between eastern and western cultures) was brought into yet another angle.

 

After the yearly Sandsculpture Festival at Scheveningen beach bulldozers quite vigorously bring the artworks back to their natural state of being: billions of grains of sand. Aafke wanted to bring a small homage to these artworks made with human hands, carefully build up grain by grain. Because a sandcastle -  much like a dance performance - only has a short life span.

 

On top of one of the sandcastles Aafke linked her own story to that of the architects of the sand-sculpture, just a few hours before the machines would come to take it down forever.

 

Composer and multi-instrumentalist Jaap Berends used digital gamelan samples. Balinese gamelan music is characterized by returning interlocking patterns, that, without intervention of the drums (kendang), could continue to circle on forever. ​

 

Cyclic music, one could say, that might come from the strong believe that this life is only one step of many, moving on to the next life. In Balinese culture the cremation ceremony therefore is considered the most important of all rites of passage. The soul of the deceased is being recycled, so to speak. The body functioning merely as a temporary vessel.

 

Many thanks to Stichting Scheveningen Bad that willingly authorized their permission for this research and spontaneous performance!

Concept & movement Aafke de Jong (2010)  

Video Erwin van Deutekom 

Music Jaap Berends.

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