Author Taus Makhacheva

The ancient city-state Gamsutl is an abandoned Avar settlement cut in the rocks to make it self-sufficient and impregnable for conquerors. It is situated at one of the forks of the Great Silk Road and is known for its jewellers and armourers. Today Gamsutl is in a pitiable state and still its picturesque ruins do not look depressing. The protagonist of this video takes part in a certain ritual of remembering and reconstructing. He tries to extract and reconstruct the spacial memory of the forgotten past in this dying settlement. Physically “blending” with some specific spot the “dancer” tries to remember and live through his body this city-state, mimicking natural and architectural objects.