Looking for the Ursa Major
duo Khurtova & Bourlanges
Photography in collaboration with Maarten Heijkamp
Flag edition by Xavier Fernàndez Fuentes
Punt WG, Amsterdam, 2016
In September 2015 the duo undertook a research trip to the “Ursa Major constellation” projected on seven points in South of France according to J.Bourlanges’ theory. The trip functions as a starting point and source material for the artists to offer new perspectives on the theory of J.Bourlanges.
Through the exhibition period at Punt WG Khurtova & Bourlanges process and transform the informations collected during the trip. This journey to seven points of the Ursa Major constellation was materialised in photographic series of earth and sky, silkscreen prints with earth ink over maps, collection of photograms made with local earth and stones and a performance addressing dis/appearing qualities of the star constellation.
Since 2014 Khurtova & Bourlanges research and intervene with the inherited archive of Jacques Bourlanges (Marie Ilse’s grandfather), author of an intriguing theory of a correlation between star constellations and French geography. His investigation connects esoteric symbols with long forgotten history of villages and mountain names by mirroring geometric figures of stars onto the French landscape.
With the support of the Mondriaan Fund and Stichting Stokroos
photo credits:© Maarten Heijkamp, Kyle Tryhorn, Khurtova & Bourlanges