Nature lies at the beginning of every transformation. Human is a part of nature, and it existed even before the first human appeared. Centuries after centuries mankind was developing construction skills and materials. So in 4th century B.C. they invented concrete that was meant to destroy or at least suppress the nature landscape and set its own rules. The conflict of nature and concrete is endless: we cut out forests to build new houses, we lock grass and soil in concrete to make new roads. Here in Minsk they removed park zone to build a new hotel. But locking ourselves in concrete box is not endless.

 

Nature slowly step by step gets back in its power: grass is breaking through roads, concrete blocks get ruined by rain, wind, plants. And finally when human doesn’t fight back all these abandoned concrete objects get under the power of nature. Everything goes in circle: mankind builds more concrete objects, suppressing the nature and then nature destroys them. If we look into the origin of this conflict, one can see that it’s a true fight of life and death. On one side we see all the green plants with true desire to grow and flourish and on the other side artificially made concrete blocks that doesn’t suppose to create any life or growth, just to preserve things as they are.

 

What I looked into while working on my project, are cases, where concrete objects and nature managed to find balance and live in harmony without any fight or competition. I want to prove that even if we have two absolutely contradictory origins, it’s possible to find a balance. And if it is possible for such confronting worlds, what is about humans, who basically are the one species.

 

I suggest giving yourself time and look into this conflictive nature of plants and concrete. To improve focus and ability to feel the harmony, viewers are very welcomed to put on headphones and listen to quietness of the landscape, notice small changes in sounds and try to feel the fragile balance that exists between these two worlds.