Ursulimum is the first reference to Jerusalem in ancient Egyptian records dating back to 1330 BCE. Ran Slavin’s “Ursulimum” is an underground odyssey to a deep maze under Jerusalem. The work Ursulimum takes place 200 meters under the streets of old Jerusalem and depicts a fictional event, a 7 year old blindfolded boy wandering alone in ancient futuristic medieval spaces in an insulated astronaut suit. The work deals with religion, history and science and a notion of alienation. In this odyssey we face endless empty halls and rooms, magnetic force fields, glittering pantheons, abandoned technological sites radiating in damp self replication. We walk through a newly discovered past into a futuristic location, exploring place, history, memory and fantasy. The work Ursulimum supposes that the Third Temple (The House, the Holy, the Third jewish Temple), architecturally described and prophesied in the Book of Ezekiel was built secretly underground, under the city. The “Second Temple” was destroyed in the year 70 CE. A third temple which is known to never have been built. The Temple Mount, known in Hebrew (and in Judaism) as Har haBáyith and in Arabic (and in Islam) as the Haram Ash-Sharif is one of the most important religious sites in the Old City of Jerusalem. It has been used as a religious site for thousands of years. At least four religions are known to have used the Temple Mount: Judaism, Christianity, Roman paganism, and Islam. In folklore it is believed to be the bellybutton of the world, traditionally where the creation of the world began from the ‘Foundation Stone’ at the peak of the mountain. Later on, the core and heart of the First and Second Temple – were built around the ‘Foundation Stone’. It has been the object of the most sought after and coveted location for sacrifice and worship for the four religions over history. Historically, Jerusalem has been destroyed, besieged, attacked, captured and recaptured recurrently. New conquers of the city built new streets on top of the existing streets without destroying the former, resulting in layers that accumulated over time and formed a huge buried archeological city maze. Large portions of the these are still undiscovered and excavations are continuously carried. This is the starting point of Ursulimum. The work Ursulimum constructs new and non existent spaces from layers of photographs of the Old City. Meticulously composed to create a new order and vision. ________________ Cast: Yonathan Gilad With sounds by Sinu Spiral/ERH, Than Van Nispen, Herbert Boland, Kim Burgess, Fectoper, Dyenstikker, Gy2hor, Cormi, Suonho, R.Humphries, Rodcencko, Poised to Glitch, Ran Slavin Sound Mastering Miguel Carvalhais Supported by The New Fund for Cinema and Television Director/director of photography/editor/post production/sound designer Ran Slavin
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