Rosa van Burik

When we move a rock, leave a mark behind in the ground, or reshape the land, aren’t we always taking something away? My work explores the delicate line between care and disruption, and asks whether transformation can happen without loss. The moment we touch the earth, we change it. And when we change it too much, it changes us, sometimes with devastating consequences, like natural disasters or environmental collapse.

The project focuses on bodies of stone, often overlooked materials, yet full of meaning. These quiet elements are shaped by human hands, choices, and histories. Rocks may appear lifeless, but they move through systems of extraction, placement, and purpose. In the Netherlands, where natural stone is rare and often imported, its presence is intentional: it marks borders, symbolizes remembrance, or divides space.

But these same stones can also carry care. At Trompenburg, De Nieuwe Ooster, and the Hartelkanaal, I give stones new roles and new meanings, asking them to carry memory, presence, or connection. A stone lifted from its resting place becomes more than just a thing. It becomes a vessel for memory, something to be offered rather than owned, a way of reaching toward others.

These gestures ask: Can shaping the land be a form of listening? Can it be a way of making space, rather than only taking it?