The Acacia at Sossusvlei almost disappears in Namibia’s vast and high landscape of sand dunes (more giant than the Eiffel Tower).
Bibliography
Kruf, J. (2006) Desert Dimensions. Breda: Private collection.
The tree is dead, long live the tree!
“Trees are the main players in the Empire of the Sun.” This is what friend (professor) Roelof Oldeman told me in the summer of 2022, driving at walking speed through the forests of the Veluwe some weeks before he passed away. He continued: “We should consider them as such and treat them with grace, dignity and respect. Without them, we will be lost.” Wisdom it is.
Many trees and forests are under immense pressure due to human expansion with related lousy governance and management. We need to remind ourselves – from the perspective of ‘hope’, i.e. the idea of a better world with internal high inner connection and involvement (Cornel West) (in contrast with optimism) – that nature is much bigger than us: the tree is dead, long live the tree!
In Deadvlei, these proud acacias still stand. They are believed to have died 600–700 years ago due to changes in river flow, drifting sand dunes and medieval climate changes. They are silent reminders of my dear friend’s noble thoughts and considerations. I found this one in my notebook from our travels through Namibia in 2003 and repainted it.
Bibliography
Kruf, J.P. (2022) The tree is dead, long live the tree! [fine are print]. Breda: Private collection.
Desert view
Our adventure across the Namibian Sossusvlei resulted in the wisdom that no place in the desert is actually the same. Every valley has its own colour palette and architecture. The high sand dunes can sometimes reach up to 325 meter, as high as the Eiffel Tower. What an impressive place to be, the desert.
Wind, gravitation, water and light of sun and moon wash the sands, day and night, century in, century out. A continuous process of rearrangement and movement. In fact the sand grains are always on the run. I found these colours and curves.
Bibliography
Kruf, J.P. (2022) Desert view. Breda: private collection.
Kruf Huyssons 