Drawing the border
An experiment in drawing the border
Drawing in a series responding to Google Earth images along one of the closest land / sea borders to Lunar House, where the Thames meets the sea
These Google Earth images, produced by a dislocated eye from above, raise questions of how we map, control and understand our relationship to the land and people around us
A process of detailed drawing challenges and subverts the Google Earth images - making visible the labour in production of the border, bringing in the human scale and exploring how we understand the border
Using the dislocated image from above to find a closer connection to the image / land
Drawing as a way of trying to understand - mimicry as a method of learning, giving time and space for thought
Drawing as a way of thinking about the concept of the border as a construction as I draw the completely porous line between water and land
Intrigued and seduced by the Google Earth image - drawing as a way to envelop myself in the image - trying to understand it
Navigating at the human scale - my hand on paper, finely marking the paper, twisting the paper as I move around the image
The movement of the body when drawing compared to the movement of the body when visiting Lunar House - Lunar House requires a tilt in the neck, the building looking down, whereas the drawing requires a bend in the neck, a gentle arch down to the image - stretching my neck in both directions
The act of drawing making visible the labour in the production of the border and bringing in the human hand and scale
These Google Earth images, produced by a dislocated eye from above, raise questions of how we map, control and understand our relationship to the land and people around us
A process of detailed drawing challenges and subverts the Google Earth images - making visible the labour in production of the border, bringing in the human scale and exploring how we understand the border
Using the dislocated image from above to find a closer connection to the image / land
Drawing as a way of trying to understand - mimicry as a method of learning, giving time and space for thought
Drawing as a way of thinking about the concept of the border as a construction as I draw the completely porous line between water and land
Intrigued and seduced by the Google Earth image - drawing as a way to envelop myself in the image - trying to understand it
Navigating at the human scale - my hand on paper, finely marking the paper, twisting the paper as I move around the image
The movement of the body when drawing compared to the movement of the body when visiting Lunar House - Lunar House requires a tilt in the neck, the building looking down, whereas the drawing requires a bend in the neck, a gentle arch down to the image - stretching my neck in both directions
The act of drawing making visible the labour in the production of the border and bringing in the human hand and scale
12th September - drawing with a non descript beginning, a pain in the neck and back
13th September - sun setting - orange, pink, purple, blue - lines of long gone planes trace through the colours - a child frantically cycles his bike along the pavement (green uniform and tight helmet), his mother follows slightly further back on a scooter (also with a tight helmet), they go by twice, then the mother is substituted/swapped by the father, scootering much closer to the boy and without a helmet, he tries to comment on the colour of the light (it is nice) but the boy cycles on determined to not be distracted - I, now distracted myself, found it hard to find the focus within the drawing
14th September - drawing with company - listening to music - do well by pip millett (do well, time will tell me, hold on, it’s not that long, patience, it’s all I need to keep me strong, keeps me strong, I love english, don’ know if it loves me back) - the pencil felt different, the paper a different texture, drawing and rubbing out, slightly unsatisfied
more days in September - drawing without note taking
13th September - sun setting - orange, pink, purple, blue - lines of long gone planes trace through the colours - a child frantically cycles his bike along the pavement (green uniform and tight helmet), his mother follows slightly further back on a scooter (also with a tight helmet), they go by twice, then the mother is substituted/swapped by the father, scootering much closer to the boy and without a helmet, he tries to comment on the colour of the light (it is nice) but the boy cycles on determined to not be distracted - I, now distracted myself, found it hard to find the focus within the drawing
14th September - drawing with company - listening to music - do well by pip millett (do well, time will tell me, hold on, it’s not that long, patience, it’s all I need to keep me strong, keeps me strong, I love english, don’ know if it loves me back) - the pencil felt different, the paper a different texture, drawing and rubbing out, slightly unsatisfied
more days in September - drawing without note taking
I found the process of drawing very meditative and it allowed me a space to reflect and lose myself in the image / idea of the border
A process of slowing down
Although very beneficial - the process of slowing down was too slow for me in this moment and had to be paused - hopefully to be picked up again soon
A process of slowing down
Although very beneficial - the process of slowing down was too slow for me in this moment and had to be paused - hopefully to be picked up again soon