linear

A men in suit pulls a monumentally sized pen through the wilderness expanse of North America. Instead of creating a lasting, visible mark, the pen only leaves a temporary imprint on the surface of the ground. Nevertheless the man stoically persists on the route (alternately one artist of GÆG, the other one stays invisible, filming the performance). Lasting weeks, the analogue path taken by the artists is digitally represented on a map of central North America.

With their striking writing implement the artists cross through northeastern Utah and a largely desert region in southern Wyoming and northwestern Colorado on foot.

They are merely a temporary, ephemeral appearance on the horizon of an immense landscape.

The oversized pen only leaves a fleeting trace on the soft surface of the ground. Through a GPS system their movements can be followed in real time, which draw a virtual line on a map on linear2017.org.

The absurd quality of linear symbolizes the attempts we make to assign meaning to our human endeavors in general and to those of the artist in particular.

Naturally the complex and time-intensive action has no relation to current political discussions and is absolutely uncritical in nature.

With great respect for US history and the natural setting of the country, the artists appear as surreal figures walking through a foreign landscape.

Local population, the media, art enthusiasts of all ages, and politically aware individuals are the intended audience of the performance.

A short film shot over the course of the action forms the essence of the work linear and opens up a third, cinematic perspective on the project. In a sence it is considered the manifesto of the project. In the film documentary material of the action as well as fictional elements are woven together to create a complex hypothesis.

Press