Hadrian\'s Wall to become art

[Epictetus]

Hadrian’s Wall is to be turned into what organisers claim will be the world’s longest artwork, an installation spanning 73 miles.

Connecting Light will consists of 450 giant balloons fitted with LED lights, hovering above the Roman structure in locations from Wallsend to Bowness-on-Solway.

The balloons will transmit ‘messages’ to each other that translate into different colours. As the messages move from one balloon to another, the installation will become a line of pulsating colours stretching into the distance.

The project is part of the London 2012 Festival and is the brainchild of New York-based digital arts collective YesYesNo...

The work will take place from dusk until 11pm on August 31 and September 1. Nine viewing locations have been set up, all free and non-ticketed, where the majority of the balloons will be located.

The Telegraph

Might be cool. Might be terrible. It's drawing attention to the Wall, at least.

[mcbishop]

Might be cool. Might be terrible. It's drawing attention to the Wall, at least.

As ever with 'art'. You can post messages via the Connecting Light website. There is a limit of 100 characters each. I have already seeded some quotes about the Wall from various travellers over time (but no time travellers, so far as I am aware!) just so the heritage theme at least gets a look-in (the principal arts funders in the UK - no names, no pack drill - are notorious for liking art to be about art, darling, not heritage, which obviously pricks my mischievous tendencies). One of the participating points is Vallum Farm and there's a list of EH properties involved here.

Mike Bishop

[Kegluneq]

Ha, weather permitting I assume? It sounds interesting, although the landscape of the Wall pretty much sells itself.

Hopefully it will include a sped-up overhead view of the full length of the Wall, Olympics-Opening-ceremony style (airspace permissions notwithstanding). So much of the Wall is effectively invisible, having clear markers like the balloons would really illustrate its true route well. So even when it reaches anonymous farmland or housing estates, the viewer has reference points to look at.

[mcbishop]

So much of the Wall is effectively invisible, having clear markers like the balloons would really illustrate its true route well. So even when it reaches anonymous farmland or housing estates, the viewer has reference points to look at.

That's what I thought when they did the original Illuminating the Wall thing. Sadly what they actually did was illuminating the Wall PATH so there was a 12 mile diversion down to the Tyne at the east end and a wobble around Carlisle. This is mini barrage balloons at a few selected points (there's a map on the Connecting Light website) so not as practical as you or I would probably like. With visitor figures allegedly down 50% this year (recession, weather, Olympics), they basically need any interest they can get for the Wall.

Mike Bishop

[Kegluneq]

That's what I thought when they did the original Illuminating the Wall thing. Sadly what they actually did was illuminating the Wall PATH so there was a 12 mile diversion down to the Tyne at the east end and a wobble around Carlisle. This is mini barrage balloons at a few selected points (there's a map on the Connecting Light website) so not as practical as you or I would probably like. With visitor figures allegedly down 50% this year (recession, weather, Olympics), they basically need any interest they can get for the Wall.

Blast, that's a fair point. Bums on seats/boots on dirt is going to be their main priority for obvious reasons. Can't really begrudge them that, although I do hope somebody does the flyover at some point.