17 days and counting...
Where I stand is fair and square: Conclusion
April 23, 2017
Fort Erie, Ontario. Background: Silo City, Buffalo, NY.
Silo City, Buffalo, NY.
Photographs by Taralyn Shields
Where I stand is fair and square was a 23 day performance in 2017 that spanned the border between Canada and the United States. This blog acts as an interactive documentation reminiscent of the performative experience of observing and traversing territorial lines.
The performance began in Niagara, Ontario where a mound of grass was grown from commercially purchased bags of Canadian grass seed and soil. This bundle of established earth was carried on person for 23 days while preparing for a final performance that was held in Buffalo, NY.
On the day of the final performance, the mound of established earth was left along the shoreline in Fort Erie, Canada. This was the closest point to which the bundle of grass could be carried, as law prohibits transportation of organic matter between countries.
The video (above) depicts the grass mound in Canada, and across the river, lies the United States. The buildings along the horizon are of Silo City in Buffalo New York. This was the location of where the final performance concluded.
The photographs (above) are of the performance piece that occurred in Silo City. The images depict a new mound of grass being established, using commercially purchased bags of American soil and grass seed. The two points of established earth are feature side by side on this site, yet their physical location is separated by a river, and the invisible boundary line dividing two nations.
To 'activate' the documented performance, it is suggested to begin at the bottom of this page (with the first blog post) and work up.