CONCEPT

The SOIL is to be collected from equally distributed sites behind the Berlin Wall and preserved. The organic structure of the EARTH provides an objective and unique method to define a concrete point in a concrete time.

Through the collection, preservation and representation it will be possible to create an image of this historical dimension without an ideological deformation.

The SOIL will be removed from 28 sites. At every site four photographs will be made along their axes. The camera field of focus will remain constant during the entire excavations. The bags of SOIL will be numbered, signed and dated.

ACTION

Soil was removed from the still guarded 'Death Strip' between the inner and outer barricades of the Berlin Wall during the time period of the 5th to the 7th of March 1990. This action was carried out mainly from West Berlin. In order to rescue a child which was injured at the wall, EG had to cross over into East Berlin zone illegally. While making the penultimate dig EG was then arrested by GDR border guards and given over to the 'peoples' police. Two hours later, after his depiction and explanation of the circumstances, EG was then released in East Berlin with his bag of earth.

The 29 sites are distributed at approximately the same distance apart along the entire 161 km length of the wall.

WORK

29 EART ART WORKS were printed from the excavated SOIL in an edition of 29 copies on Zerkall 350 g, size 79 x 77 cm.

The leaves are in a wooden case, this cover is made from remnants of ammunition cases from the Soviet army.

The case contains photo documentation, a map showing the sites of excavation, an analysis of each sample and the names of the Berlin Wall victims.