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go west - the north america line - the edition

Go West - The North America Line


With the help of the Global Positioning System in July and August 2001 soil was collected following an exact line which corresponding to the 40th degree of latitude North, thus encompassing the geographical center point of the USA.

The sites on this line will be determined by the intersection of the full degrees of longitude. This results in 50 sites between 75° and 124° West, since the distance between two degrees of longitude is about 85 kilometers. The circumstances during this time made possible an approach of about 300 meters to the excavation sites.

At each site a photo was taken looking West.


The work is a symbol for a way, leading from East to West, like the settlement of the white people in North America. The GPS, a very modern technology, having been developed in the USA, made possible to realize the project in a very short time.

The line runs along geographically determined sites, which have all a concrete historical background. These can be judged subjectively and in a very different manner - the terragraphics are an objective picture of these sites. In the - also fictive - dialogue with the people living there opens up the social, political and cultural dimension of the work.


The 50 Earth Art Works in this portfolio were printed by Ekkeland Goetze himself, using the SOIL of the 40th degree of latitude.

The photographs were taken by EG at the excavating site in a digital resolving of 72 dpi. They were sent to Munich by e-mail during the journey. The digital print is made on Johannot-paperstock 240 g.

The circumstances of the collection of the SOIL were written down by EG every evening. These texts were later translated by Rose Shaw. They are printed digitally on Fabriano Ingres paperstock 90 g.

The Earth Art Works in the size 35 x 35 cm were produced in an edition of 25 copies.

The copies number 1 to 3, each Earth Art Work lies in a cardboard box together with the photograph and the description of the excavating site. Copies number 4 to 6 are meant to be installed on the wall.
In the copies number 7 to 25 all 50 Earth Art Works lie together in one case with all photographs and texts.


Published in 2002

10.000 EUR