Berlin Sand Line

An action in the city of Berlin to record the daily traffic across a neighborhood previously artificially divided by the wall. The area altered only by removal of the wall came to life despite that no new services, buildings or attractions have been build in the vicinity.

I documented the movement of people, bicycles and cars with the help of a sand line placed across the space along side where the wall once divided the West and East Berlin. Over the course of the day and night the sand thread was numerously disturbed and imprinted by the traffic that was restricted from crossing that line for so many years. The thin sand line running over streets, side walks, and park area instigated a wide spectrum of behavior and comments from, now free to cross the line, citizens of Berlin.

Intriguingly, the behavior of the Berliners ranged from some people deliberately stepping and imprinting the sand barrier with great contentment to others that took the trouble to stop their bicycle… and carry it over the line in effort not to disturb it.