Boundary|Time|Surface: Art and geology meet in Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland, Canada

• Main Authors: Lancaster, Sydney A., Waldron, John W. F.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2020
• Subjects: Canada; Green Point; Gros Morne National Park; Newfoundland
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5194/gc-2020-2; https://gc.copernicus.org/preprints/gc-2020-2/

Boundary|Time|Surface was an ephemeral sculptural work created to interrogate the human practice of dividing the Earth for social, political, scientific and aesthetic reasons. The 150-metre-long work comprised a fence of 52 vertical driftwood poles, 2–3 metres tall, positioned along an international boundary stratotype at Green Point, Newfoundland, Canada, separating Ordovician from Cambrian strata. Geology has as its basis the establishment of limits and boundaries within the Earth. Pioneers of geology defined the periods of the geologic timescale with the intent of representing natural chapters in Earth history; from their colonialist perspective, it was anticipated that these would have global application. Since the mid-20th century, stratigraphers have attempted to resolve the resulting gaps and overlaps by establishing international stratotypes. Artists creating work in dialogue with the land and environment have taken a wide range of approaches, from major, permanent interventions to extremely ephemeral activities, some of which echo practices in geological fieldwork. Because it was constructed in a national park, Boundary|Time|Surface was designed to have minimal impact on the environment; the installation was constructed by hand from materials found on site in one day, on the falling tide. During the remainder of that tidal cycle, and those following, the fence was dismantled by wave and tidal action. This cycle of construction and destruction was documented in video and with time-lapse still photography. Exhibitions derived from the documentation of ephemeral works function as translations of the original experience, offering an extended opportunity for members of the public to experience aspects of the original work and its context. Two exhibitions of artwork derived from Boundary|Time|Surface have provided opportunities for several thousand members of the public to interact with a range of visual media directly, both as aesthetic objects, and as sources of information regarding the geological and socio-political history of the site. A limited-edition book published in September 2019, to accompany an exhibition of the work, has extended the reach of the project further.