Documentation of the R&D process for The Common Line project March-September 2018. A partnership project between Blind Ditch, Controlled Frenzy, and Geography at University of Exeter with support from Rural Recreation. Funded by AHRC-EPSRC this R&D was kindly supported by University of Cumbria.

The Common Line - AHRC-EPSRC R&D

The Common Line

The Common Line R&D process

A participatory arts project developed from crowd-sourced creative writings by bus passengers about their journies on the D bus in Exeter. Commissioned by University of Exeter, Arts and Culture 2018 in partnership with Stagecoach.

D-tour: thoughts looking sidewards

D-Tour: thoughts looking sidewards

D-Tour: thoughts looking sidewards – single channel video

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Colourful interactive map of Buckland estate in Newton Abbot

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Happening Here!

An interactive map of Buckland

Culture & Review On Phonic Fm: August 2015: Culture Hour – O-B-A-F-G Special

O-B-A-F-G

Collaborative audio work and radio documentary

A short edit of This City's Centre, 3. Here Now, a performance incorporating live video streaming, staged between a third-floor office space in Princesshay, Exeter and the streets and homes of the city. This City's Centre was a digital triptych for Exeter. Developed by Blind Ditch in 2013 in partnership with Exeter Phoenix, RAMM, Exeter College and funded by Arts Council England, Exeter City Council and Arts and Culture at University of Exeter.

Performers in order of appearance: Phil Smith, Katy Villa, Jonny Rowden, Students from Exeter College, Jane Mason, Lizzy Humber. Music is from Consort of Fower Parts composed by Matthew Locke in Exeter 1660 ca. played by Cat Radford on accordian outside Exeter Cathedral. Camera by Philibert Patricot. Edit Volkhardt Müller.

This City's Centre 3. Here,Now

This City’s Centre

This City’s Centre 3. Here, Now – video trailer

Volkhardt Müller (Blind Ditch) and John Wylie (Cultural Geography, University of Exeter) discuss This City's Centre 1. Window

Private Views and Public Art

A long journey through the city centre shopping centre livens up the morning (August, 2008).

Global Player - the long play

Global Player

Global Player – the long play

A 24 minute documentary on the process and impact of the project including interviews with partners and collaborators. Filmed in 2007 in PAL!

VANLAND Documentary

VANLAND

VANLAND documentary about our working process 2004-07

Short video work using 'home movie' footage created to be used in the performance and installation 'Who Wants to be a Hero Now' in 2006. Edit Volkhardt Mueller, sound John Levack Drever, words Natalie Mcgrath performed by Cat Radford. Child Lena Mueller.

Divine

Who Wants to be a Hero Now?

Divine – video used in the 2006 installation

Young graffiti artist Spike gives our caravan a face-lift. Too many people on country fairs have been suspecting we're selling caravans. No more of that from now on!

VANLAND Trailer 2006

VANLAND trailer 2006

A collection of documents and media produced over the course of 20+ years.

A participatory, digital land art project aiming to plant a linear forest across the longest stretch of mainland Britain.

Public Realm

Interdisciplinary

Participatory

Augmented Reality

Searching for the mid point of the Common Line on Cautley Spout, Yorkshire.

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Imagine the longest possible straight line across mainland Britain. From the north-west of Scotland to the south coast of England. It traverses and connects an incredible diversity of places and landscapes… fields, farms and housing estates, shopping centres, roads and railways, schools, factories and mountain-tops.
Now imagine that line planted with trees – one every 20 metres. In the places where living trees can’t be planted, or haven’t yet grown, imagine a host of Augmented Reality trees – hand drawn, modelled and animated by members of the public. The kind of trees we play in as children, that mark our daily journeys, feed us and offer shelter. Trees that only exist in our imagination. Trees that might grow there in 100 years time – or may not survive there in the future.
This is The Common Line. You can interact with it <a href="https://thecommonline.uk/map/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">here.</a>

AR tree drawn with Google Tiltbrush and 'planted' on the mid point of the line

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The Common Line is a living-digital land art work that aims to foster thinking, discussion and action about the futures of trees and the landscapes they live in, as things that need to be cared for together. Combining the eco-activism of tree planting with socially driven digital art practice, the Common Line is also a research project that aims to understand more about how participatory, digital imaginaries might help shape our physical worlds – for the better.

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Desktop Screenshot 2018.11.07 – 00.51.48.86

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Desktop Screenshot 2018.11.07 – 00.45.56.44

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Desktop Screenshot 2018.11.07 – 00.48.29.91

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Desktop Screenshot 2018.11.07 – 00.47.40.28

Desktop Screenshot 2018.11.07 – 00.51.22.79

The aim is for the project to last at least 100 years. That’s nothing for a tree planting project – but an extraordinary length of time to make digital interactions publicly available. In planting the Common Line together we want to prompt thought and conversation around ideas of land ownership, stewardship and the value of trees and our responsibilities to them – including and beyond ‘ecosystem services’. Through the ‘conjuring’ of virtual trees in our landscapes and urban environments, we want to understand more about how digital systems shape our perceptions of the ‘natural’ world and how we act in it. Most importantly, we want to plant more trees together, and encourage others to do the same.

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We started making the project in 2018 supported by a research grant to investigate ‘new immersive experiences’ from AHRC-EPSRC. We ran our R&amp;D with the help of staff at the University of Cumbria Institute for the Arts, the National Forestry School, and the Woodland Trust. In 2020 supported by University of Exeter EPSRC Impact Fund, we began working with <a href="https://www.in-situ.org.uk/">In-Situ Arts</a> and <a href="https://harwesfarm.org/">Harwes Farm CIC</a> to further develop the project with people and communities in Pendle, Lancashire.

A group of women, men and children making model trees to photograph and make into an Augmented Reality image

Harwes Farm Workshop

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The Common Line is being developed collaboratively by <a href="http://www.blindditch.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Blind Ditch</a>, <a href="https://www.controlledfrenzy.co.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Controlled Frenzy</a> and Geography at University of Exeter from an idea by <a href="http://www.volkhardtmueller.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Volkhardt Mueller</a>.  Team members are currently: <a href="http://geography.exeter.ac.uk/staff/index.php?web_id=John_Wylie" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Professor John Wylie  </a>and <a href="http://geography.exeter.ac.uk/staff/index.php?web_id=Steven_Palmer" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Dr Stephen Palmer </a>from University of Exeter,  Dr Paula Crutchlow, <a href="https://www.gold.ac.uk/music/staff/drever/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Professor John Levack Drever</a>, Cat Radford and Volkhardt Mueller from Blind Ditch, Chris Hunt from <a href="https://www.controlledfrenzy.co.uk/">Controlled Frenzy</a> and <a href="https://www.jiadongqiang.co.uk/">Pete Jiadong Qiang</a> from Goldsmiths University, London.