A Drawn Line

A section of maritime border (English Channel seawater, swimming pool lane divider, stainless steel tank), jerry can, postcard, spit, tin box, wall print, vibration resonance speaker

In May 2025, I traced the maritime border between the UK and France in the English Channel by dragging a 50-metre swimming pool lane divider behind a boat. For my degree show, I installed the seawater collected at the border—along with the rope—across the exhibition space, effectively dividing the room with the actual border line.

The initial plan was to let this line span across the middle of the room in a way that couldn't be ignored. With two entry points to the space, viewers were forced to either step over the line or deliberately walk around my space—enacting, in physical terms, the decision to cross or avoid a border.

From the ceiling hang jerry cans used to collect the seawater, each inscribed with the phrase:
“Sovereignty begins where movement stops.”
Also on display are five postcards printed with photographs documenting the placement of the lane divider at sea, and a sample of saliva from a person who was denied entry to the UK. The saliva is mounted on a wall print made from a satellite map commonly used by fishermen, with visible shipwreck markers and place names.

The English Channel is the most frequently crossed border in the world, layered with colonial, political, and ecological histories. By presenting the border line itself, I aimed to let the Channel speak for itself.

A stainless steel tank filled with the collected seawater is fitted with a vibration resonance speaker, transforming the tank into a sound device. The sound—recorded underwater while crossing the UK-France border—resonates throughout the space.

一段海上边界（英吉利海峡海水、泳道分隔线、不锈钢水箱）、油桶、明信片、唾液、铁盒、墙面输出、振动共振扬声器

2025年5月，我在英吉利海峡以船只拖行一条50米长的泳池分道线，沿英国与法国之间的海上边界航行。毕业展中，我将采集自边界处的海水连同绳索一同铺设于展览空间，使真实的边界线在室内获得物理性的延展，并直接划分出空间结构。

最初的设想是让这条线横贯展厅中央，形成一种无法被忽视的存在。由于空间设有两个入口，观众进入时必须跨越这条线，或选择刻意绕行，从身体层面实践一次“跨越”或“回避”边界的决定。

天花板悬挂着用于采集海水的油桶，其上写有一句话：“主权始于移动停止之处。”
同时展出的还有五张明信片，印有在海上布放泳道分隔线的现场影像；以及一份来自被拒绝入境英国者的唾液样本。该样本被固定在一幅墙面输出上，图像取自渔民常用的卫星地图，其上可见沉船标记与具体地名。

英吉利海峡是全球通行最为频繁的边界之一，其历史叠加着殖民、政治与生态等多重维度。通过将边界线本身引入展场，我试图让海峡以自身的物质性发声。

盛满所采集海水的不锈钢水箱内置振动共振扬声器，使容器转化为一件发声装置。声音采集于穿越英法边界时的水下环境，在空间中持续回响。

Photo Credit René Lazový