Lines in architecture and art is a large photomural of a section of coastal landscape, focusing on the frieze of land where forest and water meet, commonly called the high-water mark or high tide line. This naturally occurring, perfectly level line – made evident by the saltwater rising to the level of the overhanging trees, makes a natural reveal, a feature seen and used in architecture to visually divide the floor from the wall.
En route from the north coast back to Vancouver, I developed the idea to create this large format photographic mural. A reveal is typically the empty space at the bottom of a wall, where a measured gap is left so the floor and wall do not meet. In this proposed photomural we will see how the saltwater rises twice a day, cutting an acutely accurate level in the tree boughs as they hang down from the forest landscape. My interest was first drawn to this subtle occurrence when I realized the visual similarity to the architectural reveal, seen in homes, galleries and museums, a feature that is essential in the contextualizing and display of artwork.
For this mural I decided to repeat the same photo three times in order to draw attention to the architectural references of this work and remove it from the genre of pure photographic documentation.
Situated within the public sphere this proposed photomural presents a very simple meeting of land and water, highlighting how we draw from different ecosystems, the ocean and the forest, to simultaneously sustain our city. The allusion to the endless rise and fall of the tide will hopefully foster a connection to the changing of time and rethinking of urban space with an environmental sensitivity and an understanding of the shoreline that frames our city.