Geoglyph: A definition
From wikipedia: "A geoglyph is a drawing on the ground, or a large motif, (generally greater than 4 metres) or design produced on the ground, either by arranging clasts (stones, stone fragments, gravel or earth) to create a positive geoglyph (stone arrangement/alignment, petroform, earth mound) or by removing patinated clasts to expose unpatinated ground (negative geoglyph)."
The Britglyph project will involve participants travelling to pre-defined and highly specific latitude/longitude locations throughout Britain, from Aberdeen to Cumbria. You must take a stone with you, it doesn't have to be enormous, whatever size you like. When you arrive at the location you will take a photo of yourself with the stone and then place it on the ground.
You will have by this point also have been given instructions on how to add your photo to the site. Once added to the site, a marker will be appear on the map at the precise location you placed your stone. Once everyones markers have been added, the image will be clear. So that's how it works, easy right? By definition we are creating the world's largest Geoglyph, certainly the first of its type. The other interesting facet of its nature is that in order to view it at all, you will have to view it using an online map.
We feel this is a fitting tribute to our ancestors' creation of such absolutely incredible and enduring Geoglyphs. We're living in an age when we are all, as a species, more connected than at any point in history, so this project recognises how we can come together, work together, to create new beauty in the world, so we hope you want to be a part of this.
John Harrison was a truly fascinating individual who, in the 17th Century, laid the bedrock upon which the age of Empire and even the industrial revolution were to be founded.
Obsessed from a young age by clocks and watchmaking, John Harrison spent most of his life working on the longitudinal problem, finally cracking it with his work on the 'Chronometer H5'. It was this solution which allowed for refined and accurate navigation of the seas, and entered us into the age of Empires.
We spent a lot of time thinking about what the image should be that we create. Should it be an animal or person that somehow signifies time, "Britishness", endurance?
We realised that we did not need to be constrained by our ancestors use of lines, trapezoids, animals and birds; it needed to be an image or symbol that truly represents modernity, the promise of the future as we realise it through technological innovation. We realised that John Harrison's Chronometer H5 would be the ideal symbol to carve onto our nation. It symbolises our potent relationship with time, Empire, technology and our hopes for the future.
We really hope you want to be involved and leave your mark, joining us in adding a bit of beauty and wonder to the world. Sign up below and we'll send you more details on the 1st of December as to how you can take part. Click here to return to the homepage.