polis: a collective blog about cities worldwide

Visualizing Dislocation Across Borders

by Vivien Park

Location-based technology is not known for its accuracy. At times we can be logged as being in a different place than our actual location, especially when we are moving across territories. Artist Julian Oliver's Border Bumping project focuses on these moments of disparity.


Screenshot of evolving map data.

As part of the project, a free Android application tracks location discrepancies and uploads them to a map used by participants when they cross national borders. The results are presented as an ever-changing terrain that visualizes the disruptions inherent in cellular technology. Viewers can also view updates to the map from a mobile cartography bureau.


Mobile cartography bureau.

Border Bumping is part of the Abandon Normal Devices Festival, which takes place from Aug. 9 to Sept. 2, 2012 in Manchester, Liverpool and Lancaster, England.

Credits: Images from Border Bumping.

+ share