I walked through Vancouver’s West End neighbourhood unravelling a spool of bright orange thread behind me for approximately four kilometers. The path that I chose was not predetermined, but rather was decided moment by moment, and guided by a desire to remain furtive and unnoticed. My path took me through streets, back alleys, and paths along the edges of Stanley Park before I looped back to the place where I started.
Once I completed the loop, I followed the path in reverse, and observed some of the reactions of individuals whose routines were disrupted once they noticed the thread, as well as evidence of an un-witnessed interaction where one block section of the thread had been broken away and had been detoured down the street in a different direction than it was originally placed.
At the intersection of Comox and Denman, Vancouver, BC.
Meandering just outside of Stanley Park, Vancouver, BC.
Meandering just outside of Stanley Park, Vancouver, BC.
The route was later transcribed into a series of directions intended for reproduction of the work my myself or others.
Start: lat: 49.286382, lon: -123.1449
Walk 0.11 km west.
Turn right.
Walk 0. 6, km north.
Turn left.
Walk 0.62, km west.
Turn left.
Walk 0.13, km south.
Turn right.
Walk 0.13, km west.
Slight left. Follow path.
Meander west for .29 km to lat: 49.228038, lon: -12345689
Turn left.
Walk 0.19 km northwest.
Turn left.
Walk 0.22 km southwest.
Turn left.
Walk 0.11 km north.
Turn right.
Walk 0.13 km east.
Turn left.
Walk 0.27 km north.
Turn right.
Walk 0.84 km east.
Turn left.
Walk 0.11 km north.
Turn right.
Walk 0.12 km east.
Turn right.
Walk .26 km south.
End: lat: 49.286382, lon: -123.1449.