How do we experience our surroundings? Till Krause tries to answer this question with the help of maps. In his work Achse Kiel–Hamburg, Blickfeldkarte, a red line marks the beeline between the cities. However, the artist’s walk along this 100- kilometer route is being interrupted from the very beginning. Trees, but also private gardens, an airport, chicken coops, cornfields, youth cafés, and soccer pitches, make it hard to take the direct route. 

By crossing a space, Krause wants to experience his environment in a new way, off the paved tracks. The documentation of his path on the map evokes the question of why this line was interrupted, by what, and how the obstacles were overcome without ending in an adventure story. The mapping is based on strict aspects: perceptions, types of terrain, and elements of the landscape. The Handykarte constitutes a stark contrast; it documents the cell phone network on the same route. The line runs straight, precisely as planned. Although color interruptions are visible, it always stays on the direct route between Kiel and Hamburg.

AF