A Broken Line (2017)


2016 saw a high pitch of anti-immigrant hysteria. Donald Trump promised to 'Build a Wall' across the entire Mexico-USA border. Europeans debated how to stem the tide of immigrants crossing their borders and, among other measures, funded Turkey to build a vast fence along their border with Syria. The UK voted to leave the EU altogether, partly motivated by the drive to keep immigrants out. Within this context I began walking the Antonine Wall. This is a second century border wall built by the Roman's across lowland Scotland, twenty years after Hadrian's Wall. It divided Brittania from Caledonia. I photographed remnants of Roman fortifications and the ditch and wall itself using kite and drone. A site of particular interest was Bar Hill Fort near Kirkintilloch. This fort had been garrisoned by 500 Syrian archers. Refugees from the contemporary Syrian War were beginning to settle on the Isle of Bute just as this work was being made. With the help of my sons, rockets were fired from one side of the wall to the other carrying messages: "All Borders Fall!" The work was exhibited in the Auld Kirk Museum, Kirkintilloch in 2017. The Antonine Wall passes through the grounds of the venue.

Grangemouth

Kinneil Roman Fortlet

Lilia (pit traps) at Rough Castle

Bar Hill Fort

Toward Old Kilpatrick

All images © Frank McElhinney

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