Borderlines

Borderlines is a walking performance about invisible borders. Working with the Queer Constituent group at the Whitworth, together they individually map out the borders of the city and set out to walk these as a collective act of resistance.

In 2022, as part of Suzanne Lacy: What Kind of City the gallery held a four-day summit, that asked how art can offer people-centered approaches for us to become more active and creative citizens. For the summit, Queering the Whitworth commissioned the artist duo greenandowens to create Borderlines. 

In collaboration with the queer constituent group, Borderlines is a performance walk that explores the invisible queer borders of the city of Manchester. Starting at the Whitworth and following a short briefing from the artists, both members of the group and participants who joined on the day set out to explore the city. Walkers were identifiable by yellow hi-vis jackets. The journey began with all walkers standing in a line in front of the gallery and then walking out and dispersing. 

Borderlines was inspired by Suzanne Lacy’s, Across and In-Between (2018) and was made in solidarity across and against all borders.


Image: Suzanne Lacy: What Kind of City, the Whitworth, 2022. Photo: Elizabeth Chandler