IN-PERSON London Heritages. Section B

Abstract

Artist Kaori Homma and curator Emily Artinian of Street Road Artists Space have collaborated for nearly a decade on Homma’s ongoing project to “reposition” the Prime Meridian. This presentation explores the many iterations of the work, including installations and participatory events involving both the general public and student groups. Meridians—imaginary lines connecting the North and South Poles—are anchored by the Prime Meridian in Greenwich, which divides the Earth into Eastern and Western Hemispheres. For Homma, a Japanese-born artist based in London, the meridian is more than a geographic coordinate. It is a conceptual space for reflecting on place, identity, and the meaning of boundaries. In response, she draws her own “Meridian” lines across diverse locations—from Paris and Budapest to Cochranville, Pennsylvania, home of Street Road Artists Space. Homma’s ephemeral lines, often made from sand or other impermanent materials, invite interaction. Viewers walk across them, slowly erasing them over time. This intentional transience underscores the fluidity of borders and the fragile, ever-changing nature of the world’s divisions. An extension of the project, Meridian Stone, pushes the concept further. Homma etched the coordinates of Greenwich onto a stone, which was then mailed from artist to artist around the world. Over several years, it traveled to more than 15 countries. Each participant photographed the stone at a meaningful site and contributed a statement and image. Artinian and Homma will share details of these iterations and reflect on the project as a lens for exploring our shared global heritage.