Created with DHL shipping company and the help of GPS! It spans nearly every continent and shows a pretty elaborate path. While this might seem flippant, I think it shows an important intersection of technology and art. Anyone familiar with ancient maps can see the obvious art there, but I can’t say I’ve ever thought of art and GPS in the same sentence before!
Via Gizmodo
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Given that the GPS in the suitcase won’t work, and that many of the “delivery points” specified in his manifest are lat/lon pairs in the middle of the ocean, I think it’s pretty safe to “call bullsh**” on this interesting concept. The best theory I have seen so far is that this is a viral marketing stunt by DHL… certainly they get lots of screen time, and the “artist” actually flies along with his (non functioning) suitcase!
This has been posted a few places and in each there’s a healthy debate on about whether or not it is real. I just can’t picture a GPS unit capable of collecting that data from with in a briefcase, within a truck, or a plane, or a ship.
Not to mention, why would DHL agree to do this if not for publicity?
In 2007, one of Polish biker took a trip across of Poland on bike and used GPS to draw name JADZIA, in tribute to his wife passed away. His drawing is not that impressive in numbers of kilometers, though only D letter is more than 1000km. However, everything was calligraphed with bike wheels powered by muscles, and that’s IMO impressive.
Here is the story (in Polish but should be easy to translate with Google Translator from Polish to English):
http://www.bikeboard.pl/index.php?d=turystyka&g=27&art=2311
I think it is safe to put this one to bed based on what folks have said here and elsewhere:
http://geolounge.com/2008/05/27/largest-gps-drawing-exposed-as-a-fraud/
Now we need to find someone with a plane to make this a reality. Any takers?
Score one object lesson for Frank! Research BEFORE posting! Sorry everyone.
Apparently someone else did a smaller version…
http://gizmodo.com/394395/gps-art-this-time-its-the-real-deal
And now folks have added a bunny to the GPS shapes.
http://www.engadget.com/2008/05/31/giant-bunny-formed-from-gps-path/