A Poem of Geographic Coordinates, 2013.

Hawaii Pacific University Art Gallery

A Poem from Geographic Coordinates is a two-part installation made from paper, graphite powder, mono-filament thread and acrylic medium. It was constructed to cover the walls from floor to ceiling at Hawaii Pacific University Art Gallery in the summer of 2013. Using satellite images from Google Earth, the Portner studied the topography and suburban structure surrounding Marine Corps Base Hawaii on Mokapu peninsula, on the east side of O‘ahu, Hawaii. She then translated this complex aerial view into large-scale paper-cuts.

The paper cut-out is entitled “21 °27’32.97” N 157° 43’21”W/21° 26’31.42” N 157° 44’53.75” W “ after the exact coordinates observed on the satellite image application.

During her process, the cut-out fragments of paper were saved, then re-configured and sewn into a wall-hanging-drawing, entitled “Story of Sediment”. "Story of Sediment" is an abstract image that represents the geologic process of sedimentation.