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The Hoodlum Scientist’s Fieldbook
Author: Simon Sellars • Jun 11th, 2008 •Category: Ballardosphere, psychogeography, speed & violence
So, the idea is to use Google Earth to map out the various locations. Below is a screenshot of where I think the death of Vaughan occurs. Interesting to see that there now appears to be a Concord monument. I’ll dig out the book reference later, would be good to come to a consensus about locations - make alternative suggestions. It would be good to share google earth map defs… I’ll look at doing this shortly (click on image to expand it, to get a better idea)
On the deserted roof of a Northolt multi-storey car-park, I waited by the balustrade. In the rear seat of the car Vaughan arranged her limbs posture of the dying cashier.
I can’t find any evidence for a multi-storey car park from google earth, so maybe a poetic representation might be worthwhile… a collage approach possibly, find a derelict plot of land in Northolt and superimpose a suitable car-park… virtual town planning, after all as Ballard says the job of fiction is nowadays is to recreate reality!
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G-CONC - the model Concorde - has been there for years, throughout the period BA actually operated Concordes. They have now found some excuse not to remove it (I think they changed the sign next to it to “Concorde - Timeless”). Bah.
I wonder how this project will get on with the fact there are quite a few points in the book where Ballard refers to Western Avenue (i.e. the A40) when he seems to mean the Great West Road (i.e the A4).
now let’s find the Concrete Island… though i’m afraid that Google Maps (still) doesn’t have maps for inner space territories.
I think they will use occult divination to find any and all points on the map.
“Exhausted by Vaughan, Catherine hung to the rear seat behind his head. As his penis jerked emptily into her bruised vulva, Vaughan sank back against the seat. Already he had lost interest in the whimpering young woman pulling herself into her clothes. His scarred hands explored the worn fabric of the seat, marking in semen a cryptic diagram: some astrological sign or road intersection.
Ballard, Crash.“
now let’s find the Concrete Island…
Easy - internal evidence clearly places it at the junction of the A40 and the West Cross Route.
…
http://www.btinternet.com/~roads/pix/westway.html
http://pathetic.org.uk/former/a40m_westway/apex_corner/index.shtml