Three Harvard students have launched a Kickstarter Project to fund a short film and digital exhibition on the Turkmenistan-China gas pipeline, which runs along the historic Silk Road. "From 'Silk Road' to 'Gas Road'" will explore the "cultural, ecological and urban implications" of the 21st century intervention, following the summertime journey of Lu Xiaoxuan, Benny Shaffer, and Justin D. Stern along the pipeline. The project is being carried out through Harvard's Fairbank Center for Chinese studies, and the trio intends to finish filming and photographing for the project this summer.
Learn more about the project and how to support it after the break.
Conceived in 2003 and operational since June 2014, the pipeline supplies nearly one quarter of China's natural gas energy, and is more than 1,800km in length. The documentary will examine the practical implications of the landmark piece of energy infrastructure on the landscape of Central Asia, presenting both the subtle and dramatic changes to everyday life that it brings.
In addition to the short film, the group hopes to produce an online exhibition, the beta version of which can be found here. Using the Omeka-Neatline web platform, the trio will document their observations, drawings, and interviews in real-time over the course of the journey, constructing both an exhibition and a platform for broader conversation about the topic between academia, the art world, and the general public.
The Kickstarter project hopes to raise $7,800, and will be accepting pledges until Monday, June 8, 2015 at 8 AM EST. Learn more and help fund the project here.
