Abstract

Morrison-Bell and Ross said that 'This two-day participatory event will focus on what might be called ‘art-walks’ – performances or events in which leading artists work directly with audiences and participants. Each walk will be led by an artist who uses different media to explore how walking alters perceptions of the place or site, and of the self. We have selected a panoramic range of artists to represent the different modes of engagement with walking. They work with or through sound, words, choreographed movement/performance, installation, architectural interventions, and through day and night time activity. In each instance, the direct involvement of the public is key'.

The artist-curated and led walks were complemented by a programme of other walks, related activities, and events that illuminated what walking as a ‘medium’ for creating artworks means in the twenty first century.

For this event, I led a short walk (with natural historian Keith Bowey) and ran a colour workshop using locally-produced artists’ pastels whose 400 colour range, Unison Pastels, was created by artist John Hursey, and inspired directly by walking in the surrounding landscape. I also chaired a panel discussion about Walking Art with participating artists and other academics as well as interested visitors to the event.