Walking & Art
Walking is a way of measuring, a way of encompassing a territory. Its pace and rhythm creates a frame in time and space which is delegated by the person walking. Walking, one of the most basic of human activities has long been both inspiration and subject of exploration for artists.
Walking and Art has a long tradition in Huntly through the work of Deveron Arts. Over the past few years Deveron Arts, where the town is the venue, has launched a number of projects.
Talky Walky was a project that brought artists, art lovers and walkers in the Aberdeenshire locality together. Once a month, in the winters of 2006 and 2007, people walked from one artist studio in the Shire to the next, encompassing art old and new often many miles over the hills. From the Scottish Sculpture workshop in Lumsden to David Blyth’s studio; from Mary Bourne’s workshop down to Auchindour Castle; or Deborah Beason’s studio round the Tap o’ Noth Hillfort.
Walking Lunches are a weekly series of moving meetings with artists, art professionals and other people in the locality, initiated by Claudia Zeiske, Director of Deveron Arts. Walking Lunches are an adaptation of ‘working lunches’, combining the purpose of a business meeting with fitness and environment appreciation. The idea is that instead of lunch-time meetings people are encouraged to undertake movable get-togethers, where they walk for the duration of a normal meeting (i.e. between 1-2 hours). Targeted for busy people who want to keep fit but can’t ‘afford’ the time. The order is: The initiator sets the agenda, brings the sandwiches and writes the minutes of the terms discussed. The walking partner amends the agenda and commits to taking photos reflecting the three pillars of art (a still life, a portrait, a landscape). The initiator writes the minutes, and the partner puts in the photos. The minutes are then agreed and archived. The intention is to set up a snow-ball effect network of walking lunchers. The walking partner in turn should commit to undertake at least two further walking lunches. If successful this project should create an exponential rise in the number of people walking over the six months of the project. If everybody (minimum 26 people), walks with at least two other people, this will already be 26+ (2×26) = 78 people. One can imagine how much this number goes up if every one of those walkers encourages two walkers, and they again…..
21 Days In The Cairngorms. The tradition of bringing the passions of walking and art together now culminates in a project with internationally renowned walking artist Hamish Fulton who will walk from Huntly for twenty-one days over and through the Cairngorms. In his walks Hamish Fulton actively tests himself and his body: undertaking a full week of walking without sleep; walking from one side of the country to the other; refraining from talking for a full week while walking. The physical involvement of walking creates receptiveness to the landscape and this accessibility opens the potential for any individual to take part; to make one aware of the environment, and of oneself. The Cairngorms are one of the last wilderness areas in Europe. Few other places offer the possibility of several days of walking without human interaction or interference. The Cairngorms as Hamish puts it ‘have a special place in my heart’. Huntly is situated on the foothills of the Cairngorms, but regrettably to some not within the geographic and political boundaries of the National Park. Exploring Huntly’s motto “Room to Roam” Hamish seeks to highlight the thought process of both the mental and physical room to roam and make a geographic link between Huntly and the Cairngorm national park. The walk will encompass 21 days of walking and roaming around the Cairngorms with one rucksack only. No shops, no B+Bs, just Hamish himself, his rucksack and tent. The walk starts on 18 April from Huntly and will end on 8 May at Glenmore Lodge
*This text has been written in collaboration with Deveron Arts. For further information, click here