The Last Day : Contemporary Art of Walking (Walking as a Methodology)

This day was to be the final step in a journey that was becomming impossible to continue. Nothing was expected, only that the frame had been set as a research methodology...What did that imply ?

Walking is part of the rhythm of animated-filmmaking. The space in which the process of thinking and feeling are allowed the space to evolve. Walking with an awareness of the original intent whilst only being able to make out signs in the distance. In the practice and in research the horizon shifts, sometimes reaching a landmark, other times it transpires, this is merely a point of commencement.

Walking from Camera to Set, walking from screen to camera, walking from Camera to object, from broad landscape to a droplet of water; William Kentridge refers to this as,"stalking the drawing". The obsessive act of moving from shoot to shot.

I understand, "stalking the drawing", referring to the act of walking, as a critical part of the process in which the internal thought process is paced out. It reveals the internal rythmn, a repeated process. It may be that through this process Kentridge is able to access the mind of the spectator whilst engaging his own vision.

In my practice, "walking space", provides an orientation in an expanded world view and allows for an expanded point of view to arise without losing ones orientation. It is landmarks, both small and large which provide the parameters of the work. It is the establishing of these co-ordinates that allow the work to operate as a multi-layered construction. This may be aligned to research, the frame allowing for the mining of new knowledge. A method of research.

Walking through the landscape of this part of the Pennines, I adopted an acute awareness of "keeping your orientation" in a new landscape. The acts of setting the compass, observing the landmarks and to a certain extent following ones nose, as metaphor, as the act of research.. a methodology.

However, this event extended beyond the obvious. Of course there was the alignment of research projects, potential collaborations and the extending of networks.

The day also allowed for another step to be taken, to reach that illusive horizon.