art walks

Can a walk be a work of art? I think it can. A walk of art...

Rather than walk past works of art, as for example, walking through a sculpture park or maybe through a city endowed with public works or even the modern version- a traipse round Bristol looking for 'banksies' - I've even done it myself in Lyme Regis of all places (the banksie in question is getting rather faded...hurry!)- yes instead of that worthy kind of arse licking 'engagement' (a word which means doing anything that is a half a rung above looking at your phone) I propose an activity in which the walker becomes both curator (yikes) and creator of a genuine, if short lived, work of art.

We have all suspected this for some time. What is Scott V. Amundsen but two trekkers in search of the eternal gaze of a mesmerised public? The attraction of the old explorers was exactly that- a walk to the death...hence the south pole- a place with no people- being the ultimate walk of art...Land artists and walking artists like Richard Long etc have further pointed the way, albeit in a very dry, very drystonewall, very ordnance keeping to the paths survey kind of way. It is at one with most of the art of minimalism- Steve Reich on a grey awayday.

But walks can be CRAZY MAN. And the art of walking, Walks of Art, should reflect this generous nature.

There can be encounters- scripted and random (ie. driven by the Gods and Jinns).

There can be awfully artistic brew-ups using intriguing very lightweight cooking equipment.

There is the route itself.

And the consequent map if not the map used or indeed both.

If one is tempted, temporary works of art- leaves, twigs rockpiles etc can be created en route. This is entry level kiddie style art walking in as much as it rewards 'the bestest one' and heaps scorn on the worst. The next level is creating a dynamic sense of something significant having happened- this is the basis of the Japanese love of moon viewing and leaf watching. To this I would add windwalking (see below) and stormwalking- both aided by the right kind of waterproofs or Buffalo gear which is really the best.

Art walks are above all else supremely pleasant to engage in as they add a touch of permanence to the essential and necessary transience of a walk. Even finding a not-actually-a-flint-tool can elevate a drag into an art walk.

Should it be recorded- perhaps.

Watch this space for some exquisitely curated art walks coming your way soon.