For the past several years I’ve been working on a feature-length essay-film about Birmingham Central Library and the death of Modernism. The film is called Paradise Lost, History in the Unmaking and it could be described as a psychogeographical detective story in which I investigate the ruins of yesterday’s future in an effort to understand the forces that shape a city. If this sounds like your sort of thing then book your ticket to the online premiere now! The event is on May 24th as part of Flatpack Festival and is followed by a Q&A hosted by Christopher Beanland, author of Concrete Concept.
In an interview with Flatpack I talk about the film’s themes and give some insight into the creative process, including the central role that walking has played throughout.
Paradise Lost is essentially a feature-length video stroll. It’s structured like a walk, in that it sets out without a clear sense of a destination, and it meanders a bit and discoveries are made almost by accident. Bit by bit the story is pieced together and hopefully it all resolves into something satisfying by the end.
The excellent people at SOUNDkitchen have created another immersive journey of audio encounters, this time exploring the green spaces of the B37 postcode in Solihull. This self-directed walk can be undertaken at any time using the SOUNDwalker app.
“Discover the hidden sounds of bats and underwater life, listen to wind and rain on metal structures, learn to identify different trees and forage for food guided by local people passionate about wildlife.”
Join Laura and The Clear Space on March 16th for this socially distant and Covid safe mindful exploration!
We’ll use a combination of mindfulness and photography to really slow down and explore the environment. Our initial zoom workshop will involve a guided mindfulness session, and you’ll also receive a brief, along with some mindfulness and mindful photography exercises to follow on your One Hour / One Mile self-guided mindfulness photo walk.
You’ll carry out your walk using mindfulness and mindful photography techniques to engage with your environment and document your exploration.
You don’t need any experience of mindfulness or photography to take part, and the only equipment you’ll need is a camera phone or a disposable camera.
There will be an optional debrief via Zoom on the 30th March at 7pm, where we’ll talk about our experiences and share our findings.
Walkspace is teaming up with visual arts duo Hipkiss & Graney for a walk and artistic ritual to welcome the sunrise on the shortest day of the year.
Join us by the monolithic stone table in Hazelwell Park at 7:30am on the Solstice (21 December).
From there we begin a gentle walk from the lowest point of the valley to the highest point to observe and appreciate the sunrise on this Solstice.
Upon arrival you will be given a lantern to carry as we embark on our journey. Once we are overlooking to rooftops of Stirchley you will be given black indian ink and plentiful paper to capture the sunrise over our little community.
Sunrise is at 8:16
BOOKING A SPACE In accordance with Covid restrictions places are very limited. To book onto the walk email: hipkissandgraney@outlook.com If you find you can’t take part we would appreciate 24 hours notice so we can advertise the available space.
CLOTHING Make sure you’re layered up, nice and warm and wearing walking shoes as it can be quite muddy.
The walk encourages a deeper connection with the natural environment and a new awareness of the hidden sounds around us – both natural and man-made.
Exploring the area of Stirchley, I’ve created a sound map of interesting listening points in the local area. These points have been recorded and the field recordings produced draw upon a range of sources – the hidden sounds of underwater currents, recordings of bats hunting above the River Rea, the secret world of Birmingham Brew before opening hours. As the walk progresses, the field recordings develop into smaller musical compositions that have been inspired by the mechanical and electromagnetic recorded sounds, progressing from a natural to an abstracted and imaginative sound world.
The Stirchley soundwalk creates a 60-minute self-guided journey of immersive audio experiences which can be experienced using a smartphone. The free SOUNDwalker app uses GPS to guide the walker to different locations and, on arrival, triggers audio tracks which provide site specific responses to the immediate environment.
As you listen to the soundwalk click on the listening points once to see the name of the location and click on the name to read more about the sounds you are hearing.
JOIN NIKKI FOR A GUIDED SOUNDWALK ON THURSDAY 1ST AND FRIDAY 2ND OCTOBER, 5:30PM AT ARTEFACT
Although the walk can be completed entirely independently using the SOUNDwalker app, this is an opportunity to talk to me about the sounds and my practice. The walks will be socially distanced, take place outside and participants are asked to wear a mask where possible.
Participants will need to bring their own headphones and mobile device. It is advised that participants download the SOUNDwalker app and the Stirchley Soundwalk in advance due to possible streaming issues.
The walk will last for one hour and start and end at Artefact, Stirchley. Please be aware that photographs will be taken of participants on the walk.
Looking to stretch your legs during the next Lockdown? Eager for a new adventure outside of your predicted algorithms? Curious to make some new socially distant friends? Desperate to break the simulation of your everyday reality? Then why not come on a quantum randomly generated walk with us! (We might just crash the Matrix – at the very least find some unexpected surprise encounters!)
Join live artist Sebastian H-W and Walkspace for a ‘Randonautica Walkshop’ (a walking workshop) inspired by and using the recently popular ‘adventure app’ called Randonautica – the world’s first quantumly generated ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ reality game. Together we’ll explore the local Birmingham area, walking in search of quantumly random unexpected encounters, in order to document and collect physical and digital evidence in the form of ‘Artefacts’, which we’ll bring back to the studio to discuss, examine and archive in our ongoing research investigations into the relationship between human consciousness and the quantum realm.
What is Randonauting? Watch to find out.
Exploring the psychogeography of ‘quantum mysticism’, magical intentionality, and simulation theory, ‘Randonautica Walkshop’is an interactive walking workshop experience, whereby participants become ‘Randonauts’ – facilitated by artists Sebastian H-W and Andy Howlett via live and remote/smartphone instructions on the free instant messaging app Telegram available on iPhone and Android. Smartphones with strong data roaming are encouraged, but not essential for this Walkshop.
Where?
eS-Studio, 55 Great Tindal St, Birmingham, B16 8DR
This is a “pay what you can” event. We suggest a £4+ donation to cover refreshments and workshop materials. If possible, please bring all donations in cash, otherwise Contactless Card donations will also be available via mobile card reader at the venue.
Walkshop Structure
Participants will meet at the artist’s studio in central Birmingham where refreshments will be provided.
Once all participants are assembled, Sebastian will explain how the Walkshop will run, how the Randonautica app works, and facilitate all participants through an interactive workshop to find your ‘quantum intentions’
We will choose a random participants’ ‘quantum intentions’
Their ‘quantum intentions’ are then transformed into quantumly random GPS points in the local area
All participants walk with the artist to the first GPS points focusing on the first participant’s ‘quantum intentions’
All participants will be invited to document their walk through photo/video/audio multimedia via the Telegram app.
Once the group reach the GPS location, we will document and collect physical and digital evidence of the manifestation of the participant’s ‘quantum intention’.
We will then randomly decide the next participant to follow their ‘quantum intention’ to their GPS point.
(Repeat steps 3 to 8)
Once all participants have lead the walk to their GPS points, the whole tour group will return to the artist’s studio for debriefing and refreshments.
Social Distancing Measures
This Walkshop is subject to social distancing measures in force on the 10th October. Participants will have to remain 1 to 2m apart at all times (unless from the same household). We sadly may have to cancel the Walkshop if the restrictions are too high/stringent but we will make every effort to ensure the event can go ahead as planned.
Accessibility
Access to the eS-Studio venue involves climbing 2 sets of stairs. Due to the period features of the venue, we are unable to provide ramp/level access or elevator/lift to the artist’s studio. Unfortunately, eS-Studio has no central heating and is not advised for anyone with a strong mould allergy. We advise all participants to wear warm layers both in the artist’s studio and outdoors on the walks.
Questions?
Please email: carpe.quantum.fatum[at]gmail.com
Sebastian H-W (MX:UK) is a Live Artist based in the West Midlands whose work explores identity, memory, technology, participation, and bodies, through cutting-edge approaches to creating live performances, action-based interventions, immersive tours, games, and installations. He has made work across a range of sites, spaces, and places including; grand theatres, queer clubs, white cubes, black-boxes, historic watchtowers, city streets, quiet canals, the palm of your hand, and the voices inside your head. He has performed on both a national and international level including the V&A Museum, Artsadmin, Battersea Arts Centre, Chelsea Theatre, The Wellcome Collection, Camden People’s Theatre, Arnolfini Bristol, Tempting Failure Festival, Sarean Centro Cultural Bilbao (Spain) Meinblau Gallery, and Gruntaler9 Berlin (Germany), Grace Exhibition Space NYC (USA) and UABJO Oaxaca (México). He has been funded by Arts Council England, Heritage Lottery Fund, British Council in Mexico, Jerwood Charitable Commission among other public and private funded bodies. Follow Sebastian on Twitter & Instagram: @SebastnHW – Facebook: www.facebook.com/sebastnhw More Info: http://bit.ly/sebastnhw
This weekend (Sept 4-6) is the 4th World Congress of Psychogeography. Usually it’s held in Huddersfield but due to you-know-what it’s happening online for 2020. Pete, Fiona and Andy submitted a talk about the Mapping Stirchley which takes the form of a video essay.
There are a number of talks, essays and short films going live on the 4WCOP website on Friday, though you’ll need to register (free) to access them. Once you’ve done this you can also join the discussions and panels. Our panel, The Same Place Through Different Eyes, is on Saturday at 11:30am. Please join us!
Update: The panel happened and was recorded. Watch it here:
This video marks a line in the sand for Walkspace. After our plans were scotched by lockdown we’re now ready to try this art-walking collective malarkey again. Watch for ways to get involved, or just drop us a note.
THIS EVENT IS BACK! The new date is August 23rd, 1pm.
We are delighted to be teaming up with visual arts duo Hipkiss and Graney for Drawing Attention: A Walking Drawing Workshop!
Using our digitised map of Stirchley curios we’ll be questing through the streets and stopping to draw objects, buildings, flora, fauna and landscapes.
Such exciting landmarks include:
The Blue Shipping Container
The Bindweed Curtain
The Rooftops of Little London
The Rogue Poplar
The Stone Table
And many more!
To take part please email: hipkissandgraney@outlook.com
We’ll meet at the mysterious neolithic structure in Hazelwell Park at 12:45pm to begin adventure at 1pm.
//SOCIAL DISTANCING//
Bring facemasks, we will provide sanitizer and creative resources.
To ensure participants health we will be capping the number of participants at 6.
Please note that while this isn’t a children’s workshop, children are welcome if accompanied by an adult.
//THE STIRCHLEY TAPESTRY//
This is a community art project, and we want to work with everyone- no previous art and drawing experience needed. This will be a fun and relaxing daytime art workshop with some really wonderful outcomes that you are part of!
This is the first in a series of Hipkiss and Graney community workshops for The Stirchley Tapestry. During these creative workshops we will create sustainable and fairer future communities through monochromatic drawings.
Walks that use sound, either as an artificial accompaniment or through actively listening, are a broad and inspiring part of the walking practice. I first properly realised this on a sound walk run by SoundKitchen for Still Walking in 2013 where we walked around Edgbaston reservoir engaging in different forms of listening, from the amplified scratches of bugs burrowing in a log to parabolic microphones in the trees transporting us to locations miles away, and of course simply standing still and paying attention to the soundscape. In hindsight that walk totally changed they way I think about photographing my walks, which was a nicely unexpected outcome.
Sound Walk September looks like an excellent way to get a similar sort of inspiration, should you be looking for it. Having evolved over a number of events and projects, the 2019 month became:
not only a showcase for innovation, but also a valued community-building resource, bringing practitioners together, many of whom are remotely working creatives who had previously felt isolated or ‘ploughing a lonely furrow’.
As expected, this year’s gathering will be somewhat distributed, but will hopefully emphasise the international nature of the event, and there’s an open call for submissions, be they walks or events or workshops. The call is:
Open to everyone, for instance: creatives, artists, sound artists, musicians, poets, architects, performers, designers, anthropologists, writers, health and wellness professionals, cultural and social professionals, educators, teachers, students, those interested to explore the impact and possibilities of sound walking.
Lucy Parris is looking for people to take part in her socially distanced walking project on June 20th. We included Lucy in our recent round-up of West Midlands walking artists and we look forward to seeing how this turns out.
Says Lucy:
I would like you to join me in a ‘socially distanced walk’ (this means we will be a group of people all walking ‘together’ with the same intention but each in our own chosen location). At the agreed time, each participant will go for a walk in a place that they have been able to use during lockdown. Using any medium, I would like us to record evidence of and feelings about the ways we have had to change how we experience these places with regards to other people, social distancing and visible/invisible boundaries.
The responses will be collated by Lucy and made into an artwork displayed on her website as a record.
Walkspace 