Methods:
For this set of walks, a new score was generated in direct response to the 2020 covid 19 lockdown. The aim was to undertake 10 walks, within a 10 mile radius of home of up to 10 miles in length. Many walks undertaken explored my own memories and deep connection to certain landscapes.
I utilised site writing and poetic techniques to introduce a text-based element to many of the walks, based on post-walk free-writing, also using sound, still images and video, all recorded on a smartphone. These walks were a collaboration between canine and human, negotiated routes, sometimes semi planned, sometimes spontaneous and surprising, allowing me (us) to explore familiar places from a new perspective, by attending to the details, physical marks and scars, topographical elements of landscape and my own childhood memories. Interestingly, My canine companion took on the role of confidant on these walks in terms of someone to talk to and share the experience with as I voiced my thoughts and feelings towards his indifferent ears. In a reciprocal move, he also often chose the direction of travel and drew me to areas and objects which interested him, and thus became of interest to me, giving an alternative reading of familiar landscapes. With exhibition opportunities suspended by the pandemic, I decided to use the Research Catalogue to construct visual, sonic and textual essays for each walk.
Equipment/materials:
· Mobile smartphone (apple iPhone 7)
· Outdoor GPS for iPhone
· iPhone camera (stills and video)
· Sketchbook
· iPhone voice recording and notes applications
· Google Maps
Discoveries:
These walks were a collaboration between canine and human, negotiated routes, sometimes planned, sometimes spontaneous and surprising, allowed me (us) to explore familiar places from a new perspective.
On reflection 10x10x10 appears to have been a significant turning point in the practice, being the first sustained attempt at investigating deep canine topography as a collaborative, human-canine methodology for exploring landscape. However, the walks exposed limitations in my own approach, still being quite human centred, with my companion acting as a guide, but his voice was not being adequately represented through my own clumsy attempts to interpreted his perspective.