Inspired by Richard Longs, (Landscape Artist) piece ’60 Minute Walk 1990, where he worked patterns into black ink then with overlaying text records a sixty-minute walk. Each line equates to a minute of the walk, describing simply what he saw, heard, felt and did. I decided to simulate this idea by walking without pre-judgement or planning, setting a timer every minute, and noting a word as Long did.
PAW CRONK FRESH GATE ROE DEW SLUGS COLD GREAT-TIT NUMB LATRINE WHISPY CROWDED CRIMSON LIGHTHOUSE WIND PERCHED SHELTER GOLDFINCH PHEASANT DOWNHILL LINNETS SCABIOUS BLACKBIRD LONG-TAILED DISTANCE ARCHED WHEATEAR REFLECTION ROBIN SHADOW RUMBLE SCAMPER BRACKEN CHAFFINCH UNCONTROLLABLE ORANGE RUNNER KISSING CRAFT MIGRATION FISHING THISTLE COCONUT UNDULATING BARE MOSS PURBECK GAGGLE RUBBISH DANCING CHAMPION SHELLS SAMPHIRE PIPET DESIRE CHARM CRASHING STEPS WINDBLOWN WARM
My walk was a lot harder than I thought, to start with the idea of bumbling along and then every minute writing a word seemed fun. I’m sure the minutes were getting closer together, I was getting stressed with taking too long and my brain was becoming more agitated trying to find ‘any’ word. Next time I might try it staying in one place, for instance using ‘the Listening Seat’ in the woodlands, then you would really have to explore your surroundings and all it’s senses to get a deeper connection.