Examining the ways in which walking has been depicted, discussed and utilized throughout art in the 20th century, Walking: from subject to practice examines the various ways walking has been represented by 20th century artist. Holding much cultural and political significance, walking transcended in artwork from mere study to subject, to a medium in itself during this era. Used in a variety of contexts, walking has been represented as study, as leisure, as provocation, as a measure of the times and as advocacy. It has been used experimentally, as a spectacle and as an exploration of space. This exhibition will examine the social implications of walking and its relationship to modern and contemporary art practices. It will inform the expanding notion of art in the 20th century which included walking as an artistic medium.
A theme in literature and art since antiquity, the landscape and consequently walking has been a constant theme in the humanities. Landscape has revealed itself in painting, drawings and prints since the fourteenth century, and has been recorded in philosophical writings since the eighteenth century. The twentieth century marked a new sensibility among artists to explore landscape art abstractly. Walking as art fell within the frame-work of Land Art, an explosive rebirth of landscape representation during the post World War II era. Founded primarily by British artists in the late 60’s this movement showed a new spiritual understanding of our relationship to land, and an increasing empathy for our environment, as demonstrated by a growing sense of connection to our earth, the environment, land, and walking.
Walking with a bucket in mouth; light-gray horse, Eagle, Eadweard J. Muybridge, ca. 1884-1887, From the collection of: George Eastman Museum
Walking as Study One of the earliest studies of motion in photography, and paving way for the advent of motion picture, Eadweard Muybridge's Walking With a Bucket in Mouth depicts an early example of Walking as a subject of study, and of photographic exploration. Driven by a profound curiosity for discovering whether or not all four hooves of a horse leave the ground while a horse runs, in 1872 he was commissioned by Leland Stanford to create photographic studies of his horse ‘Occident’. The results of his studies were revolutionary in both art and science, and were monumental in furthering the study of movement in animals and humans. His photographic scenarios of a horse walking depict an interest in the process of movement, and walking as it relates to photography.
Boulevard Montmartre, morning, cloudy weather, Camille Pissarro, 1897, From the collection of: National Gallery of Victoria
Walking as a Sign of the Times An important indicator of the times, Pissaro's painting depicts the changing social order in Paris after Haussmann's reconstruction of the Parisian landscape after 1860. Enthralled by the new pedestrian culture of Paris at the end of the nineteenth century, and a rising middle class Pissarro depicts the busy Boulevard Montmartre. The painting can be considered a study of pedestrianism in Paris after Haussmann's radical transformations.
Summer evening on Skagen Sønderstrand, Peder Severin Krøyer, 1893, From the collection of: Skagens Museum
Walking As Leisure Interested in the light and colour of the beaches at Skagen, Krøyer depicts two women, Anna Ancher and Marie Krøyer walking together, while in conversation. Parallelling the merge of the blue hughes of the water and sky in the evening, is the two women who adorn similar dress as they meet with each other, much like the way the sky and water seem to meet in the evening. Depicted here and typical of Krøyer's compositions is the theme of leisure, and the life of artists. Typically included in these compositions were walks on the beach.
Kaldor Public Art Project 01: Christo & Jeanne-Claude 1969, Christo & Jeanne-Claude, 1969, From the collection of: Kaldor Public Art Projects
Walking as Spectacle Larger than Mount Rushmore, Wrapped Coast was at the time of its creation, the largest single artwork to have ever been made. One million square feet in its entirety, its large size prevented the viewer from experiencing the work from a single vantage point. In order to experience the whole of the work the viewer had to venture into an hour-long coastal walk. The work, temporal by nature lasted throughout a ten week period from October 28th, 1969. Typical of Christo and Jeanne-Claude, the object is stripped of its importance, and the experience is regarded as an art form in itself.
Kaldor Public Art Project 07: Richard Long 1977, Richard Long, 1977, From the collection of: Kaldor Public Art Projects
Walking as Medium As part of a visit to Australia, and undertaken as a Kaldor project, Project 7 was the first of many projects and walks Long undertook in Australia. Developed from walks outside Broken Hill, New South Wales, Australia, Long created two large museum works and a series of photographs. As the fore-founder of using walking as medium, Long’s work has re-defined the art object in contemporary discourse. Using the land as his canvas, often Long’s work is made to be temporary, and in situ. From his walks he collects, photographs and leaves imprints.
Walking as an Expanded Art Form vor dem Aufbruch aus Lager I (before departing from camp I), is a predecessor of Beuy's large scale earth works. Within it is a diagram which discusses Beuys theories on the expanding notion of art and sculpture in the twentieth century. The piece advocates for ‘will’, ‘soul feeling’, and ‘thinking’ in sculpture, as prescribed on the chalkboard presented in the middle of the work. It is an important examination of Beuys theories on the art experience as medium, rather than the object. Beuys was instrumental in the advent of 'art happenings', and often his works dealt with topics of ecology, and our connection to land.
Untitled, Keith Haring, 1982, From the collection of: MoMA The Museum of Modern Art
Walking and Social Activism Created to be viewed by walkers, Haring began his career by realizing large and abstract graffiti works in the subway stations of New York City. Dealing with social themes that were highly relevant in densely populated urban areas, Haring directed his provocative graffiti works at the commuters, and pedestrians of New York City. His work often dealt with themes of poverty, drug abuse and AIDS. Here, and typical of Haring are cartoon figures depicted in a chaotic composition.
Kailash Kora, Hamish Fulton, 2007 - 2007, From the collection of: Fondazione per l'Arte Moderna e Contemporanea CRT
Walking as Process "KAILASH KORA WALKING ONE CIRCUIT OF THE PILGRIMAGE ROUTE ROUND MOUNT KAILASH TIBET 5 + 6 OCTOBER 2007 COLD WIND AND SLEET OVER THE 5668 METRE DROLMA PASS FOLLOWING IN THE ENERGY OF A BUDDHIST NUN" Interested in the environment and native cultures Hamish Fulton documents personal walks. Acknowledging that walking is intrinsic to his artistic practice, Fulton has said, “If I do not walk, I cannot make a work of Art”. By creating photographs and text documentation of his experiences walking, Fulton is able to remedy a prominent concern during the rise of site specific work in the 60’s and 70’s, which asked, how can land art, more specifically walking as art, be exhibited in a museum or gallery? Fulton leaves us with artifact remnants from his explorative walks. Fulton paints, prints, draws and demonstrates his walks in museums and galleries. Here, we see a descriptive print alluding to a walk he completed in Tibet in 2007.
Walking to the Sky, Jonathan Borofsky, 2004, From the collection of: Nasher Sculpture Center
Walking As Subject Jonathan Borofsky examines walking as subject, in his public sculpture Walking to the Sky. It was originally made for a high traffic, pedestrian area, Rockefeller Center, in New York city. The sculpture explores the human form, and defying our self-imposed limitations. The sculpture, which stands at an imposing 100 feet in height uses its verticality to beg the question ‘what impossible things can we achieve?’. It is a hopeful piece that uses walking as symbolism for growth and overcoming personal boundaries.
Walking Person, Tchine, Yu Yeung, 2009, From the collection of: Korean Art Museum Association
Walking as Place Though emerging as an individual art form in the 60’s, Walking is used today as subject, practice and process. Using the foot as symbolism for true nature, and walking as an instrument for contemplation of place. Tchine depicts the imagery of a foot to encourage discussion around who the subject is and where he is going. In Tchine’s work the foot is used to reflect on time and place with regard to motion. Working from photographic imagery, he has used the pixels of a photograph much like one would use pieces in a mosaic. He has adhered the pixels of the photograph to canvas and has then extracted imagery to then add coloured drawings which create new photographic renderings.
Credits: All media
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