Creative Walking With RICHARD LONGCO ca ee See eae eer late Sites. Long has been testing the boundaries of art Cee ee occa er Pree seed Richard Long's work represents a dalogue with nature us- ing bothits landscapes and materials. He works directly on ‘the earth in a variety of ways thus illuminating the need to represent art, Walking has clearly become Long's trade- Se ee ee Te Cee ee an do to mark a place and Long has been using this re- search method for over fourty years to create his outstand- regeiy Ngee 1 OC MM (6 AUN RA LoS people or not recognised as art when they do.” Gere eReLao-tzu, a philosopher of ancient China, is often quoted saying 'A journey of thousand miles begins with a single step’. Its extremely ciffiult to decide where and when the first step of a journey occurs, especialy when metaphoric, (Nicholson 2008, Pt), The history of walk ing can be found in a thousand passages in books, as well as in songs, streets, and almost everyone's adventures, Walking has an unrecorded, secret history. The physical history of walking is that of bipedal evolution and human anatomy. Most of the time walking is simply an unconsidered locomotive means between two sites. It is in some sense about how we invest universal acts with particular meanings for example eating or breathing, Walking can be invested with wildly different cultural meanings, from the erotic to the spiritual, from the revolutionary to the artistic (Salnit 2000, P3-4), Walking is a method of research where each person can have a diferent experience by it. Looking back into history, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, a Genevan philosopher and ariter used waking as a technique to put his thoughts in order (Rousseau 1992). Walking is @ way to develop deep thoughts; it allows us to be in our bodies and in the world withaut being made busy by them (Solnt 2000, P5). The specific study of the art af walking has garnered high attention over recent times, The art of walking as a subject matter can be interpreted ‘through anthropology and tourism however as an actual artistic practise it has not quite been defined. As a result, theory and logic behind this subject is evolving at present with the help of many artists (Robinson et al 2013) Artists such as Richard Long have travelled countries to create thelr artwork, leaving traces of thelr movements on the land to create artistic sculptures (Robinson etal 2013). Long is an artist wha has been invalved with the landscape since the sates creating many different artworks, The landscape is both the medium which he chases to create his work from and the subject (Jacket 2013), His childhood experiences have influenced his passion to work with landscape. He receives the most pleasure and greatest inspiration by walking and working on landscape (Long et al 2005, P7)This literature review aims to analyse the research methad of walking by looking at three cifferent artworks by Richard Long, The first piece of work being reviewed is his best-known ‘early piece, Aline made by walking’ (1967) which is a simple black-and-white photograph, Long's travels to South Africa wil be reviewed with the most emphasis put towards his fa- ‘mous artwork ‘fica Footprints’ (1886), this is a piece created with mud footprints on pa- per. The third and final artwork isa text-work called 'A line of 33 stones, a walk of 33 days (1998), this work was created on a 1030-mile walk. These three pieces have been chosen as each one has been created using dlfferent artistic techniques while being incluenced by Long's walks and experiences from his journeys. This review wil conclude by analysing how this method of research can be applied in to architecture. Richard Long ilumunates the need to represent art by working directly onthe earth (land- scape) in diferent mays, By using photographs, maps, dranings and words on paper, Long captures memaries of his dstinet activities around the worid (Omnibus: Richard Long, 1983). Its through these forms presented in exhibitions, that his wark has become familar to so many. ‘The real story and meanings behing his workis much more ful, they are representations of his journeys ~ of art being created by walking (Jacket 2013). Longs waks, often spanning cover a hundred miles, have lead him tothe most distant places of not only Britain but also South Aiea, Japan and India amongst ather countries. is an hs walks that he ‘manipu- lates the landscape to form his unique artwork (Fox 2013). In long’s art, the wak isthe most direct, immediate and practical way of interacting with nature, The relationship between the idea for a walk, the walk itself, and the physical ev- dence forthe walk, I a fundamental issue in his art (Long et al 2002, P14-16). Long has ‘created a considerable and varied frame of workin which the connection between man and nature is a central and unifying concern (Long etal 2002, P32), Although its passible torecagnise these different components individually, it is the interaction of these components that provides the fabric of his artwork, Itis for this reason that Long's at falls outside the definition of ‘Conceptual Art’ (Long et al 2002, p36), Richard Long's first piece is essentially known as a simple and straightforward black-and- white photograph (FIG 1). it shows a line of fattened, trampled upon grass made by re- petitively walking up and down an unidentified field in the countryside, just outside London (Roelstraete 2010, P2). In an interview, Long described that he took the train from London's Waterloo station heading southeast, disembarked after about twenty miles and found the featureless field that was to become the site for his first artwork, ‘Aline made by walking (Burgon 2012) All ypes of dematerialisation and dsappearance were definitely evident in the summer of 1967 when Richard Long then a 22 year old student at St Martin's School of Artin London, created the wark of art. This work indefinitely secured his inclusion in mast official histor- ‘ographies of early Conceptual, Environmental and performance art (Rolstraete 2010, P2} In am interview Long stated that ‘A walk traces the surface ofthe land it follows an idea it follows the day andthe night." (Tutnel 2007, P18) Long believes that artists from prehis- toric cave paintings to 20th century landscape photography, have aluays recorded nature He has stated that his aim has always been to make nature the subject of his art and this i the reason behind his creative walks (Tufnell 2007, P39}, Richard Long described his frst work as a ‘straight ine in a grass fel, which was also my conn path, going nowhere". Long's intention of al the walking was to make a new way of his aim was to make it into ‘art’, He wanted to create a perfect means to explore relation- ships between time, distance, geoaraphy and measurements, It is belleved that walking ‘enabled Long to extend the boundaries of sculpture and art which had the potemtal to be dde-constructed in the space and time of walking ong distances. (Tufnell 2007, P39)Long has always identified himself as a sculptor and A Line Made By Walking has been assaci- ated by some writers with minimalist sculpture due to its pared dawn aesthetic (Roelstraete 2010, p46). However, unlike an unoriginal minimalist sculpture, & Line Made by Walking was ‘temporary, as the trodden grass would have returned to its natural state within a matter of ays. (Burgon 2012) Even thaugh Long likes to identify himself as a sculptor, he has been readily associated with land art since his use of natural environment in A Line Made by Walking. Land art is a practice that emerged in the ate 1960s in both Europe and America and integrated aspects of minimalism and conceptualism with a direct engagement in the landscape. However, in comparison to the manumental permanent works of the North American land artists, Long's intervention in the landscape was transient and humble, This disparity has meant that Long has been somewhat uneasy about being classified as a land artist’ (Tufnell 2007, pp.9-10). Although no human figure appears in Long's photograph, A Line Made By Walking presents a trace af corporeal presence and bodily action Since creating a ine made by walking, Long has made numerous other works which edt as temporary traces of his walks, and of his physical presence in the landscape, ata range of sites and in various countries around the glabe, (Lang etal 2005, P37) Gther photographic evidence of Richard Long's walking journeys include, ‘Circle in Alaska’ 1977 (F162), ‘iver Po Line’ 2001 (FIG 3) and many more. Shorty after Long graduated from the prominent St Martin's School of Art, he made his fist step to Arca in 1969 to climb Mount Klimanjara (Kleinsmth 2011). He travelled there to take 'the highest sculpture inthe world’ on the summit of Kilmanjaro (Tufnell 2011, p7) Since this eary work, Long has returned to Arica several times over the years to create his unique sculptural works directly on to he landscape (Kleinsmith 2011), Much ofthe territory in South Arca is perfec for Long's artwork as it is empty, flat, stony terrain that he desires.(Open landscapes with clear, distant views where one may walk unimpeded ina straight ine is what Long required to produce his unique artwork (Tufnell 2011, p7). Long has been as- sociated wih the genres of Land Art and minimalism, however he sees his work as rooted in the act of walking, and in the reduction and relocating of existing forms rather than the production of new objects (Keinsmith 2011), In an interview with Wiliam Furlong in 1984, Richard Long indicated that his artwork is found bby walking, He explained that he discovers the landscape through walking and he ften finds 23 place for the sculpture just by chance along his walk. Long suggested that he sometimes may have preconceived ideas before starting the walk about his next piece of artwork how- ‘ever the ideas most often get changed by the circumstances of the walk andthe landscape, He explained that when he first travelled to Africa, he had an idea to make a circle of stones high on a mountain in Malani. When he reached the top of the mountain, he realised there was no ice or snow — there were no actual screes or snow on the ground, everything was smooth rock. He then changed his plan and created a circle of burnt cactuses, which had been burnt in lightning storms. (Tufnell 2007, P59) Richard Long stated, “A walk marks time with an accumulation of footsteps. It defines the form of the land, Walking the roads and paths is to trace a portrait of the country. | have become interested in using walking to express original ideas about the land, art, and walk- ing inselt.* (Tufnell 2007, P25) He used his passion for walking and producing art to create Arica Footprint in 1986 after returning to Africa, This piece was created for a charly project to ald African famine victims. In this artwork Long's muddy footprints mark out the shape ofthe continent. The print evokes the fact that walking is stil the principle means of travel in much of Africa and mud is a universal building material (Tufnell 2007, p8). Although the artwork refers to Long's own walks and experiences in Arica, it also suggests the journeys undertaken by underprivileged people walking lang distances in search of food aid (Victoria and Albert Museum, 2012)The Africa Footprints a symbol of connectivity af rootedness.’ A footprint isthe essential measure of movement andthe basic unit of human measurement, Ths piece of artwarksug- ests the Idea of physical contact whichis central 1 Long's work. Long is also proposing the sense that his work addresses the idea of “touching the earth’. Above all itis thought, that a footprint is classical symbol of human presence, itis a message trom the past to the present that declares a human being passed (Tufell 2011, p8). Other sculptural work from Long's journey to South Aca include, “Karoo Crossing! (F16 ) and ‘Karao Line (FIG 6) and of course many more pieces. The third and final work being reviewed is a wark created using tex. A tent is a description or a story of a workin the landscape, It is the simplest and most elegant way to present a particular idea which could be a walk, ora sculpture or both (Tufnell 2007, p8) ‘Aline of 33 stones a walk of 33 days! 1998 (FIG 7), measures the day by stones, A stone is placed on the road each day along a walk of 1030 miles in 33 days. Starting from the south- lermost point to the northernmost point of the mainland (Tufnell 2007, p8). Long's theme of work is measurement, measurement between distance and walking time, or distance and stones, or places to sea level (Long et al 2005, P30B). Long stated, “relationships are a fundamental theme of many works. | walk on a planet which circles the sun. Each day is @ solar event, Time is measured in days, and walking ime can be the measure of a country (Tufnell 2007, 8}. The accomplished work is more an idea than a material residue, since the stones cannot be seen as a whole, nar do they necessarily constitute a pattern, The noticeable facts the expenditure of time and energy represented by the walk itself. The stones symbolise the footsteps; they also denote the slghness of the walkr's imprint on the landscape that sur- rounds him and absorbs his journey (Zaller 2008),A LINE OF 33 STONES A WALK OF 33 DAYS A STONE PLACED ON THE ROAD EACH DAY ALONG A WALK OF 1030 MILES IN 33 DAYS. FROM THE SOUTHERNMOST POINT TO THE NORTHERNMOST POINT OF MAINLAND BRITAIN, THE LIZARD TO DUNNET HEAD 1998Long's work is a balance between the realty of seeing real stones and then a photograph ofthe stones taken being placed many thousand miles away (Long et al 2005, P147). Other textworks of Richard Long include ‘five day walk’ (FIG 8), ‘Mountain to Mountain’ (FIG 8) ‘and many others In relation to the wark of Richard Long, Francesco Careri comments, ‘Here walking is not only an action, it is also a sign, a form that can be superimposed on existing forms, both In realty and on paper’ (Careri 2001 P150). Richard Long's work embraces walking as an aesthetic practice within a space, and through connection to that space, unknown land- scapes become places for the viewer (Vaughn P320). Walking is a sensorial means for ‘engaging with space and for transitioning from place ta place (Wunderiich, 2008, p. 125) It enables us to learn about and to develop connections to specific places (Tuan, 1977), Filp Matos Wunderlich (2008, p. 126) argues walking as ‘both a purposeful activity and asa creative and critical spatial practice’, because ‘Walking practices vary in pace, rhythm and purpase and nurture our lang term intimacy and mare or less a critical relationship to place’ (iunderlich, 2008, p. 131). Beyond the kingdom of the arts, Rebecca Solnit states that she walks to think, solve and create too, She believes that ‘walking idealy isa state in which the mind, the body, and the world are aligned’ (Solnit, 2000, p. 5) Drawing, surveying and measuring a locaton from fied and static viewpoints is questioned by the unique understanding of site fluidity that walking provides. When sites are encoun tered in motion and in relationship to one another when one walks, which suggests that come across differently depending whether one is ‘coming! or ‘going’ tot Walking, by mov- ing and intervening through a site, proposes a design method which allans one to imagine beyond the present condition without freezing possibility into form as opposed to praceed- ing from the observational, tothe analytical, to the propositional. (Rendell 2006, p188) Walks have been arganised since 1995 by the group Stalker; photographs were taken andA FIVE DAY WALK FIRST DAY TEN MILES SECOND DAY TWENTY MILES THIRD DAY THIRTY MILES FOURTH DAY FORTY MILES FIFTH DAY FIFTY MILES TOTNES TO BRISTOL BY ROADS AND LANES. ENGLAND 1980 MOUNTAINS TO MOUNTAINS A 138 MILE WALK FROM THE COMERAGH MOUNTAINS, TO THE MONAVULLAGH MOUNTAINS TO THE KNOCKMEALDOWN MOUNTAINS TO THE GALTY MOUNTAINS TO THE BALLYHOURA MOUNTAINS. TO THE NAGLES MOUNTAINS TO THE BOGGERAGH MOUNTAINS. WATERFORD TIPPERARY LIMERICK CORK IRELAND 1980diary was kept whilst spending 4 days walking around the periphery of Rome (O'Rourke 2013, 234) They propase that ths is what architects shouldbe doing; reclaiming land by exploring it and taking occupation asthe starting points of architectural design. Stalker got to know city by walking as it allows neglected parts of the city to be linked up as wel as, areas that may be physicaly proximate but have been separated by obstructions to make way for raads and other urban developments (Rendell 2006, P188) In conclusion, walking is a great research methad, used by almost everyone in different ways as tis proven inthe history. Walking opens up the body and the mind, it can be used to put ‘thoughts inorder or it can be used as a way to free the mind to be creative Since the sistie, chard Long has been using waking as a method to produce his artwork in the landscape, He has done many walking journeys, where he has spent days and nights in the landscape. Long has travelled continents and countries to produce his unique and meaningful pieces, each arark relates andi influenced by the landscape he has walked cn, Ashe has mentioned in an interview with Wiliam Furlong in 1984, he discovers the landscape through walking and the Idea of the artwork comes to him unplanned along the walk taking in mind the circumstances ofthe walk and the area Walking can be used asa simple research metho! for architecture, Getting to know an area before designing anything is very critical, Walking provides an understanding ofthe site and the surrounding area. Through the act of walking new connertions are made and remade Walking creates a design method that enables oné to imagine beyond the present cond tions, as one can be made to see past the evstng features of the site. One's mind opens up to creativity along a walkMy work is visible or invisible, It can be an object or an idea carried out and equally shared by anyone who knows about it My photographs are facts which bring the Pee ce ae ar otherwise unrecagnisable works, Some sculptures Bee re ne Reece Cee etry Are not subject to procession and ownership. | lke the fact Cee enero} DOC See marie kd Bee eee ees Awalk expresses space and freedom Be eae in the imagination of anyone, and that is another space too Ne eee eee the thousands of other layers of human See ree one eee a) it follows an idea, it follows the day and the night ‘road isthe site of many journeys. The place of a walk is there before the walk and after i." CRM}aeBooks: Carer, F (2001), alkscapes: walking as an aesthetic practice. Spain: Gustavo Gil 150 Crouch tal (2012), Doing Research in Design . England: Berg, 53-59, Fulton, H (2012), Walking in relation to everyting . England Corneshouse Publications. Geoff Nicholson (2008). The Lost Art of Walking, England Penguin Group. 1 Lang, R (2002), Richard Long: A Moving World, England Tate St Wes, 14-16, Long, R (2009). Richard Long: Heaven and Earth, England Tate St es Long, 8 (2007). Richard Long: Walking and Marking, Scotland: National Galleries of Scot- land, 51-57. Long, 8 (2005). Richard Long: Walking the Line, England: Thames & Hudson. 7, Long, (2005). Richard Long: Walking the Line, England: Thames & Hudson. 37 Rourke, K (2013), Walking and Mapping: Artists as Cartographers. USA: library of con- ‘gress cataloging-n-publication data, 234. ‘Rourke, K (2013), Walking and Mapping: Artists as Cartographers. USA: library of con- ‘gress cataloging-n-publication data, 247. Rendell, J (2006), ART AND ARCHITECTURE: A place between, USA: Tauris 6 Co LTD. 182 - 190. Rendell etal (2007). Critical Architecture, USA: Routledge. 000. Roelstraete, 0 (2010), Richard Long: A Line Made by Walking, England: Afterall. 2Roelstraete, D (2010). Richard Long: A Line Made by Waking, England: Afterall. 46. Rousseau,! (1992). The Reveries of the Solitary Walker. USA: Hackett Publishing Company Solnit, R (2000), Wanderlust: A History of Walking, USA: Penguin Group, 3-4 Solnit, R (2000). Wanderlust: A History of Walking. USA: Penguin Group. 5 ‘Swenson, J (2000). On Jean-laques Rousseau, USA: Stanford University Press, 000, Tuan, ¥-F (1977), Space and Place, University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, MN. Tutnell, 8 (2007), Richard Long: Selected Statements and Interviews. England: England. 7 Tufnell, 8 (2007). Richard Long: Selected Statements and Interviews. England: England. 8 Tune, 8 (2007) chard Long: Selected Statements and Interviews. England: England 910 Tune, 8 (2007) chard Long: Selected Statements and Interviews. England: England, 18 Tutnell, 8 (2007), Richard Long: Selected Statements and Interviews. England: England, 25, Tufnell, B (2007), Richard Long: Selected Statements and Interviews. England: England. 39, Tune, 8 (2007) chard Long: Selected Statements and Interviews. England: England, $8 Tufnell, B (2011), Richard Long: Karoo Highveld - works from South Africa, England: Haunch of Venison. 7, Tufnell, B (2011), Richard Long: Karoo Highveld - works from South Africa, England: Haunch of Venison. 8.Documentaries (Omnibus: Richard Long (1983), Directed by Robin Lough. England, BAC 1, [Documentary] 3-Minute Wonder: Richard Long - Heaven and earth (2008), Directed by Nico Wasserman, England, Tate Media, [DVD] Stewart, N. (1984). CIRCA Art Magazine. Richard Long: Lines of Thought a Conversation with Nick Stewart, 19, & Vaughn, L. (2003), Walking the Line: Affectively Understanding and Communicating the Complexity of Place. The Cartographic Journal. Vol 46 (4), pp.316—322, Wunderlich, & M. (2008). ‘Walking and rhythmicity: sensing urban space’, Journal of Urban Design, 13, pp. 125-139, Higains, C. (2012). Richard Long: ‘it was the swinging 60s. To be walking lines in felds was abit different’, Available: http://www theguardian.com/artanddesign/2012/jun/ 15) richard-tong-swinging-60s-interview, Last accessed 1St November 2013. Janes, J. (2009), A hymn of love tothe earth, Available: http://w theguardian.com/ artanddesign/2012/jun/ Sjrichard-long-swinging-60s-interview: Last accessed 1st No- vember 2013. Lubbock, T. (2009). Richard Long: Walks on the wild side, Avallable: http://wnuindepend- ent.couk/arts-entertainment/artjfeatures/richard-long-walks-on-the-wild-side-1694454, him, Last accessed 31st October 2013.Macfarlane, R. (2003). Walk the lin, Avaliable: htp://waw.thequardian.comfartandde sigh/2008/may/23/richaré-long-photography-tate-britain. Last accessed 26th October 2013, (O'Hagan, S. (2009). One Step Beyond, Available: http:/wnw theguardian com/artandde- sign/2009/may/1O/art-ichard-tong, Last accessed 1th October 2013, Art South Africa, (2011), Richard Long} Walks on the wild side. Available: htp:f/art-south afrca.comvarchives/archived-reviews/2 13-maln-archivefarchived-reviews/1795-richard- lang-2.himl, Last accessed 2nd November 2013, Burgon, R. (2012), Richard Long: A Line Made by Walking 1967, Avallable: http://www tate, ‘orguk/artrartaorks/long-a-line-made-by-nalking-ar00142/text-summary Last accessed 23rd October 2013, Fox, E, (2013) RICHARD LONG: A LIFE MADE BY WALKING, Available: http://www epigram, ‘orguk/artsfinterviews/item/ 1486-richard-long-a- ife-made-by-aling, Last accessed 2nd November 2013. Jackett, 5. (2013), Walking the Landscape: The Art of Richard Long, Available: hitp:// landarchs.com/walking-landscape-art-richard-long/, Last accessed 15th October 2013. einsmith, M. (2011), Richard Long: Karoo Highveld exhibition - continental first, Avail- able: http://www iiko.org.za/news/entryrichard-long-karoo-highveld-eshibition-a-continen. tal-ist, Last accessed 30th Octaber 2013. Overton, T. (2009). Richard Long (1945). Available: hrt://venicebiennale.britishcouncil orgipeople/referencefrichard-long, Last accessed 20th October 2013, Robinson, A etal. (2013). WALK ON: From Richard Long to Janet Cardiff — 40 years of Art Walking, Available: hitp://walk.uk.net/portfoliojwalk-on. Last accessed 1Sth October 2013,Victoria and Albert Museum. (2012), Politics of Place, Available: htp:ffwmw.vam ac.uk/us~ ersinode/6913. Last accessed 30th October 2013. Zaller, R. (2008). chard Long: Walking as an art form. Available: httpi//www broadstree- treview.com/art-architecturerichard_long_walking_as_an_art form. Last accessed 3rd November 2013. Front Cover: hitp:/waw phaidon.comfagendafartfartcies/2012)june/28)richard-long-at-work-in-the- studioy (3d November 2013) Image 1 hitp:/twawcrichardlong.arg/Sculptures/201 tsculpturesytinewalking him (Last accessed: 29th October 2013) Image 2 hitp:/fwawrichardlong.org/Sculptures/201 tsculptures/alaskacir.html (Last accessed: 376 November 2013) Image 3 hitto:fwaw rchardlong.org/Sculptures/201 1sculpupgrades/riverpo.html (Last accessed: 3rd November 2073) Image 4 hit:/twaw tate.orguk/artYartworks/long-africafootprints-p77 189 (Last accessed: 3rd November 2013) Image 5 hit:/twawrichardlong.org/Sculptures/201 tsculpturesikaroosing html(Last accessed: 3rd November 2013) Image 6: httpifmwwricharalong,ora/Sculptures/201 1sculptures/karoolin html (Last accessed: 3rd November 2013) Image 7: itp: richardlong.org/Textmorks/201 ttextworks/29 html (Last accessed: 3rd November 2013) Image 8: hitp:/www richardlong.org/Textmorks/201ttextworks/21 html (Last accessed: 3rd November 2013) Image 9%: httpifmwwrichardlong,ora/Testmorks/201 Ttextworks/'44,ntmi (Last accessed: 3rd November 2013) aRICHARD LONG IS AN ARTIST. RICHARD LONG IS A SCULPTOR. SINCE THE SIXTIES HE HAS BEEN MAKING ART BY WALKING IN THE LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRPAHS OF THE SCULPTURES Al E MADE ALONG THE WAY. HIS WALKING EXPERIENCES HAVE BEEN MADE INTO TEXTWORK, HE os AN ARTIST. HE ISA SCULPTOR.