The Art of Walking: Composing Landmarks, Performing Territory

Chapter 2 The Art of Walking

An introduction to the chapter written by the book's editors Daniel Wong and Ronald Lay:

Pamela Whitaker writes eloquently on the art of walking in art therapy and the landmarks composed en route. She borrows from Guy Debord's practice of derive, an interesting technique of moving through a rapid passage through varied ambiances, involving playful-constructive behaviour and psychogeography. When describing her chapter, Pamela explains that the walkabout evokes in the walker "a sense of proclamation and territory, spontaneity, public declaration and discovery in what is found, composed and assembled without predetermination—to perform spoken words and physical actions that articulate whereabouts and interludes of construction" (Whitaker, 2021). Whitaker's broad theoretical framework leaves room for interesting interpretations and adaptations by art therapists, on our relationship with walking, engaging with webs of life, networks of people in the outdoor studio, and things encountered in our material world. In situating art therapy outdoors, what is significant is what is found along the way, in the unpredictable landscapes of opportunity. The idea of studio in postmodernity has broadened since it can be in different locations and at different times. It is no longer a single place but a multiplicity of sites, activities and materials. (Wong and Lay, 2021, p. 15).

Reference:

Wong, D. and Lay, R. (2021) Introduction to Found Objects in Art Therapy. In: Wong and Lay, eds. Found Objects in Art Therapy: Materials and Process. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 13-25.