Walking into this workshop, I didn’t expect to be faced with the challenge of silence while following a routine of a 30-minute walk and a 30-minute drawing session, repeated three times.
Anna Hart specifically requested that, during this workshop, we resist speaking to anyone (except when important matters arise) and refrain from using our mobile phones. As someone eager to document the workshop, I was both surprised and slightly concerned—how would this experience be shared if there was nothing to prove it?
I believe that, for Anna, the notion of documentation through social media was neither a priority nor important; it was the act of being fully present in the workshop that mattered most. Although all I have left from this workshop is a drawing on a long piece of paper, the experience of walking repeatedly was unique enough to be deeply engraved in my memory.
What I found interesting about the repetitive walks was the numerous disturbances. Usually, I walk with my headphones and music on—blocking out all external noises—and a clear destination in mind. However, becuase this excercise was phone-free, it forced my senses to focus entirely on my surroundings, which became overwhelming at times. What I remember most clearly is realising how loud traffic is, how bumpy and uneven the concrete paths are, and how irritating the street lights can be.
Each time I returned to the studio, I tried to recall elements from the walk and draw them from memory on paper. This repetitive task made me realise how challenging it is to create an image purely from memory, especially after being overwhelmed by sensory information from the outside environment.
Soon after the final round of walking and drawing, participants gathered to discuss what they had documented on their paper and how they experienced the three silent walks. It was a relief to speak again and to listen to what everyone had been thinking throughout the workshop. Anna’s Work, Draw, and Repeat workshop was a humbling experience for me and offered valuable insight into how Anna approaches her work.
What can we learn from walking around a locality together but in silence? Amongst other things it allows the urban soundscape to be sensed. Walking is central to @annahart_ing ‘s art. The second image maps a year of silent lunchtime walks with Anna Hart in King’s Cross.
In Anna’s workshop we will walk the same route repeatedly (on Thur 17 Oct) as afternoon turns to evening. As we return to the studio there is the chance to draw and/or rest.
Anna has drawn in the studio over the last few years. It will be great to have her leading a workshop which combines walking and drawing as a way for us to notice, remember, and reflect on our locality. Come and join us!
Workshop: Walk, Draw, Repeat
With @annahart_ing@air_ing_
3-7pm, Thur 17 Oct, £25