Walking Measurements
7 July 2006
Body Navigation Festival, St Petersburg - Russia

The continuation of an activity that I have been engaged with for several years, the measurement of a given space by use of footsteps (one in front of the other), using my feet as a measuring device I take on the task of defining all the possible measurements of a space. This involves repeatedly walking from one edge of the space to another – annotating this movement / measurement on the floor at starting and finishing points in chalk.

For the Body Navigation Festival four bridges, that connected an island to the city, were chosen as the location to continue this activity over the course of a day.

The work acts as series of actions with no definitive end-point - but rather taking the form of 'marking out' - to define by walking a specific area of space. Consisting of a direct spatial practice designed to disorder or re-order the space. Existing as subtle and unobtrusive interference, the work gradually enters the viewer’s peripheral consciousness and thus functions as a work of visual disarticulation, disrupting routine and passive awareness of space. This activity little by little alters the terrain in which it occurs - causing others to avoid this area or to slow within it - and intends to bring about discreet but consequential surprises. This unobtrusive interference infringes those within its vicinity - inducing indifference, interest (often leading to discussion over what it is that is taking place) and even anger.

In Russia, unlike in the UK, the activity received little enquiry; with passers by choosing to avoid eye contact and very few (a person collecting empty drinks cans and the security personnel) choosing to engage physcially.