Further Afield (Abersythwyth/ Montreal) June 2009

"We're going to take a walk with someone else across the ocean in (Abersythwyth/ Montreal). This is your chance, for a while, to be in two places at once..."

"So, north-east of us (point NE)--I know Montreal 'north' is that way (point W), but actual NE :) Sorrel and your co-worker are standing with a building behind them, an arts centre in Abersythwyth... If you peek around the corner, which you can't see from where they're standing, there's a fire escape that goes to the top of the building--two stories high. In front of them is a set of steps made of brick and each brick has three circular holes in it; holes that are just big enough to fit four fingers in. About where the sidewalk ends and the street begins over here, for them is a steep slope leading down to a road...To the left, directly left, is a mass of different grey rectangles that form buildings (at least that's how she tells it)... To the right of the road are thick trees. Actually, if the trees weren't there you'd be able to see the sea. The main stand-out colours are green and urban grey and on a nice day, the sky, which is blue.

Shall we give them a call?"

"Right now, Laura and your co-walker are standing with the road in front of them; the road is two lanes. It's a major road in the city and it's full of construction. The Belgo Contemporary Arts Centre building is behind. They are to the SW of us, that's this way (turn to face SW). There are four glass doors to the front of the building; two in the centre are double doors... The main colours that stood out to Laura were red, every shade of grey possible and orange --bright bright orange, white and shades of beige. Right in front is the sidewalk made of square slabs of concrete - lighter than the road; some are different sizes; it's hotch botch, very pieced together; it looks like its been repaired a lot. In front is a 2 by 2 square with a hole in it big enough for your thumb and that's where she has drawn the X... Across the street is a barber shop, a jewelry store and a strip club. Her building is six stores high. On right is a souvenir shop and a metal container for cigarette butts, so the ground is peppered with lots of ash from the cigarettes. On her immediate left is a cafe."

Journeys taken in dialogue.
Boats exchanged with pine cones.
Watching the clouds whilst we waited for the others to find the sky.
AdLibs on foot.

A synchronous count in English and Dutch.
Beginning with obnoxious pink ending roaming in the dark through trees and a hole in the fence to find the point of "wonder."
An absence of cameras and a dance shared in the grass on two continents, in three locations.
An arc, a corner, a hole.
An invitation in French.

Upside-down cars and clouds.
Gazing skyward at the glow of a bright green-leafed chandelier before taking a bare foot run through the woods.
A forbidden footpath and a late night meeting at the church-like chip shop.

Further Afield was co-presented by Studio 303, Montreal and Living Landscapes/Aberystwyth Arts Centre, June 19-20, 2009. http://www.studio303.ca/events_copresent_e.html

Thank you to all those who joined for the journeys in Montreal and Abersythwyth--it was a pleasure walking, running, dancing, sneaking, climbing and rediscovering these spaces with you.

We would also like to extend a special thanks to everyone at Studio 303, http://www.studio303.ca and Living Landscapes, Abersythwyth http://www.landscape.ac.uk/2009conference.html for all their time and support towards this latest collaboration.

Special thanks must also go to Stuart Malin for his continued support as consultant astrophysicist.

photographs from Wales by C. Brostrom
photographs from Montreal by E. Langlois-Paquette