In the spirit of landscape as provocation and mnemonic we will consider

Tree as trophy.

Tree as native.

Tree as invasive.

We may also consider:

Tree as living organism.

Tree as host.

And

Absent tree.

We will begin and end beside a tree and meet a tree along the way. Every walk is different. Richard has been working with sound artist/composer Joseff Harris and together they have created a special sound treat that will be included on the walk. You will be invited to talk and record and make marks in shared notebooks as we walk very slowly. Working dogs only please.

Richard White mini biog

Richard is a freelance walking and multimedia artist-researcher with specialist interests in embodiment, heritage and social justice.

He recently completed the long term slow walking memorialisation, 'Walking the Names', at the Bath Union Workhouse Burial Ground and is currently working on a series of commissions for the Sydney Gardens project attending to botany, empire and deep time.

Richard's has lived in Bath and North Somerset since 2003, his career background is in participatory media arts and education. He completed his PhD in 2020 and works part-time at Bath Spa University as Senior Lecturer in Media Practice.

Personal pronouns: he/him.

I am an older white man working on my privilege, for the past 7 years I have chosen to walk locally developing a participatory practice, Walknow.

Senior Lecturer in Media Practice at Bath Spa University (part time)

My work is a performative form of walking and questioning exploring resonances and legacies from other times in bodies, spaces and places. This is an emergent practice of non-confrontational co-creative disturbances concerning authorised narratives and revealing reluctant heritage. Embracing the constraints of lockdown, I am renewing my knowledge of locative and mobile media, extending skills with sound and movement, experimenting with new immersive sonic elements in my work.

Current projects:

Traversing Sydney Gardens (on-going) a series of commissions exploring botany, empire and deep time.

Sweet Waters, (ongoing) attending to accountability and response-ability walking-with legacies of slave-ownership.

Walking the Names, (2019-21) a cycle of walks on social justice and poverty at the Bath Workhouse burial ground.

Sanctuary and Exile, (2021 ?) a commission from the Lake District Holocaust Project, second iteration of collaboration with Lorna Brunstein, Forced Walks

Contacts and social media:

Walknow.post@gmail.com

Portfolio: http://www.walknowtracks.co.uk/

Forced Walks (in association with Lorna Brunstein) : https://forcedwalks.co.uk/

Twitter/Facebook @walknowlive

Insta @richardw25

Meeting point: The meeting point will be included in the confirmation email.

Accessibility: There are some quite steep inclines in the park but routes are step free. We will be moving on hard paths through the park. Please contact the event organiser for further information and we can give detailed descriptions of the routes.

Covid guidance: Anyone experiencing symptoms possibly consistent with COVID-19 should stay away from the event and seek a COVID-19 PCR test. We also encourage attendees to be fully vaccinated.

We will be inviting attendees to check in using our QR code at the start of our live activities. If you are unable to use your phone, we will request you complete your details on a form. Please bring a face covering with you in case it is needed.

All the events are free, but because the on-the-ground activities will be run in small groups, booking is essential.

Weather: Please check the forecast before the activity. If the forecast is for heavy rain, please check your email for event cancellations / postponement. The outdoor activities will go ahead in light rain.

What to wear / bring: Please dress warmly with waterproof clothing and footwear as needed. Bring water with you, and a warm drink / snack if needed.

Toilets: The public toilets are closed while the park restoration project takes place. There is a public portaloo available. There are accessible public toilets at the Holburne.

Getting to the park:

Walking: you can walk to Sydney Gardens from the City Centre in 10 - 15 minutes along Great Pulteney Street.

Cycling: About 5 minutes from the Centre along Great Pulteney Street. There are currently no cycle racks in the park as we are still in the construction phase, however you can use the ones in the Holburne and walk through to the park.

Bus: Routes: 11, 94, D1. The 734 also runs near the park. Stops: Holburne Museum, Forester Road, Darlington Road.

Parking: Free parking is available around the edge of the park on Sydney Road (some bays are restricted to 2 hours, some are 4 hours between 8am to 6pm). They are often full, so leave plenty of time to find somewhere to park. There is also some free parking up the Warminster Road. The Holburne has a small car park beside it mainly for Museum visitors, and you need cash for a parking ticket.

Your ticket: Our events and activities are free to the public because this project is funded by the Lottery and B&NES Council. Please respect public funding by cancelling your ticket if you find you are no longer able to attend so others can take your place. Thank you!

If the event is sold out, please sign up to the waitlist in case of a ticket becoming available at a later date.