Let's Take a Walk #53

                                                     Hello Everyone 

It was a pleasure to present Let’s Take a Walk#53 as part of The Tanja Grunert Gallery programing.

Here are some images of the three phases of LTAW#53

Phase one: Knitting, I need you.

Over the two days prior to the walking performance, I conducted knitting sessions along Warren Street in Hudson NY knitting and having conversations with chance participants. We talk about the Environment, Love and Interconnectedness.They told me stories. 

                                         

One of the knitting participants, on her left hand the L o v e tattoo using her mother handwriting.

                    

Phase two; The participatory performance. LTAW#53

During the walk, we—The Guide, The Town Crier, The Drummer and The Tweet Mastter—engage the participants, invite passersby to join in and guide people from anywhere in the world for the walk. We pose questions revolving around Environmental Awareness, Peace and Interconnectedness . The questioning prompts a conversation which invites participants to share their stories and connect in new ways. As I walk, the knitted skirt made prior to the walk unravels, opening up stories that are shared during the walk.

Cast of Characters for the Walk 

The Guide: Marie Christine Katz ---- Marie Christine Katz is a Swiss-born interdisciplinary performance artist and actor. Collaboration and audience participation is key to her work.

photo by Joris Pierre Katz courtesy of mck

The Town Crier: Laura V Ward ---- Laura V Ward is a maximalist artist, the artistic director of Octavia Cup Dance Theatre, somatic movement educator, and member of your grandmother’s punk rock band, Dick Pinchers.                                                                      

photo by Tonus Maximus 

The Drummer: Tonus Maximus ---- Tonus Maximus is a visual artist, singer, multi-instrumental musician, composer, film maker, writer, and Latin scholar.

                                                                              

The Tweet Master: Angelina Vezzetti ---- Artist and Photographer working in Hudson, NY

                                                                               

photos by Joris Pierre Katz courtesy of mck

photos by Joris Pierre Katz courtesy of mck

photos by Joris Pierre Katz courtesy of mck

                     

photo by Laura Victoria Ward courtesy of mck

                                                             

photo by Laura Victoria Ward courtesy of mck

photos by Joris Pierre Katz courtesy of mck

                     

photos by Paul Katz courtesy of mck

 

 

  

        

photos by Angelina Vezzetti courtesy of mck

photos by Paul Katz courtesy of mck

Poem by Tonus Maximus in Latin & English 

photos by Joris Pierre Katz courtesy of mck

photos by Paul Katz courtesy of mck

Phase Three: Shlepping & Displaying 

The day after the walk, I randomly presented and displayed the performance artifact along Warren Street, bringing the work to the public.

                              

                                     

                                                                                        

The final gesture of LTAW#53 took place during a gathering at Tanja Grunert's Gallery. Between Norman Douglas' poetry reading and James Autery's film projection, I performed a short excerpt of LTAW#53. 

photo by Angelina Vezzetti curtesy of mck

Performance artifacts will be on display at Tanja Grunter Gallery                                                    from November 6 — December 19, 2021.

                                                           

Tanja Grunert Gallery presents Let's Take a Walk#53 

by Marie Christine Katz. 

Please visit the Let's Take a Walk Blog to see images and read a description of the three phases of LTAW#53

The walk began in-person at 7th St. Park in Hudson and concluded at Tanja Grunert Gallery while simultaneously being shared virtually on Twitter @mcayer and Instagram live @mcayer27 #walkingtogetherapart.

We walked for hope: for awareness of our actions' effect on others around us, reverberating impact from our community through the whole world. We highlighted the fact that our actions affect each other while honoring our interconnectedness. 

Over two days before the walk, I conducted knitting sessions with passersby along Warren Street, collaborating on making the costume for the performance. While knitting, we exchanged stories aligned with the theme to create a final tapestry of this place.

The Let's Take a Walk project began in 2009 as a virtual Twitter-guided walk. So far, there have been 53 walks with participants globally joining via Twitter and Instagram, creating a shared moment, a collective step towards peace. On-site, each walk is assisted by a Town Crier, Tweet Master, and Drummer.

During the walk, Marie Christine asks questions revolving around Environmental Awareness and Peace. The questioning prompts a conversation that invites participants to share their stories and engage in new ways. The knitted skirt made before the walk unravels as Marie Christine walks, leaving traces of the journey. Performance artifacts along with film and photographs of the walks are compiled into an installation, capturing the ephemera of the shared experience.

We are looking forward to sharing this journey with you. 

Thank you in advance for your support and participation.

Marie Christine 

Marie Christine Katz
Twitter @mcayer (platform for Let’s Take a Walk) Instagram @mcayer27 (platform for Hangers 101 & a Litany of Hashtags & LTAW Live) Instagram @mck_workinprogress (featuring upcycled items) Instagram @DancingAloneWithmyShadow                        

Photographs by Marie Christine Katz unless otherwise noted