Let's Take a (virtual,Twitter guided) Walk. A Shared Moment to Combat Social Isolation

During this time when it’s vital to keep our distances from each other,Let’s Take a Walk #41 took place on Saturday March 21st in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis. 
We walked separately but shared a journey, from around the world, indoor and outdoor.

Thank you for those of you who joined in via ‪@mcayer on Twitter. Here are some highlights of LTAW#41 and photos of my journey. If you took photos of your journey please send them to mariechristine@mindspring.com

#FunFact @Jack sent his first tweet 3/21 2006 Let’s Take a Walk began when I opened my account 2009 This will be walk #41  

#FunFact Today is World Poetry Day & International Day of Forest in preparation of the walk I posted a link to Power PoetryDuring the walk I invited participants to think of their favorite poem that relates to forests.

Later I invited participants to sing a song, I sang Imaging, (see a wonderful video of John Lennon and Yoko Ono) someone sang HappyBirthday, a mother and her daughter sang Our House (See a video of the wonderful lyrics and hear Crosby, Stills and Nash). What song did you sing? What song is in your head right now?

Here are examples of posts more can be seen ‪@mcayer on Twitter. 

Do you see a flower? How does it smell ? or Imagine the smell of a flower.

Let’s Take a Walk

Since 2009 I have conducted LTAW, a worldwide walk I lead using Twitter ‪@mcayer to guide a shared journey, walking together apart. As I take and tweet a left turn, participants from anywhere in the world also turn left. 

During the walk, I ask questions about current social topics, prompting dialogues and actions. 

Together, though apart, we will journey along creating a similar footprint on different soil.

Note that sometimes LTAW also takes place on site as a performance, but this is not feasible at present. During such performances, a Town Crier, a Tweet Master, and a Drummer assist me. Passerby’s are invited to join in as well. We film and photograph our journeys, which I compile later into an installation, incorporating costumes and props used during the walk. This final product demonstrates the experience of walking in different places yet moving in sync.

So far, there have been 41 walks; each is a shared moment—a step towards peace.                                                                                                                                                        

As always, I thank you for your participation, from near or far I am so glad to share a journey with you.

I wish you and your loved ones well.

Marie Christine

Let's Take a (Virtual, Twitter Guided) Walk #41 Saturday 3/21 at 3pm (EST)

Dear Friends and Supporters

During this time where it’s vital to stay secluded and to keep our distances from each other,

I invite you to share a virtual Twitter-guided Walk. We will be walking separately but sharing a journey, from anywhere in the world, indoor or outdoor.

Let’s Take a Walk #41 will take place on Saturday March 21st at 3pm (EST)

Please join me via ‪@mcayer on Twitter. To see past walks scroll to the various posts

For those of you new to this project here is a short intro:

Let’s Take a Walk

Since 2009 I have conducted LTAW, a worldwide walk I lead using Twitter ‪@mcayer to guide a shared journey, walking together apart. As I take and tweet a left turn, participants from anywhere in the world also turn left. 

During the walk, I ask questions about current social topics, prompting dialogues and actions. 

Together, though apart, we will journey along creating a similar footprint on different soil.

Note that sometimes LTAW also takes place on site as a performance, but this is not feasible at present. During such performances, a Town Crier, a Tweet Master, and a Drummer assist me. Passerby’s are invited to join in as well. We film and photograph our journeys, which I compile later into an installation, incorporating costumes and props used during the walk. This final product demonstrates the experience of walking in different places yet moving in sync.

So far, there have been 40 walks; each is a shared moment—a step towards peace.                                                                                                                                                        

As always, I thank you for your participation, from near or far I am so glad to share a journey with you.

I wish you and your loved ones well.

Marie Christine

Let's Take a Walk #40 took place during Pope.L's project, Conquest.

On Saturday, September 21st, the artist Pope.L , with the help of 140 volunteers performers,  presented Conquest in New York City, a five hour Crawl throughout the village. 

Along the way, at 11am, for a short part of this inspiring project, I guided Let's Take a Walk #40, reporting and guiding you via @mcayer on Twitter. 

In addition I had the chance of participating, crawling, for the last leg of the journey and was greeted by a hug from Pope.L, a gesture given to all the participants at the finishing line. The final moment of this performance was that of Pope.L being doused with water bottles labeled "Water from Flint Michigan", Pope.L had given us, adding one more element of Social Justice issues that the artist cares for.

As you know I love coincidence, that day marked the 40th years of Pope.L Crawl project, a friend, Debra Jenks, who also volunteered, was dragging along a box filled with rejection letters of the last 40 years of her career as an artist and I present Let's Take a Walk #40  LTAW project began in 2009.
It was for me an enriching experience, I learned that crawling is very difficult, especially on a hot cloudless day, that Pope.L is a very friendly person and that it is nice to know that people you love and who care for you are near by when you are down to the ground. 
I look forward to seeing Pope.L exhibit at the Whitney Museum.
To read more on this project here is an wonderful article by Mandy Harris Williams 

One of Pope.L's incentive in creating this project was meant to bring attention to homelessness, like him, I worked on a project that touches this very important issue, RoadKills and Other Casualties on a year long project in 2005-2006. 

I hope that you had a chance to be part of this project in real time or via Twitter,  sharing a journey, an experience from anywhere in the world. 

Departing Line

Participants were asked to crawl wearing on shoe only.

The New York City AIDS Memorial 

   

Artist Debra Jenks with her 40 years of rejection letters box.

                      

    

As always I thank you for you participation in Let's Take a Walk, guided and performed since 2009. Walking together in different places throughout the world, yet moving in sync. So far there has been 40 walks: each is a shared moment, a way to connect with each others. In my hope a step toward peace. Marie Christine

LTAW #39 took place during Greta Thunberg's led ClimatStrike

Let's Take a Walk #39

On Friday September 20^th  Global Climate Strike led by Greta Thunberg took place throughout the world. I was in Foley Square, New York City, conducting Let's Take a Walk #39 via @mcayer on Twitter. Here are moments of that day and gathered impressions of this powerful and very important movement. Although we did not moved that much during this version of LTAW, together we did say something nice to someone, we sang a song, shared our #ConcernesfortheWorld, #ForOurChildren and thought of what we, as individual can do to lessen the impact we have on our environment, #NoPlastic #Vegetarian #MindfullConsumption #MindfullTravel #Walk #Bike #PublicTransportation #Upcycling, do you have additional suggestions? I would love to hear what you do to make a difference. 

Before I post this blog I have to add Greta's words "How Dear You" this spoke to me "How Dare we?"

Here are some participants and their words 

#LiarLiarHouseOnFire

              
#HoneyNotMoney      #WeAreToast

#RespectTheFuckingEarth

              

#ThereisnoPlanetB

#METOO

#Dinosaure #DidentSeeitComing #Either

#ThePlanetisonFuckingFire

#ThinkorSwim

It was a hot,
very hot for a late September day.
Thank you so much for being part of this very important movement and for joining in LTAW #39.
Marie Christine  

Let's Take a Walk, guided and performed since 2009. Walking together in different places throughout the world, yet moving in sync. Each walk is a shared moment, a way to connect with each others. In my hope a step toward peace. 

Let's take a Walk #39 9/20 Greta Thunberg lead Global Climate Strike & Let's Take a Walk #40 9/21 with Pope L inspired Conquest

Hello from New York City

Two important events are taking place in New York City this week so join me; Let’s take a walk, walking together apart. I will be one of the many,many voices speaking of those moments, I hope that you'll join me via @mcayer on Twitter.

Let's Take a Walk #39
On Friday September 20^th Greta Thunberg will be leading a Global Climate Strike and demonstration in New York City at Foley Square starting at noon, followed by a rally and march to Battery Park. I'll be on site and  at 1pm (EST) will broadcast via Twitter a moment and gathered impressions of this powerful and very important movement. The 1.1 million students in the city’s public schools have even been excused to join the strike. And it’s not just young people joining in. In Sweden, a group of senior citizens called Greta Gamilingar (Greta’s oldies) is participating.

Let's Take a Walk #40
On Saturday September 21st I will follow the artist Pope.L's Conquest, as he and 140 participants will crawl through the street of Greenwich village.

At 11am I will broadcast via Twitter a short moment of this inspired project. Visit Public Art Fund for more information.

For those of you new to Let's Take a Walk here is a short description of this project I started in March 2010.

Let’s Take a Walk

LTAW is a worldwide walk I lead using Twitter to guide a shared journey, walking together apart. As I take a left turn,for example, participants from anywhere in the world also turn left. Together, though apart, we’ll journey along creating a similar foot print on different soil. On site, sometimes alone, sometimes assisted by a Town Crier, a Tweet Master, and a Drummer, the public and passer by are invited to join in. During the walk, I ask questions about social topics, prompting dialogues, inviting participants to sing a song, say something nice to someone, etc. We film and photograph our journeys, which I compile later into an installation that includes costumes and props used during the walk along with sound, photographs and videos, showing the experience of our group walking in different places yet moving in sync. So far there have been 38 walks; each is a shared moment—a step towards peace. 

Please visit the LTAW blog to learn more.

As always I thank you for your participation.

Marie Christine 

LTAW #38 Women's March 2019

Women's March 2019 will take place in the US and all over the world. The decision as to where to walk in New York City is a complicated one. I will walk to the three sites, not join them but uniting them, marking my path with small items I'll found on the way. Walking for Unity, Respect and Togetherness.
Let's Take a Walk, thinking globally aiming to walk with all, a walk for peace and inclusion, a walk that unit gender, race, religion and spirituality. Aiming to create connections and to look at what matters, the pursuit of changes in the world that will promote a healthy world, preserve nature and restore peace and solidarity.

Today's journey, walking and circling Foley Square to Central Park West to Grand Central.

Wishing you a day full of love and laughter.
Marie Christine

LTAW #37 took place in Nicosia

Thank you so much for being part of Let's Take a Walk #37 that took place both on the Turkish side and the Greek side of Nicosia.

A shout out to the fabulous performers and the people who so generously took part in my project.
Let's Take a Walk #37 cast
Tweet Master - Marie Christine Katz & Anna Weddell
Drummer - Mostafa Ismail
Town Crier - Marielys Burgos
Guide - Marie Christine Katz

A heartfelt thank you to Sophia Hadjipapa, Geert Vermeire, and all the participating artists of the Urban Emptiness Nicosia Festival. If you follow the walk via Twitter please send images of your journey to my Hightail account.

The following photographs are by Marie Christine Katz 

In Preparation .... To be Continued Performance

was presented in the Dance House Lefkosia

The following photographs are by Stefaan van Biesen courtesy of mck

The following photographs are by Antonis Kentonis courtesy of mck

 Performances artifacts of In Preparation...To be Continued, Knitting...I need you and LTAW#37

The following photographs are by Marie Christine Katz

LTAW #37 took place across the border of the Turkish side and the Greek side on the Ledra Street check point.

The following photographs are by Antonis Kentonis courtesy of mck

The following photographs are by Annemie Mestdagh courtesy of mck

Thank you for your support and participation.

Marie Christine