Parallel Walking UK x ID

1

•

Walking piece details

An international walk-based cultural exchange exploring pedestrianism in two motor cities – Birmingham, UK, and Yogyakarta, Indonesia – resulting in a digital zine of works including walk-based songs, essays, photos and shared walk experiences.

Three walking artists from Walkspace in the UK and three artists invited by Indonesian walking collective, Jalan Gembira, walked in virtual parallel to explore their respective cities, individually and communally, on and off-road. Results were shared in online discussions, a parallel exhibition and in this digital zine. Common themes arose around pedestrian safety, public-private space, urban planning, lack of pedestrian infrastructure, patriarchal spaces, tourism and gentrification, economic disparity, and the different emotional experiences of walking in the city. Both explored walking as a radical act in cities that prioritise cars and motorbikes over pedestrians. Through the work, a connection was made between walking collectives in cities 10,000 miles apart, giving insight into each other’s artistic, cultural and collective processes.

Credits

Walkspace (UK)
Jalan Gembira (Indonesia)

Artists

Deidre Mesayu
Kurnia Yaumil Fajar
Riksa Afiaty
Beth Hopkins
Andy Howlett
Fiona Cullinan

Funding – The British Council
Hosted by: Walkspace and Jalan Gembira