Choreographed by Birds
Barefoot Blindfold took place on Friday the 18th May at 5am. Anne-Marie Culhane and I were joined by nine others.
From Anne-Marie ‘slow walking’ us into the recently planted orchard at the top of her new Fruit Route at Loughborough University to being blindfold barefoot to breakfast and discussion in the Landscaping Our Society garden shed the piece has produced much for us to reflect on beyond the experience.
It was good also to hear from artist Marion Michell that she too joined in from afar – if you want to do it yourself please do and share back with us your experiences.
Here is a link to Marion’s blog where you can find her thoughts on this and lots of other thoughts too!
www.a-n.co.uk/p/2157883
We will share back more fully elements of Barefoot Blindfold shortly but in the meantime here is me Barefoot Blindfold being chorographed by birdsong. The video was shot by dancer Miriam Keye of Strandlooper.
Paul Conneally chorographed by birds during Barefoot Blindfold a piece concieved by Anne-Marie Culhane and Paul Conneally as part of Anne-Marie Culhanes wider Fruit Route work at Loughborough Unii.
Support for Fruit Routes – Barefoot Blindfold has been welcome and diverse.
Diverse is the word for instance we’ve had support from two strong women from very different fields of work Prof. Sue Thomas from De Montford Universoty and the upcoming female rap artiste Phreeda Sharp have both shown their support for Barefoot Blindfold on Twitter.
Sue Thomas’ current work TECHNOBIOPHILIA adresses issues around nature and cyberspace and was the subject of her recent Professorial Lecture at DMU ;The Future of Cyberspace – Technobiophilia
Meanshile possibly the fiercist of current young UK female rappers, Phreeda Sharp, has sent messages of good luck and a wondering of what a posse of Barefoot Blindfiold Bad Janes would be like on Twitter Phreeda @PHREEDASHARP said:
“It’d be pretty phucking cool if there were blindfolded barefoot Bad Janes there!”
Here’s Phreeda’s video ‘BAD JANE’:
http://www.phreedasharp.com/
PHREEDA SHARP – BAD JANE
Barefoot Blindfold
Well Anne-Marie spent the day yesterday making herself available for talks and iideas around Fruit Routes at Loughborough University as part of their Environmnet Day. Quite a few people signed up or at least told her that they were coming along at 5 am on Friday for our collaborative participative dawn chorus piece Barefoot Blindfold – we just hope the weather holds out – we do it whatever the weather!
http://littleonion.posterous.com/barefoot-blindfol…
Me, well I’ve been making blindfolds for ‘barefoot blindfold’ but also and excitingly spent time, as patt of my PCAS (PSHE & Citizenship Advisory Service) work, at an infnt school in Leicester planning a Keyhole Garden project and associated activities.
In terms of ‘memory foam’ gardens are linked ifor me with memory and memories. Within the wider culktural landsacpe too gatdens are often assocoated with memories and memorial gardens abound. The act of planting is always a hopeful thing a looking forward to positive growth and flowering, fruiting and that meories even the sad and painful might be planted and grow into the new and hopeful is a thoought sitting with me today as I recieved this picture from the daughter of a good friend of mine who died recently. It’s a plaque on a bench in memory of him by his family by the lake in Abbey Park Leicester. Think I’ll be heading down there to eat my lunch sometime soon.
Barefoot Blindfold – Fruit Routes Video
As Anne-Marie Culhane and I finalise plans for our 18th of May participative performance ;Barefoot Blindfold’ on Loughborough University Campus:
http://barefootblindfold-estw.eventbrite.co.uk/
I thought I’d share a bit of background on Fruit Routes and the how the area of fruit trees that Barefoot Blindfold will take place in came about.
The trees were planted as an integral and in fact defining element of Anne-Marie Culhane’s extended Fruit Route piece for Loughborough University Sustainabilty:
http://www.lboro.ac.uk/sustainability/biodiversity…
The video below was made by me during the Fruit Routes planting weekend where I also wrote and performed a piece ‘The Cut In Her Stomach’ from a stump close to the Pilkington Library where we will meet for Barefoot Blindfold. The video captures something of the energy and thoughts of the many participants that took part in the planting.
Participants in the Fruit Routes tree planting weekend across Loughborough University campus share some of their thoughts about Fruit Routes. This video was shot entirely on iPhone by Paul Conneally..
Barefoot Blindfold – Dawn Chorus
There is now an event page at Eventbrite where you can book a free place at Barefoot Blindfold:
http://barefootblindfold-estw.eventbrite.co.uk/
It’s on Anne-Marie Culhane’s Fruit Route at Loughborough University and starts at 5am on 18th May finishing at 8am including breakfast.
To be barefoot blindfold at dawn amongst fruit trees the sounds of nature choreographing our movements will be a new and experirence for those taking part and for those that maybe stop to watch too but so much better to take part – Join us!
More information on Fruite Routes is available here:
http://fruitroutesloughborough.wordpress.com
