I have a plan to collect mud samples along the course of the river to use as inspiration for further work. I have mapped out the full route but will complete it in sections to avoid any lockdown breaches… as far as possible. The maps below show the planned walking route and the yellow pins show the proposed mud collection points, at approximately 1-mile intervals, starting at the source, just south-west of Kirkby in Ashfield and finishing where the Erewash enters Attenborough Nature Reserve. Some of the route and collection points are unknown so fine tuning may be required when I arrive at the actual locations.
As well as mud, I’ll record video clips of the journey and I’ll interject some more abstract juxtapositions into this such as HS2 references to bounce ideas around as to how I can lift the walk into something more innovative in terms of an art form. At this stage I’m purposely not defining a medium or method but I’m considering video/audio, 2D and installation. I want the experience to lead me not the other way round.
The mud will be collected in jam jars and a sieve will be used to drain as much water as possible. I think I’ll take a pole as well as some of the banks may be unstable and I really don’t want a swim. A reference photograph will be taken of each collection point as further source material.
