An instructed walk around Granville Island. I listened to New Order. I was given a toonie and a die.

July 17th, 2013, 2pm

It was 23.8°C. The wind was calm.

Karen O’Rourke classifies wanderers as being “passengers” or “autonauts”. I kind of like that.

I’m taking a class called “The Wanderer.”

As an assignment, we each had to write instructions for a fellow classmate to follow for an hour. These were walking — wandering — protocols or limitations that would free the participant from walking as a method of getting from place A to place B, and more as an experience (and for some, even an art practice).

We were given instructions from other students at random. Mine came in a sealed envelope. In the envelope contained instructions, a die, a toonie, and a pencil. Mysterious, right? I was excited.

The first half my instructions were quite liberating, actually. I was instructed to take a ten-minute walk to the Market (it’s about a two-minute walk from the classroom). I was told to purchase something in the Market with my toonie; I had a fifteen minute window.

The idea is that when you provide yourself limitations, you create “a machine that creates the art” (Sol Lewitt).

Also: I discovered the New Order live album “Live at Bestival 2012.” Killer.


Matt and Chris said thanks.

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Matt Chan

design student, life learner. www.mattc.ca

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