The Walking Reading Group on Care, Whitstable Biennale, 9th JUNE, 2018

This midsummer walk was commissioned by Whitstable Biennale, in partnership with the Ash Project, and continues our current edition of TWRG on Care. The walk focused on care in relation to the environment, taking the ash dieback disease, which has now infected Ash trees across Kent, at the centre point of the discussion.

Meeting at the Horsebridge Centre, we took a minibus to an opening of the Crab and Winkle Trail, a former salt way and railway track that runs between Whistable and Canterbury.

Over the afternoon, we followed the trail back down to the sea, having conversations that were inspired by texts by Fiona Stafford, Elizabeth Povinelli and Helen MacDonald, paintings by John Constable, and images from the Forestry Commission. Madeleine Hodge from The Ash Project led a provocation that helped us to think about how we make alliances with nature. We finished with a sit down and a drink on the stones of Whitstable beach.

Ours was one of four artist-led Ash Walks exploring ash dieback disease. Information on the other walks, led by Hannah Lees, Adam Chodzko, Marcus Coates and Fiona MacDonald, can be found here.