Yellow Walk is a project I completed on October 29, 2016. The sky was cloudy and it was late in the day when I set out on my one kilometer walk. It was measured to be exactly one kilometer using a pedometer. My walk had no destination, simply a goal – to find, collect, and document objects the colour of the sun on a day when the sun was hiding. My sister Elise accompanied me and together we walked for one kilometer, simply continuing to move in the direction of the next yellow object. I documented the findings of my walk in the form of a photo collage (for those objects that could not be moved) and a collection (for those objects that could be collected).
The inspiration for this project came from my desire to find brightness on a cloudy day and from my love for searching and finding (it reminds me of playing eye spy as a child). By combining these two ideas my project was formed.
For me, my walk was a physical way to experience the process of searching for bright spots when the obvious light, like the sun, is missing. It was also a way for me to be in my home neighbourhood in a new way. Instead of my usual walking from one place to the next, this walk directed my attention to the smaller details of my neighbourhood that I had not previously taken the time to notice.
Overall, I enjoyed the process of creating and performing Yellow Walk, and I think that one would be surprised by how much joy can come from finding bright coloured things on a grey day.
- Nicole VanderWindt