Tumbleweed
UK & Finland
2006 ongoing
Introducing Tumbleweeds to the British Landscape
I have used a leaf-blower to escort genuine American tumbleweeds through city streets in the UK and beyond since 2007.
'The two, woman and weed, suggest a wilderness within and about us;
densely populated suburbias are touched by the cinematic signifier of
emptiness, loneliness and distance.' (Gregg Whelan)
It feels like it has become a meditative process whereby this isolation and almost pointless endeavour, becomes a pause for interaction with the city, the landscape and it's inhabitants.' (Matt Davenport)
Bizarrely, tumbleweeds can be bought from an internet site which guarantees "If they don't tumble, we don't sell 'em".
Parading the tumbleweeds through the UK alieanates them further from their native environment. They represent a state of mind or mood. People can feel alienated and hopeless rather like these strange, spherical, directionless plants.
These performances are all available on video and have been screened nationwide.
Where I performed Tumbleweed:
10.05.08 Keeping it Live Performance of “Tumbleweed” in Hertford around town centre
14-16.03.08 Roam (invited artist) Tumbleweed performance around Loughborough city centre in association with Radar, a local arts organisation and a festival on art and walking.
12.10.07 Light Night (Leeds)
Collaboration with Flash Mod to create mass hugging piece and performance of blowing mini-tumbleweed along streets
27 - 30.09.07 ANTI–Festival, Finland (invited commissioned artist)
Daily performance of Introducing Tumbleweeds to the Finnish Landscape
01.09.07 – 070.09.07
Residency at 42 New Briggate, Leeds
Daily tumbleweed performances using different outfits
23/06/07 Perambulator (Live art and media event in conjunction with the Showroom)
Performance – Sheffield
23/09/06 Fresh Festival
First presentation of Tumbleweed performance