100 ARTISTS, 100 WALKS, 100 DAYS

Metropolis invited 100 artists living in Copenhagen to create 100 curated walks through the city over 100 days from 1 May 2020 – as a performative diary from a city where the corona virus set the agenda and radically changed our daily life. Each artist walked for 12 hours and started at home. Every hour he/she gave a “sign of life” via live-streaming.

Find the videos and documentation from the walks in the archive:

Read the 10-day sum-ups with reflections and selected videos on the Metropolis Blog.
Wa(l)king Copenhagen videos are still available on facebook.

100 artists took a look at a changing city

Whilst the majority of arts and culture institutions were in lock-down due to the corona virus, the public space was still open – and with this starting point, Wa(l)king Copenhagen used an artistic approach and perspective to investigate the state of the city.

We all sensed that the world and our own lives had utterly changed, and with WA(L)KING COPENHAGEN 100 artists put their bodies and their senses in situations which evoked the many existential questions that arised – a diary from a surreal daily life filled with uncertainty and anxiety, but also with room for hope, creativity and a sense of community.

The walkers were performance artists, actors, choreographers, dancers, writers, poets, musicians, composers, architects and photographers.

The individual artist created his/her own 12-hour walk starting from home, and along the route they gave “signs of life” every hour on the hour – just like church bells and news updates. These signs of life were physical actions in the public space and streamed live on facebook.com/walkingcopenhagen. They took the form of a reading, a live installation, an improvised dance, a mini concert, an installation of objects, a call…

THE CITY AS A SPACE FOR REFLEXION

To go for a walk became a highly valued act of freedom in this situation where normality was suspended. Apart from following the actions on-line, we hope they manifested the importance of keeping the public space open. The artists led us away from the well-known and well-documented touristed sites to rarely visited places in forgotten parts of the city and at all times of the day and night.

The artists walked alone, but some met up with invited guests and public at planned spots along the route, others just connected with people on the spot.

The changed social context demanded new ways to act, react and connect, and by walking for 12 hours, the artists broke out of their own comfort zones – geographically, physically and mentally.

A unique arts-based archive is created of the city and the citizens of Copenhagen in the context of corona virus.

CREDITS

The programme is curated by Katrien Verwilt & Trevor Davies Metropolis / Københavns Internationale Teater in collaboration with:
AnneSophie Bergmann Steen/AFUK
Annette Skov & Janna Lund & Jannie Haagemann/Copenhagen Contemporary
Charlotte Bagger Brandt/Råderum
Danjel Andersson/Dansehallerne
Erik Pold & Gritt Uldall-Jessen/Det Frie Felts Festival
Johnny Svendborg/The Architecture Association
Jørgen Teller/Skræp
Kristine Kern & Laura Ifversen/Fotografisk Center
Rikke Oberlin Flarup/Poesiens Hus
Sille Dons Heltoft
Tim Hinman/Third Ear

Presented with support from Copenhagen Municipality, Danish Arts Foundation Committee for the Performing Arts, Amager Vest Local Council, Amager Øst Local Council, Bispebjerg Local Council, Valby Local Council, Vanløse Local Council and Vesterbro Local Council.