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La fleur qui marche

15 May, 2023

If “the earth laughs in flowers,” as Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, spring is the season of smiling. At this time of year, gardens and fields start to blossom, and colors and smells emerge everywhere.
To embrace this season, what is better than to take a “flower walk”, heading to a park, public garden or the wild nature. Be it with a simple walk or an adventurous hike, it is the greatest opportunity to celebrate spring’s glory.
And what day could be better chosen during this season as the “Bring Flowers to Someone Day” held annually on May 15, mid-Spring. The true sense of today is to hand over the flowers yourself, walking with flowers to and for a beloved person.
This gesture is older and more meaningful than it looks at first sight.
It goes back to the mid 1700s in Turkey, called “Selem”, where bringing flowers to someone was bringing a secret message, in the language of flowers, or Floriography.
The Turkish flower-messagers were inspired by even older traditions in Ancient Greece, Rome and China, where giving someone flowers was a way to communicate. Every flower is thought to have its special meaning, which can change due to its color or variety. This form of communication became a big thing in the conservative Victorian era, and many flower dictionaries were published.
After world war I the practice of talking with flowers died out, but still bringing flowers to someone, by foot, especially today, has a significant meaning, by walking to the local flower shop and giving them in person to the people you care, a message of smells, colors transmitted by walking.
If you give flowers to an important person today, or if you give yourself a flower walk during these mid-Spring May-days, it is in the first place about connecting, caring, being aware that walking is more-than-human, that we do not only walk in nature, but with nature, and that as flower walkers we are simultaneous flower talkers, Floriographists, speaking the universal language of flowers.
Happy Flower bringing and walking Day.

Image: La fleur qui marche (Walking Flower), Fernand Leger (1952/53)

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New walking pieces

This walking work features 10 audio walking tours conducted by community members. Keep reading

Upcoming events

2023-05-17 13:30 · Mallards Pike Forest of Dean GL15 4HD
Creative Walk nurturing connection, creative thinking and mental wellbeing through a combination of time outdoors, gentle exercise and social interaction Keep reading
2023-05-20 15:30 · Online
An “Invitation Only” event for shortlisted authors in the 2023 Urban Tree Festival writing competition, with VIP guests Anna Burton, David G Haskell and David Merle... Keep reading
20 May, 2023 · Yangsi Road, Pudong, Shanghai, China
Multimedia Exhibition and Series of events Walking China: Stories yet to be told is a multimedia exhibition and collaboration with the Out of Eden Walk, a global st... Keep reading
2023-05-21 15:30 · Online
The WRITE ABOUT TREES showcase event introduces the shortlisted authors of the Urban Tree Festival writing competition, and includes readings of their poetry and pr... Keep reading
2023-05-22 18:00 · Online
We want to uncover the forgotten or not yet revealed walking compositions – will you help us in our detective work as we search through archives and make connection... Keep reading
2023-05-25 18:00 · British Library, Euston Road, London, UK
With David George Haskell. This event takes place at the British Library. David George Haskell is professor of biology and environmental studies at the University o... Keep reading
25 - 26 May, 2023 · Budapest, Erzsébetváros, Hungary
On May 25 and 26, together with Dérive app and Placcc, we’re hosting an urban exploration workshop in Budapest. The workshop will focus on the part of the suburb of... Keep reading
2023-05-28 07:30 · Circular Quay, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
Wander away from the Light Walk on an immersive audio journey through the hidden streets and laneways of The Rocks. Let your ears lead the way in this one-of-a-kind... Keep reading
3 Jun, 2023 · Larkhall Park, Courland Grove, London, UK
What: Take on an epic challenge this year by taking part in Alzheimer’s Society’s Trek26, a series of 13 and 26-mile treks in eight breathtaking locations across th... Keep reading
2023-06-06 05:30 · Online
A film installation to be visited in person in New Zealand and also can be seen on UTube. It includes film footage of a poetry walkshop made through Walking with... Keep reading
2023-06-09 15:25 · Rue Raphaël 23, Anderlecht, Brussels, Belgium
A visual art exhibition in Brussels from Friday June 9 to Friday June 16, 2023, at STREETVIEW, Rue Raphael 23, Anderlecht, Brussels Keep reading
10 Jun, 2023 · Penrith, Cumbria, UK
What: Take on an epic challenge this year by taking part in Alzheimer’s Society’s Trek26, a series of 13 and 26-mile treks in eight breathtaking locations across th... Keep reading
11 - 13 Jun, 2023 · Amman, Jordan
Art and the City Urban Space, Art and Social Change 11-13 June 2023 https://artandthecity.sciencesconf.org/ Keep reading

From our network

” By Patrick Dow “Walking Tools is a project undertaken by Angela Black, Nichol Bernardo, Micha Cardenas, Cicero Silva, Steve Durie, Chris Head, Atom Leonhart, Todd... Keep reading
Day 1132 - Modernism and 2.3 km drawing. Canis Familiaris and 2.1 km drawing. Keep reading
Willingdon Beach TrailThe holiness of green, a rain forest trail with random historic equipment along the way.Location: Powell River, BCLength: 2 kmCompanions: MiaD... Keep reading
Day 1131 - Politic and 3.1 km drawing. Keep reading
This is part of the work I’m putting together for my residency in Moskosel, in northern Sweden. For my main piece, I am creating a work that is to be consumed in a ... Keep reading
“Breathing-in-the-Breathable is an on-going collaborative artwork by Robert Bean and Barbara Lounder. Their project presents walking as experience, public art and p... Keep reading
Day 1130 - Times and 3.6 km drawing.Theme Park and 1.8 km drawing. Keep reading
With all the damage oversize vehicles, such as SUVs and double-cab utes, cause, should they be banned altogether? That was the provocative question a journalist ask... Keep reading
Day 1129 - Nourish and 3.9 km drawing. Keep reading
Marcher, écouter, retrouver, connecterPourSentir le sol sous ses piedsSentir l’herbe, le bitume, la terre, les feuilles, le sable, l’eau, la … Plus Keep reading
Originally posted on The Wombwell Rainbow: Matt Gilbert is a freelance copywriter, who also writes a blog at richlyevocative.net about place, books, poetry and othe... Keep reading
Below is the text of the oral presentation that I gave to the Council Assessment Panel (CAP) of the Victor Harbor Council's on Tuesday 9th May about the tourist ... Keep reading
Day 1128 - Passing and 2.5 km drawing. Keep reading

Stuff we found

Source: Puppeteer walks 1,000km in France dressed as giraffe – Henley Standard Keep reading
For one day only. Source: ‘One of a kind’ Vivienne Westwood walking tour launched around her hometown Keep reading

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A gentle walk: Sall we geng fir a daander doon da rodd?

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