Wolverhampton based artist Daniella Turbin took up the pursuit of long distance walking out of necessity when she was living in a remote area of Cumbria. Since returning to the West Midlands in 2019 Daniella has been determined to walk every square kilometre of the UK Ordnance Survey Maps.

The residency at The New Art Gallery Walsall will allow the artist to bring together two main strands of her practice, drawing and walking. Taking its title from the grid reference for the Gallery, the residency will see Daniella embarking on walks across Walsall and its surrounding areas using Ordnance Survey’s Explorer paper map series. The artist will record each journey through analogue photography and by collecting natural materials such as rocks and soil. Returning to the Gallery to work in the Artists’ Studio, Daniella will set about creating a drawing in response to her walk. Over the course of the twelve week residency the artist hopes to develop work which will convey the physicality of walking and the landscapes she has traversed.

“In a time when walking apps such as Strava are rising in popularity and digital fitness devices such as Fitbit are being developed, we are living through a time of massive digital change. Although the digital has definitely been a source of comfort over the past few months, and provided us with the tools to stay connected with our loved ones. At the same time I can’t help but wonder, is there a cost to becoming more digitally savvy? If so, what might this be? And, does it matter? Are we losing some of those traits which make us human (such as the ability to get lost!)? And, if by trying to connect more, such as with nature through devices such as our smart phones are we in fact disconnecting and missing those fleeting moments which pass us by as we gaze into our screens?” Daniella Turbin, 2021

Thursday 16 to Saturday 18 September (inclusive)

10am – 4.30pm

Free, drop in.