"Ravens Walk"
Section MS13, Maria Monterro Sierra
Keywords: moving-image, nature, environment, water, installation, ritual, repetition
The work Ravens Walk is based on a walking path along Ravensbourne River, a tributary to the Thames from South London.
The study investigates the detrimental effects of rapid financialization on the human-nature relationship, manifested in silent abuse and human control over natural spaces. The researcher adopts the role of a gardener, implementing a hands-on observation and curation and caretaking approach to re-establish a balance between human functionalities and the natural environment.
The project results in an installation featuring a film documenting the process, collected artifacts from the river, and a map illustrating the gardener’s experiences. Ravens Walk aims to highlight the symptoms of disconnection from nature and the need for greater attention to its curation within urban planning, ultimately countering the prevalent insufficient studies and guidance on the subject.