Silent Walks
Photo by Beth O'Brien
Craig Shepard leads silent, cell-phone-free walks, usually through city spaces. By committing to each other to keep silence, a group creates a bubble of stillness which moves through the urban landscape. Shepard researches and designs each route, freeing participants of the need to consider where they are going so that they can focus simply on where they are. In this way, they can have a new experience where they live.
Nos. 19-42 On Foot: Aubervilliers
Daily September 10-October 3, 2019
All walks begin and end at Les Laboratoires d'Aubervilliers, 41 rue Lécuyer, 93300 Aubervilliers. In the middle, the group stops for 30 minutes and listens in silence during a field recording.
Presented by Festival d'Automne and Les Laboratoires d'Aubervilliers
No. 18: Morava River, Tuesday, September 26th, 2017, Olomouč, Czech Republic
Thirty-four participants walked in silence along the Morava River from 9:50 am to 1:00 pm. In the middle of the walk, we stopped for twenty minutes and listened, and then we walked back. Part of Prof. Bernd Herzogenrath’s Seminar in Olomouč, Czech Republic. Hosted by Matthew Sweeney.
No. 17: Oberlin, Ohio, Saturday April 18th, 2015
Three hour silent walk. Curated by Jacob Nussdorf. Hosted by the Oberlin Modern Music Guild.
No. 16: Broadway Walk
Saturday, June 21st, 2014
A 13.7-mile silent cell phone free walk down the length of Broadway as part of Make Music New York. The walk began promptly at 11:45 am, paused at 2:00 at Columbia to listen to Sciarrino's piece for 100 saxophones and at Bryant Park at 4:30 to listen to Berlioz's Symphony for Band. Joined by Jacob Nussdorf, Seth Cluett, Dan Joseph, and Jennifer Eberhardt.
Map courtesy of the US Geological Survey.
No. 15: Boston Walk
Saturday, March 8th, 2014, 1:30 pm
Three-hour silent, cell phone free walk through Boston.
Hosted by the School of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston
View Broadway Walk in a larger map
No. 14: Broadway Walk
Sunday, February 3, 2013
13.7-mile silent walk down the entire length of Broadway in Manhattan. Part of the Composer's Now Festival. Joined by Beth O'Brien.
Nos. 1-13: On Foot: Brooklyn
Sundays February 26, through May 20, 2012
All walks originated in Greenpoint, Brooklyn
February 26, to Bensonhurst, northeast corner of 18th Avenue and 85th Street, under the elevated tracks. Part of the Composer's Now Festival.
March 4, to Canarsie, Rockaway Parkway north of Glenwood Road. Joined by Jogrim Erland and Ron Shalom.
March 11, to South Williamsburg, Roebling Playground
March 18, to East New York, Gateway Center Mall, in front of Marshalls. Joined by Daniel Ross and Bijan Rezvani.
March 25, to Red Hook, to the northeast Corner of Van Brunt and Van Dyke Streets. Joined by Katie Porter and Christian Kobi.
April 1, to Greenpoint, to the Newton Creek Nature Walk. Joined by Howard Gordon.
April 8, to Fort Hamilton, in front of Dover Patrol Monument obelisk
April 15, to Coney Island, to the end of Stillwell Ave, on the Boardwalk
April 22, to Downtown Brooklyn, Times Triangle, NE corner of island at intersection of Flatbush, Atlantic, and 4th Avenues
April 29, to Cypress Hills, southwest corner of Force Tube and Ridgewood Avenues
May 6, to Bedford-Stuyvesant, Von King Recreation Center, in the field behind the ball field
May 13, to Sunset Park, top of Sunset Park. Joined by Jack Callahan.
May 20, to the Sheepshead Bay footbridge.