LONG TRACE OF MINNEAPOLIS
A Walking Project by Larsen HusbyWalking All of Minneapolis in Sweden
August, 2017Temporary installation in Tranås, Sweden
I spent the month of August 2017 as an artist-in-residence at Kultivera, an art center in the town of Tranås, Sweden. While there, I was forced to take a break from walking the streets of Minneapolis. So, instead, I designed a labyrinth (below, left) shaped like a map of the city. I drew out the labyrinth in chalk on a defunct tennis court in a nearby park (below, right) over the course of two days.
In medieval Europe, labyrinths were built into cathedral floors to provide worshippers a way to take a symbolic pilgrimage, particularly during the crusades when Christian pilgrims were unable to safely travel to Jerusalem. Some labyrinths were even designed to resemble stylized maps of the holy city.
Unable to walk through Minneapolis while abroad, I created a stand-in Minneapolis to walk through where I was. I walked the labyrinth fully one time (above). The next day, rain washed the chalk away.
© LARSEN HUSBY, MINNEAPOLIS, MN 2017