Participatory performance and sound walk
Length app. 35 min
Available also in written format in The Exercises in Togetherness publication by Finnish Cultural Institute New York, edited by Elina Suoyrjö.

Garden of Agency is a participatory performance and sound walk piece that invites the participants to imagine the relationships between horses and plants. The horses learn about their environment and themselves together with their herd; perhaps this is something humans could do better, too. Garden of Agency is an audio work that takes its participants into a sandy paddock in horse stables where not many plants thrive, and challenges them to imagine herding in a medicinal garden. The art work proposed a healthy herding encounter in the times of COVID-pandemic when people haven’t had an opportunities for social ponding. The encounter is facilitated with herding knowledge from horses and help of medicinal plants such as Yarrow and Willow. During the session, the participants experience herding to explore their own bodies in the group of humans in possible synchrony. Also the senses of touch and smell are activated with dried plants.

Garden of Agency was performed in Ruskeasuo horse stables in Helsinki, Finland, 10. of September 2021. It was a part of Rehearsing Hospitalities event organised by Frame Finland. It was curated and produced by Yvonne Billimore and Jussi Koitela – thank you for the support and care.

Garden of Agency was initiated and recorded in Toiska green care farm, practising horse therapy in Ilmajoki, Finland.  I am always grateful to Toiska human team and the fantastic horse collaborators. Thank you Antye Greie-Ripatti for the sound editing.