a realistic bronze sculpture of a toad in dark brown and soft gold colours

Walking as Remapping: Spring Chorus River Walk with Annie Dunning

When amphibians breathe through their skin under water, does it have a taste? A smell? What could be learned by thinking about the sensory experiences of non-human animals?

May 13.2024

Time

6:30pm - 8:00pm

Location York Road Park

Price Free

Join Annie Dunning for a walk along the Eramosa River, where we will listen to and discuss the soundscape emerging from her current studio practice that takes inspiration from the behaviours of common toads and considers the overlap between sound and touch. Each spring, the typically terrestrial toads emerge from their underground hibernation and migrate to water where they mate. Annie’s recent sound-sculpture Toad Touch, pictured here, was inspired by a viral video of a toad sitting in water making its mating call, causing water to ripple in concentric rings radiating from the toad’s body. In response, she made two human-sized bronze toad sculptures that can each hold a sound bowl on its back. When a person rubs their palms on the handles of the sculptural bowl, a sound is generated, and the vibrations create ripples in the water it contains.

Based on her informal tracking of toad mating season, on this walk Annie will take us to locations that toads return to year after year along the river, to see and hear toads as well as the many other amazing creatures who live in our city. This walk is geared towards adults, though all are welcome. Registration is required for this walk as space is limited.

The walk will travel mainly on city-maintained trails, dirt paths, and grassy areas. The route crosses the covered bridge, which has stairs and a ramp on either side. Alternate routes are available. The group will move through buggy areas, so please plan accordingly. There will be opportunities to sit on the ground during discussion at several points of the walk.

Please check your email in the morning if the weather looks ominous as we will be in touch as soon as possible if we plan to reschedule. We are tentatively holding May 14 at 6:30 pm as a rain date. Otherwise, we will be outside for the program and so encourage you to dress for the weather with comfortable footwear for walking. Bring water and sun protection, your curiosity and creativity, and a sense of adventure!

Image detail: Annie Dunning, Toad Touch (detail), 2021, bronze. Courtesy of the artist.

About the artist

Annie Dunning

Annie Dunning is an artist based in Guelph who maintains a transdisciplinary practice, currently focused on sound-sculpture. Conceptually, her work investigates areas of cultural overlap between human and non-human species, with an intent to pursue hybrid ways of knowing. Confusing the expected relationships between species offers new possibilities in sensory understanding of our world and can shift how we imagine possible futures. She holds a BFA from Mount Allison University and an MFA from the University of Guelph. Currently she is researching sound-sculpture as a PhD candidate in the Visual Arts program at York University, with funding support from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council.