The Alternative Art Trail for Kensington + Chelsea Art Week

In these challenging times, many of us are looking forward to when life can go back to “normal.” This may not only be unrealistic, but a more probable killer than the pandemic when we consider  the cumulative impacts of climate change. The deceleration of the economy has been necessary to stymie the spread of disease, but it has also shown us that we can slow down.

Through a seismic shift in the way we live, we have learned to breathe, to pause and to seek beauty in the little and local world around us. Some of us have reconnected with nature, reimagined what we see before us and reconsidered our footprint on the planet.

The Alternative Art Trail is an interactive walk, ephemeral street art piece and a means of reconnecting with nature through mindfulness. Take a never-before-seen journey through the Royal Borough of Kensington + Chelsea and remember to pause and reflect.

The artworld though it often pays homage to (or even utilises elements of nature in its creation) can also destroy, leaving a damaging impact on the world like any other commodity. This piece helps us consider both art and nature, in terms of impact, aesthetic, medium, fragility and value.

Too often overlooked, these delicate reminders of nature are carefully curated - helping all of the trail’s travellers reminagine a future world by simply noticing what is already there.

Amidst the grandiose of the area, beside the bold artworks installed for Art Week, hides a secret world of nature to explore. Prepare for powerful moments of mindful reflections, reflect upon splashes of colour and spot unexpected appearances by collages of moss.

Too often overlooked, these delicate reminders of nature - its ephemerality, resilience and presence are brought into the frame and under the spotlight in this delicately designed (and fully sustainable) Alternative Art Trail.

In contrast to the dazzling sculptures and impressive architecture of the Borough, these carefully crafted routes allow us to walk through the ‘same old’ streets whilst journeying through a miniature world.

Let this be the year that we continued to slow down and remembered to look up from our phones once again.

Amy Jackson is a British artist whose work explores issues such as climate change, consumerism, mental health, social inequalities, and critically, how these themes are inextricably linked. Her work often sits outside of the ‘white cube’ and inside the communities it touches.

Available on Jauntly (or printed for those who want a break from their mobile phones).

Short trail: Portobello Road

Long trail: High Street Kensington

On from 24th June - 4th July 2021

LIVE walking tour and artist talk: 2-3pm Saturday 26th June 2021. Register at thisisamyjackson.com