Talking to dogs as research
2021

'5+1' was an invitation to students on the 'International Art's Educators course (Arnhem). During the pandemic Lockdown (May 2020) artists were invited to construct a project in whatever public space they care to enter. 'Talking to dogs as research' was my artwork. I wanted to play with public engagement during this time when people were keeping their distance from one another.

Stay at home as much as possible. Work from home if you can. You should only go outside to shop for essentials (do this alone), to get some fresh air or to care for another person. Always stay 1.5 meters from other people (2 arm’s length). Wash your hands often with soap and water for 20 seconds, then dry them thoroughly.
Dutch recommendations to help prevent the spread of Coronavirus:

I’ve not found the Lockdown particularly creative. I run a family SWAT team which does garden work for two sets of grandparents on Thursdays and Fridays. We run a small family quizzing business generating questions for a ‘Zoom’ gathering that connects 8 households at 3pm on Sunday afternoons. I’m learning more about the Russian Revolution with my 15-year-old son on twice a week study sessions. We have a Garmin Running Watch which records our 5KM challenges. I have a Lockdown Instagram project going out with a once a day discipline. I’ve dug a pit with my 17-Year-old and cooked a ham underground, I play Chess at 19:00 as a point of contact with my 20-year-old son who’s holed-up in a student flat in the Southside. I’m the local Sheriff managing a mobile phone hand-in policy in our house between 11:00 and 15:00. I try to read my non-fiction account of the life of a Somalian Refugee in Atlanta, but I only manage a few pages each night. I dream vividly and wake up at 06:00 and don’t get back to sleep. I do shopping, manage banking for my dad and keep his car engine running on his drive. He’s 90 and lives 5 miles away. I keep up correspondence with friends and relatives, some who are ill, some who are going through problems, some who are overworked, some who under-employed, all of them dealing with stress. I’ve cut down 2 - 40’ pine trees to let light into our garden. I’ve planted potatoes. I’ve chopped and bagged two trees worth of fresh evergreen foliage. I’ve made improvised dumbbells for one son and taught the other Solitaire. I cook and tidy-up and hang out the laundry. I’m always on the hunt for a wee job to offer to the boys: Paint the fence, empty the dishwasher, cut the grass, go down to the shops for eggs. I have furtive anxious chats with my wife behind our closed bedroom door. We watch the news and worry about our ‘House of Straw’ economy. We are fine.’
Roddy Buchanan

Open letter to the students on the International Masters Artist Educators student hub: