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Walking Until Art Makes Sense: How to Become an Active Spectator

Anya Shchetvina, Franziska Klein and Romy Roomans

Anya Shchetvina, Franziska Klein and Romy Roomans realized that, unpurposely, they tend to ignore public art. Inspired by the “walking-with” approach, they attempted to reconnect with art projects in the city. Their project investigates a selection of walking practices by applying them to specific urban artworks. 

Read the essay (pdf, 2.5mb)

Anya Shchetvina (she/her) lived most of her life in Moscow, Russia. She came to Maastricht 9 months prior to this research project and is still learning how to walk slowly (a practice that is rare in megapolises). After studying art theory and history in high school and on BA level, her relationships with art are complicated. Within this project she is trying to improve them, seeking new ways of being with art that go beyond a strict traineeship of an art historian and leave more space for movement and speculation. 

Romy Roomans (she/her) was born in Maastricht but grew up in and around Sittard. She left Limburg for the purpose of higher education in Amsterdam, Reykjavik and Rotterdam, but returned south to pursue her master’s degree in Maastricht. Having ventured off to the big cities, she now enjoys a quiet(er) life taking walks in the valley. Preferably with dogs, lots of dogs. 

Franziska Klein (she/her) grew up in a small town in the east of Germany, but left looking for bigger adventures and different roads to walk on. Having studied in Tübingen and Durham (UK), she came to Maastricht to combine her two previous directions of study: natural sciences and cultural studies. She usually walks with music, annoyingly mouthing the lyrics as she walks along.