Erratic Drift is a suite of three artworks in the form of performance scores: Alluvial Drift, Quarry Drift, and Rolling Stone Drift. The score for Alluvial Drift (pictured) is: Borrow some silt (mud) from the River Clyde. Dry the silt until it is a fine powder. Walk along the geological drift line marking the extent of the river’s alluvial plain, which lies underneath parts of the city centre. Sprinkle silt along the line as you walk.
We performed Alluvial Drift at Architecture Fringe 2021, Glasgow on 3, 7 and 9 May 2021. Nick and I walked, sprinkling silt, along the geological drift line on the Clyde’s north bank in the (human) company of archaeologist, Ingrid Shearer; geomorphologist, Professor Larissa Naylor; and photographer, Callum Rice.
See www.erraticdrift.org for films and blogs of the project.
Minty and Nick are artist-researchers who see their practice as an attempt to understand how to live and die better as humans in a world that they recognise as much more than human. Recent practice focussed on humans’ inter-relations with rivers and other watercourses (www.guddlingabout.com and www.then-now.org). In their current work they explore human-built environments through a lithic and geological lens (www.erraticdrift.org).
Minty is Professor of Contemporary Performance Practice at the University of Glasgow.
Nick is a production manager who has worked with companies including National Theatre of Scotland, ARIKA, Quarantine, and Untitled Projects.