Still Waters (2020)
By
Gavin Rogers
In a city obsessed with movement the canals of Central Birmingham and our treasured Edgbaston Reservoir offer a moment to breathe, gaze, be still and spend time alone, as well as with others. Fishing is a little known but highly treasured activity that takes place in these mesmerizingly tranquil city spaces.
Fishing was always part of my life, as was my father, grandfather and great grandfather. I had never really thought of it as being that important, not in any philosophical way. But, having moved to Birmingham from Burton-on-Trent, I began to realise that I missed those messy edges of town, the abandoned trolly scrublands where rivers met the land, where the canals met woodlands, where quarry pits met semi-urban industrial estates. I had spent my childhood meditating in these uncluttered spaces, surrounding by water. Fishing with dad. Eating bacon cobs [with all important brown sauce] at 8am watching the morning fog rise.
I was passionate about running a participatory arts project about fishing, as I had lost touch with these spaces. The significance of fishing and equally as importantly “going” fishing, which is something slightly different.
While the project was originally intended to facilitate groups of fishermen/women in and around associated Canal and River Trust Let’s Fish Events. The COVID-19 pandemic presented many difficulties. The canals were closed for Fishermen, plus bad timing for the Fishing season. So the project took a turn into interacting with West Midlands based fishermen on Online forums. Later as lockdown restrictions lifted, I was able to go on three smaller fishing adventures with less participants over a longer time, some of who had never been fishing before.
The conversations had, the stories told were really revealing and thoughtful. From talking about the expected “biggest catch” to conversations about how fishing is used to help with stress, anxiety and related mental illness.
The project resulted in the creation of drawings, photos and a reflective narrated video with one of the participants. As well as the events themselves which were much more participatory in nature.
To watch the Still Waters film, click the video link below.
““ Many [men] go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after” ”
More information: http://a3projectspace.org/index.php/project/participate
