NVA: SPEED OF LIGHT
The hills are aligh
It’s been described as looking like the movie Tron, a human work of art and a sci-fi sports endeavour,
against the most famous silhouette Edinburgh has to offer. Rhona Taylor takes to the hills, and investigates what NVA’s much-talked-about Speed of Light project feels and looks like from on high
I t’s just after sunset on a clear night in Holyrood Park, and we’re at the foot of Arthur’s Seat, waiting to become part of the ‘walking audience’ for the i rst performance of the NVA: Speed of Light. The runners taking part tonight are already kitted out in their light suits and the i rst have taken to the Salisbury Crags to begin their choreographed run.
Stephen, our walk leader, and his colleagues are handing out ‘light sticks’ – illuminated white walking staffs – to each of the 70 walkers in our group, one of eight to take part on each of the 19 nights the event will be performed. Once the briei ng is over and the photos posing as Jedi with our light-sabres have been taken, we wait for our guides to lead us off on our walk for the evening: two-and-a-half hours up
Arthur’s Seat, part of the Edinburgh International Festival event in which a total of 4000 runners are also taking part. When we i nally head off, light sticks in hand, the talk turns to why people have bought a ticket to be part of the walking audience rather than just turning up to watch. Some people are from Edinburgh and have never climbed Arthur’s Seat, and wanted to be part of the event. Some, like me, are running next week and are glad of the chance to see what it’s like beforehand. Some people are visiting Edinburgh for the Festival, while one woman was meant to be running tonight but turned up late and was offered a walking ticket instead. She’s decided that she got the better option.
We’re the second group of the night to make our way up the hill, and
14 THE LIST 16–23 Aug 2012