Long form essay by Katelyn Garcia
Like most pilgrimages, mine started as an attempt to find spiritual connection, but grew to also become about the complexities of our relationship with the earth. I unexpectedly encountered grief and mourning at the same time as feelings of smallness, wonder, and reverence as I witnessed the way the earth serves as a record of our actions collectively and individually.
Pilgrimage is centered around meditative interactions with the land through the use of my body. Drawing from these performances and the surrounding land-scapes, I make photos that highlight the interconnect-edness between the earth and our bodies and collect objects from the sites that serve as relics. Pilgrimage is a record of being present in my body and in the earth, the two homes we all live in.
