Biographical note

Helen Billinghurst is a multidisciplinary artist, educator, researcher and writer. With a background as a film maker, she now works within the expanded fields of painting and drawing. Her recent doctoral research at the University of Plymouth explored the intersection between studio practice and aesthetic walking. She currently lectures at Plymouth College of Art, and her research interests include the performance of making, site-specificity and embodied process. In 2014 Helen was resident artist for six months at High Cross House in Dartington, Devon. Recent solo exhibitions include ‘Crossing England’ (Arial Centre, Totnes, 2016), ‘Embodied Cartographies’ (Walcot Gallery, Bath Fringe Festival curated by Fay Stevens, 2016), ‘English Diagrams’ (Royal William Yard, Plymouth, 2018) and ‘Walking Diagrams’ (Walking’s New Movements Conference, University of Plymouth, 2019). Other recent commissions include an article for the catalogue of ‘Dear Christine’, (a touring exhibition about the life of Christine Keeler, by women artists, curated by Fionn Wilson, 2019). Collaborating with Phil Smith as Crab & Bee, Helen makes walks, performances, poetry and exhibitions. They have worked together on an exhibition and walking project called ‘Plymouth Labyrinth’ (funded by Arts Council England), and a residency at Teats Hill slipway (for Take Apart, Plymouth, 2019). They are writing a new book, The Pattern based on walks across Southern England and Wales. Dr. Phil Smith is a performance-maker, writer and academic researcher, specialising in work around walking, site-specificity, mythogeographies and counter-tourism. With artist Helen Billinghurst, he is one half of Crab & Bee, who have recently completed an exhibition and walking project called ‘Plymouth Labyrinth (funded by Arts Council England), a short walking project in the Isles of Scilly and a residency at Teats Hill slipway. They are currently engaged in a series of walks across the UK researching their forthcoming book, The Pattern (2020). With Tony Whitehead and photographer John Schott, Phil recently published Guidebook for an Armchair Pilgrimage with Triarchy Press. He is currently developing a ‘subjectivity-protective movement practice’ with Canada-based choreographer Melanie Kloetzel. With Claire Hind and Helen Billinghurst, he co-organised the 2019 ‘Walking’s New Movements’ conference at the University of Plymouth. As company dramaturg and co-writer for TNT Theatre (Munich), he most recently premiered ‘Free Mandela’, co-authored with TNT’s artistic director Paul Stebbings, about the end of apartheid in South Africa. Paul and Phil are presently working on a book about TNT Theatre’s transformation from tiny experimental theatre company to global touring organisation. ​ Phil is a member of site-based arts collective Wrights & Sites, who recently published The Architect-Walker (2018). As well as Walking Stumbling Limping Falling (2017) with poet Alyson Hallett, Phil’s publications include Making Site-Specific Theatre and Performance (Red Globe/Palgrave Macmillan, 2018), Rethinking Mythogeography (2018) (with US photographer John Schott), Anywhere (2017), A Footbook of Zombie Walking and Walking’s New Movement (2015), On Walking and Enchanted Things (2014), Counter-Tourism: The Handbook (2012) and Mythogeography (2010). He is an Associate Professor (Reader) at the University of Plymouth.