Rose Picon, Staff Writer

Some students have a negative opinion of Syracuse. Rumors circulate our campus, characterizing the city as chaotic and crumbling, causing students to turn their heads away from the rich culture and history it possesses and the wonderful community it offers.

Nathaniel Sullivan and Jay Muhlin – SU graduate students in Transmedia Art and Art Photography, respectively – acknowledge Syracuse’s reputation, yet find it to be an inaccurate representation. In order to break the damaging connotation associated with the city, Sullivan, Muhlin and others have created “Walking on Water,” a guided audio tour. Meaning every word of its title, this tour leads participants as they walk on Water Street, from Crouse Avenue to Clinton Square.

The duo helped develop this project during a course in “Art and Civic Dialogue” that was launched last fall by arts professional David A. Ross ’71 and artist Carrie Mae Weems. Through his research, Sullivan realized that “like many mid-sized cities that contain universities, there is a divide between the more or less permanent town population and the relatively transitory and peripheral student body.” With that said, Sullivan hopes that “Walking on Water” will share the richness of the city with the university community and encourage students to appreciate Syracuse and become more connected to their metropolitan surroundings.

To this end, “Walking on Water” participants are lent iPods and can expect to hear a combination of narrative stories describing the history of Syracuse, along with personal statements of local people who live, work and play here. Individuals are also given a map so that they can note certain areas where audio tracks are available and learn about such landmarks as the 1892 Amos Block and the 1894 Gere Bank Building.

During the walk, participants are encouraged to document their experiences and are able to upload texts, videos and sounds to the project’s website. Contributions will be stacked on an online map, and visitors can click on this user-generated content to frame streets and narratives in a new way. “It’s often folklore that can illustrate this feeling the best,” Sullivan explains, “and that’s why we want our walkers to contribute to the stories.”

Sullivan, a native of Vancouver, explains how his hometown is a place where citizens define their sense of identity by walking around the city and interacting with others. He believes that being a pedestrian fosters a distinct perspective in relation to one’s location, and he feels that if students were to engage more on foot, they would learn to better value and appreciate the urban landscape of Syracuse.

“Walking on Water” will have a show from April 8 to April 23 at the Community Folk Art Center with free admission. We hear Sullivan and Muhlin are also planning several events during this time, including a late night ghost hunt and an archeological dig! So, stroll down to 805 E. Genesee Street to the Community Folk Art Center and be among the first to experience what “Walking on Water” is really like.