A Survey of Open Space

Peat Duggins

A Survey of Open Space is the story of an adventurous, 4000- mile cross-continent bicycle ride set upon by a trio of urbanites in search of the last wild places in the American west. To their dismay, they get exactly what they asked for. Set against the remnants of the great western frontier, the documentary examines conflicts between the ideal of the wild, and the actualities of wilderness at the beginning of the 21st century.

During the fourteen-week journey, Duggins kept a detailed sketchbook, which served as the basis for the narration and structure of the film. Sketches were posted from the road and hosted on Fusebox’s website as the trip proceeded.

Peat Duggins is a visual artist living and working in Boston, MA. His practice includes a variety of disciplines, including drawing & illustration, sculpture & installation, video & animation. Duggins received a BFA in Film/Video from the Rhode Island School of Design before relocating to Austin, Texas. There he co-founded the non-profit gallery, the Fresh Up Club (2003), and co-founded the acclaimed commercial gallery, Okay Mountain (2006), which later became an artist collective exhibiting under the same name, of which he remains an active part of. His work is included in several public and private collections including those of the Blanton Museum of Art and the Austin Museum of Art.

View a digital slideshow of Peat’s sketchbook.

ARTIST WEBSITE: www.peatduggins.com