German filmmaker Werner Herzog once remarked that to become an artist, one should forgo years of art school and instead take a long walk alone. For his art school graduation project, Clemens Wilhelm took this long walk.

His journey—on foot from Munich to Venice—echoes a centuries-old tradition. Since the Renaissance, Northern European artists have traveled south to Italy to study the arts, often making the trip on foot due to limited means. Likewise, the custom of a long walk at the end of one’s apprenticeship has deep roots among European craftsmen.

Yet Wilhelm’s film is more than an hommage to historical pilgrimage. The act of walking, the evolving landscapes, and the solitude of the journey are as central as the destination itself. Venice—and its Biennale—becomes a quiet backdrop, secondary to the meditative rhythm of the road. He took a picture of the road ahead every 15 minutes, mapping out the whole route. As the viewer follows Wilhelm, frame by frame, they too begin to walk—mentally traversing vivid mountain ranges, verdant fields, and sunlit forests.

The film is presented in a live screening format, accompanied by an atmospheric sound composition by Joakim Blattmann (Oslo) performed live at each showing. (see image above)

THE ROAD TO VENICE has been presented at Edinburgh Art Festival, Atelier Nord ANX Oslo, Babel Gallery Trondheim, Timespan Helmsdale, Borgie Forest Cabin, and Forum for Meditation & Neuroscience Berlin.