Alley Bath: Spring & Alley Bath: Fall

These Alley Bath videos riff on the Japanese practice of forest bathing (shinrin-yoku), which involves slowly moving through a forest or natural environment, engaging all the senses, to promote physical, mental, and emotional well-being. I live in a part of Portland with abundant alleys between the larger streets. This means most houses and apartment buildings have an alley immediately behind them instead of another building.

I love the alleys. They are a bit wild. With little interference from humans, all kinds of plants and fungi grow in abundance in the alleys. Flowers and blackberries spill over from yards into the alleys. Many small mammals and birds live in the alleys. One time I encountered a coyote. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I decided to go “alley bathing,” by stepping out my back door and slowly savoring the sights, smells, sounds and other sensations I could detect in the alley. I brought my camera with me, gathered several shots of video and immediately went inside to process what I had experienced into videos. These videos were made in just a few hours on a single day.

Alley Bath: Fall

video // 24 seconds // 2020

Alley Bath: Fall

Julie Perini is a filmmaker and artist in Portland, Oregon.