Cashew & Reed is a collaborative video work by Amanda Newall and Olav Westphalen, originating in an improvised performance in the remote mountains of Central Andalusia. Wearing suits made from UV-protective fabric, two friends attempt to enjoy leisure in an unfamiliar landscape, carrying beach chairs, water bottles and games. Their awkward gestures, repeated misunderstandings and attempts to behave naturally evoke the absurdity of tourism and the fading privileges of a generation accustomed to experiencing the world as a place for pleasure.
Set against drought, extreme heat and Saharan dust, the work balances environmental unease with moments of tenderness and quiet humour. Through gesture, costume and an ambiguous visual language, Cashew and Reed navigate an increasingly inhospitable world, looking after one another as they go.
