I was contacted recently by a like minded soul on Twitter who asked me if I'd be interested in joining a psychogeography group he was setting up in the area. Why not I thought? I love cities, urban walking, architecture, photography, and generally seeking out life's flip side - so what's not to like? I've added my name to their online forum where there was a bit of a digital meet and greet, ahead of hooking up in person and discussing, in a pub - probably, the direction of travel for this most interesting and unusual of groups.
The term psychogeography, I must confess, is kind of new new to me (even though it was coined back in 1955) and there are, as you might expect, a million and one definitions. However, the one I like best, the one I think neatly describes this fascinating intersection of psychology and geography: "A whole toy box full of playful, inventive strategies for exploring cities... just about anything that takes pedestrians off their predictable paths and jolts them into a new awareness." Yep, I can relate to that. I'll keep you posted.
Portishead - Toy Box (1995)
This sounds like my idea of fun too and I look forward to hearing more. I'm a big fan of John Rogers' ongoing series of informal YouTube videos documenting his walks around my old East London stomping grounds, where he seeks to connect the (sometimes very) ancient with the modern. Always an education.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for the John Rogers heads up! I've started watching the Fairlop Fair/Leytonstone one from last month, and will definitely bookmark the rest of them; this is just what I had in mind for our new group.
DeleteThanks again.
I have a degree in Geography but I've never heard of psychogeography - Sounds intriguing however and I too look forward to hearing more.
ReplyDeleteDo you think there will end up being a Forensic Psychogeography group, a Confessional Psychogeography and other subgroups? Food for thought!
In Magnus Mills' world, yes! I shall of course keep you up to speed.
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