Dave recently mentioned something called “psychogeography” on his blog. I’d never heard of it, so I looked it up. The French invented it.
It’s based on the premise that geographic surroundings affect the human psyche and you observe this human interpretation of urban landscapes through dérive, (walking without a goal).
The sudden change of ambiance in a street within the space of a few meters; the evident division of a city into zones of distinct psychic atmospheres; the path of least resistance which is automatically followed in aimless strolls (and which has no relation to the physical contour of the ground); the appealing or repelling character of certain places.
One or more persons during a certain period drop their usual motives for movement and action, their relations, their work and leisure activities, and let themselves be drawn by the attractions of the terrain and the encounters they find there’. The original idea was to re-discover the city in terms of moods and atmospheres.
There have been psychogeography societies all over Europe since the 1950s. Members call themselves flâneurs.
There’s also some sort of sexual element to this, but I haven’t quite figured that part out yet. Something about voluptuous architecture and/or erotic landscaping… I’ll have to get back to you.
There’s a psychogeography society in Toronto and one in Montreal and an e-psychogeography blog. I think we need one of these sexy flâneur groups in Ottawa.
Do you dérive? Have you observed distinct psychic/erotic atmospheres in your aimless strolls around your city?
XUP 