Earth, mind and foot
February 12, 2022
I was fascinated to learn about Pyschogeography during this week’s presentation on Methods and Meaning. I identified immediately with the photographers referenced and their methods.
In 1955, Guy Debord defined Pyschogeography as “the study of the precise laws and specific effects of the geographical environment, consciously organized or not, on the emotions and behavior of individuals.” (1) Its development was influenced by the concept of the flâneur, a person who is a mix of modern urban spectator and amateur detective, who treads the streets day and night to gain an understanding of the city landscape and those who dwell in it. Basically a person who walks their environment in order to experience it. I’m sure many so called ‘street photographers’ can identify with this description.
Besides photographers, many poets have recognized the connection between urban walking and artistic output from Charles Baudelaire and William Blake to more contemporary poets such as Jacques Roubaud and Nikki Giovanni. Robert Frost reflects on urban life in the poem ‘Acquainted with the Night” (2):
I have been one acquainted with the night.
I have walked out in rain—and back in rain.
I have outwalked the furthest city light.
I have looked down the saddest city lane.
His poem captures the paradox of feeling isolated despite living in a city of millions. This paradox has also been explored by photographers such as Allan Schaller in his series ‘Metropolis’ which visually examines the way we are dwarfed by the world around us, and how that can lead us to feel isolated.
As I have been reflecting on my own photography produced over the past several years, the concept of the flâneur has for me articulated a method I have been using albeit subconsciously. It was in fact a wonderful feeling to understand that I am not alone in my passion for wandering the streets somewhat aimlessly and that it is not a worthless pursuit in photographic methodology. Although the verb flana originally meant to ‘to wander with no purpose’ (3), the purpose in the context of photography is to become more explorative, analytical and free-associative, to record the character of a place.
Looking back on my work retrospectively has given me a new impetus to move forward. I will be exploring some of the techniques used in Pyschogeography to ‘wander lonely as a cloud’ and bring new found methods and techniques to my instinctive practice. Further research is needed.
As J.R.R Tolkien said when referring to the ranger-of-the-wild Strider – “Not all those who wander are lost” (4). I have often unknowingly practiced the ‘dérive’ (the letting-go process of navigational prerequisites) for hours, but now being aware of psychogeography, I hope to increase my awareness and depth of explorations by expanding both my artistic approach and conceptual framework.
(1) Wikipedia.com. 2022. ‘Flâneur’. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flâneur. [accessed 12 February 2022]
(2) FROST, Robert. 1923. ‘Acquainted with the Night’. In Edward CONNERY LATHAM(ed.) The Poetry of Robert Frost. Henry Holt & Company, LLC.
(3) Wikipedia.com. 2022. ‘Flâneur’. Available at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flâneur. [accessed 12 February 2022]
(4) TOLKIEN, J.R.R. 1954. ‘The Riddle of Strider’. The Lord of the Rings: The fellowship of the Ring. London: Unwin.