Psy-Geo-Conflux
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Psy-Geo-Conflux is an annual event dedicated to current artistic and social investigations in psychogeography. Part festival and part conference, it brings visual and sound artists, writers, urban adventurers and the public together in New York City to explore the physical and psychological landscape of the city.
In May, 2003, psychogeographers from the U.S., Canada, U.K., France and the Netherlands gathered in New York for the first Conflux. Participants conducted experimental walks using computer code, decks of cards and other systems for navigation; a mobile-phone-guided drift through the streets of New York; a life-sized chess game using humans as pieces; several talks and presentations; a noise parade; an art exhibition; and a night of psychogeography-inspired live music, DJs, and video. Village Voice writer Bryan Zimmerman noted, "The event is centered around a seasoned yet growing field of creative recreation and alt-geographic exploration called psychogeography. Trying to define this obtuse field is an adventure itself, although a relatively straightforward definition includes "the study of the effects of the geographic environment on the emotions and behavior of individuals." One of the boldest characteristics of psychogeography may be its ability to influence and bring together all kinds of artists, social scientists, philosophers, urban provocateurs and spelunkers, and even traditional geographers, in an entirely accessible venue-public space." [1] The 2003 Conflux was co-produced by ABC No Rio (http://www.abcnorio.org), the Brooklyn Psychogeographical Association and Glowlab (http://www.glowlab.com)
Psy-Geo-Conflux 2004, produced by Glowlab, featured a full program of events over the course of four days, including experimental walks using altered maps and navigational aids; high-tech drifts through the city using wearable computing devices; a walking presentation of an urban documentary project commissioned by the New Museum of Contemporary Art (http://newmuseum.org); an exhibition; a series of temporary installations, lectures, audio and video works and more. The second annual event took place at PARTICIPANT INC non-profit arts center on the Lower East Side, and included over 50 participating international artists and groups.
Documentation of all Conflux events and other information can be found on the Psy-Geo-Conflux website (http://www.psygeocon.org).
1. Psychogeographers Navigate New York City's Changing Landscape (http://villagevoice.com/issues/0319/zimmerman.php) by Bryan Zimmerman, Village Voice, May 7, 2003.
References
A New Way of Walking:Artist-explorers called psychogeographers are changing the way we experience the city (http://www.utne.com/pub/2004_124/promo/11262-1.html) by Joseph Hart, Utne magazine, July / August 2004
PSY-GEO-CONFLUX (http://www.nypress.com/17/19/listings/thisweek.cfm?page=2&last=1) by Alan Lockwood, New York Press [Vol 17 - Issue 19], May 12-18, 2004, p. 42.
Psy.Geo.Conflux 2004, psicogeografia a New York (http://www.neural.it/nnews/psygeoconflux2004.htm), Neural.it, May 13, 2004.