Art of Walking Course Outline - Cornerhouse

This week we will be examining the expanded tradition of psychogeography and how
walking can be used to uncover occult meanings. We will discuss writers such as Iain
Sinclair and Peter Ackroyd and groups such as Manchester Area Psychgeographic.
There will be tales of levitating the corn exchange and dissolving the Beetham Tower.
We will also explore the deep topography of Nick Papadimitriou, the mapping of ley
lines and the connection between place, memory and identity.
5 Robinson in Ruins
We will discuss the films of Patrick Keiller before a screening of Robinson in Ruins
6 Contemporary Derives
We will be looking at a range of contemporary artists to see how the derive has
evolved. We'll explore mythogeography and counter tourism, Lottie Child's Street
Training, Writes and Sites Mis-Guides and many more. We will discuss the current
flourishing of diverse walking art practices and how the form may evolve with the
continued development of digital technologies, GIS and virtual imaginaries. We will
also step into the art of urban exploration.
7 Sunday 3 rd March - An expedition
We will be going for a walk together to put some of the theories discussed during the
course into practice; the exact details will be revealed nearer the time as they will be
shaped by participants on the course.
Suggested Reading:
Solnitt, R Wanderlust: A Short History of Walking (2001)
Careri, F Walkscapes: Walking as an Aesthetic Practice (2009)
Mock, R (ed) Walking, Writing and Performance (2009)
The Walking Artists Network http://walkingartistsnetwork.org/
Mythogeography http://www.mythogeography.com/
The London Perambulator http://londonperambulator.wordpress.com/