Yes, yes we thought about calling it something friendlier, but then we thought, ‘no no, SHOPpers don’t need dumbing down for!’ However, for those that don’t already know what Psychogeography is, here’s a bit about just what the fuppery will be going on at SHOP during September:
“Life is a journey so everyone is a tourist.”
Psychogeography is defined as ‘the study of the specific effects of the geographical environment, consciously organised or not, on the emotions and behaviour of individuals.’ It has otherwise been described as ‘formalised pratting-around’
Psychogeography was influenced by the International Situationists (1958-72), who were in turn influenced by Surrealism. The Situationists feared that cities were losing their unique character and that human life was becoming increasingly commodified through the modern structure of working life that divided an individual’s personality into polarised opposites of work and play. The Situationists dérive (drift) – an unorganised and aimless yet significant walk – was central to their philosophy. Rather than emphasising the final destination of the walk, or its purpose, the dérive focused on the mental journey, the sense of play and the possibility of discovery. During the late 60s and 70s the Fluxus movement developed the idea further by coming up with games and turning their attention to the city as a canvas.
Anyone can experiment in these ways, regardless of where you are, who you might be or how much money you’ve got in the bank and if any of that floats your boat or not one thing is for sure, if you choose to take part in any of the SHOP events this month, or take off on your own psychogeographic adventures, you will end up viewing the world in a whole new way whether your destination is a desert island or a traffic island.
EVENTS
‘BARMAN’S KNOCK’
18th September / 7pm onwards / Free (+drinks!)
Starting at a favourite pub, we will all order our favourite drink. We will ask the barperson where their favourite bar is and what they drink there. We shall then proceed there and order their recommended drink, we will then repeat the exercise with whoever serves us, but we will not repeat ad nauseam.
‘SYNCHRONISED TRAVEL’
22nd September / 7pm - 9pm / Free
Meet at SHOP at 7pm on the 22nd and be given a destination near to SHOP and a set of directions. Once you arrive at that destination, follow the directions given to you taking notes and photographs to record your experiences at each stage (you can share these with SHOP afterwards if you like, but you don’t have to). Will our parallel lines meet at any point? This can be played simultaneously with others all around the world, so if you are a Shop Club Member in Bath or in Bora Bora it doesn’t matter, get in touch on the day to receive your directions.
‘COUNTER-TOURISM’
25th September / 12pm - 5pm / £2 Entry (to cover printing costs)
Do the opposite of what you think a traveller should do. Travel to famous landmark in Bristol and subvert the classic tourist shot, you could take a picture with your back to the famous landmark, or take a picture of others taking pictures, be creative! To take part, come to SHOP between midday and 5pm on the 25th where a list of Bristol’s main tourist sites will be randomly picked out of a hat. You then have until October the 1st to submit your photos to SHOP. The results of the ‘Counter-Tourism’ challenge will be exhibited in SHOP’s arts space at 18 Christmas Steps and on the exterior wall (replacing the Photomarathon results). Email SHOP to pre-register.
‘TAKE A LINE FOR A SATURDAY WALK’
Saturday 4th, 18th and 25th of September / 11am – 7pm / Free
SHOP is going to draw SHOP related shapes on a whole load of maps of central Bristol, your experiment starts when you collect them 3 Saturday’s in the month and follow the shape that SHOP has drawn on the map, making sure you take in the new and unexpected places you encounter along the way.
DO TRY THESE AT HOME:
Literary Journey
Pick a book at random from you bookshelf, read until a foreign country is mentioned, then choose a second book somehow related to that country, begin reading again and repeat until you have circumnavigated the globe.
Domestic Travel
Meet up with some friends on a Saturday morning, put your house keys and addresses in individual envelopes and randomly redistribute them. Spend the weekend at the address you pick, if possible keeping social engagements and appointments of the usual occupants.
Expedition to K2
Take any map of Bristol and find grid reference K2. Travel there and enjoy the cultural, gastronomic or aesthetic delights you find.
Travel Pursuit
Make your way to a starting point of your choice wait until you see someone interesting; follow them around the city, letting them be your guide.
Interesting Games
The Interesting Games festival returns to Bristol for its third year this September, on the 17th and 18th. Make the city your playground with games like 2.8 Hours Later (a massive Zombie chase game), Bike Jousting and the Running of the Bulls! FFI http://www.igfest.org/
EXHIBITION
Let’s Do Nice Things: Underground Travel
http://www.bentleg.co.uk/
1st – 30th September (excluding Sundays) / 11am -7pm / Free
Exhibiting the postcards made at August Art Club. The ‘Feed Me’ box will also be set up to encourage visitors to SHOP to write and draw on their own postcards, these will then be added to the exhibition through out the month.
CineSHOP
1st September / 7.30pm – 9.30pm / Free
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
Recent Dave Eggers/Spike Jonze adaptation of Maurice Sendek’s classic children’s book. Friendless Max is having a miserable time, so dressed in his wolf costume, he whisks himself away to a wondrous imaginary world where the wild things live.
16th September / 7.30pm – 9.30pm / Free
AALTRA
Two neighbours live opposite each other on a country road somewhere in Two neighbours live opposite each other on a country road somewhere in Northern France. They hate each other, but one day an agricultural trailer knocks them over and sends them both to hospital. Now paralysed from the waist down each decide to embark on a personal journey, but, seemingly unable to escape each other's destiny. Aaltra is a highly original odyssey, a pitch black and acutely observed comedy
OTHER EVENTS:
Christmas Steps Arts Quarter Artisan Market
4th September / 11am – 4pm / Free
The monthly SHOP-organised Artisan Market returns. Local makers sell their wares in amongst the other independent traders of the Arts Quarter, in the charmingly irregular setting of the Christmas Steps.
FAN
8th September / 6pm – 7pm / Free
http://www.thefancharity.org/
Don’t forget FAN meets monthly at SHOP, the second Wednesday of the month at 6pm. FAN means, Friends and Neighbours and it’s a chance to meet to talk others in the community.
37th Chamber
Search for ‘37th Chamber’ on Facebook
The 37th Chamber return to SHOP on Saturday 18th (not the second Saturday as previously) for another night of kung fu and samurai grindhouse classics.
NEWS
Social Vision
Are you a photographer? Would you like £750? Would you like SHOP to also have £750? Well, why not enter the ‘Social Vision’ Photography competition using SHOP as your subject and be in with a chance. Mail us for full info and an application form.
Little Maps
Fittingly enough for Psychogeography Month, Shop Club Member Nick Soucek is looking for hand drawn maps to add to his blog, ‘Little Maps’, please get in touch with Nick via the blog to donate your hand drawn maps to the project:
http://www.littlemaps.wordpress.com/
SHOP is Closing…
SHOP will be partaking in some Psychogeography of it’s own on the 10th – 13th of September so unfortunately SHOP will be closed during that time, business as unusual from 11am on the 14th.
Now, jog on.
“Life is a journey so everyone is a tourist.”
Psychogeography is defined as ‘the study of the specific effects of the geographical environment, consciously organised or not, on the emotions and behaviour of individuals.’ It has otherwise been described as ‘formalised pratting-around’
Psychogeography was influenced by the International Situationists (1958-72), who were in turn influenced by Surrealism. The Situationists feared that cities were losing their unique character and that human life was becoming increasingly commodified through the modern structure of working life that divided an individual’s personality into polarised opposites of work and play. The Situationists dérive (drift) – an unorganised and aimless yet significant walk – was central to their philosophy. Rather than emphasising the final destination of the walk, or its purpose, the dérive focused on the mental journey, the sense of play and the possibility of discovery. During the late 60s and 70s the Fluxus movement developed the idea further by coming up with games and turning their attention to the city as a canvas.
Anyone can experiment in these ways, regardless of where you are, who you might be or how much money you’ve got in the bank and if any of that floats your boat or not one thing is for sure, if you choose to take part in any of the SHOP events this month, or take off on your own psychogeographic adventures, you will end up viewing the world in a whole new way whether your destination is a desert island or a traffic island.
EVENTS
‘BARMAN’S KNOCK’
18th September / 7pm onwards / Free (+drinks!)
Starting at a favourite pub, we will all order our favourite drink. We will ask the barperson where their favourite bar is and what they drink there. We shall then proceed there and order their recommended drink, we will then repeat the exercise with whoever serves us, but we will not repeat ad nauseam.
‘SYNCHRONISED TRAVEL’
22nd September / 7pm - 9pm / Free
Meet at SHOP at 7pm on the 22nd and be given a destination near to SHOP and a set of directions. Once you arrive at that destination, follow the directions given to you taking notes and photographs to record your experiences at each stage (you can share these with SHOP afterwards if you like, but you don’t have to). Will our parallel lines meet at any point? This can be played simultaneously with others all around the world, so if you are a Shop Club Member in Bath or in Bora Bora it doesn’t matter, get in touch on the day to receive your directions.
‘COUNTER-TOURISM’
25th September / 12pm - 5pm / £2 Entry (to cover printing costs)
Do the opposite of what you think a traveller should do. Travel to famous landmark in Bristol and subvert the classic tourist shot, you could take a picture with your back to the famous landmark, or take a picture of others taking pictures, be creative! To take part, come to SHOP between midday and 5pm on the 25th where a list of Bristol’s main tourist sites will be randomly picked out of a hat. You then have until October the 1st to submit your photos to SHOP. The results of the ‘Counter-Tourism’ challenge will be exhibited in SHOP’s arts space at 18 Christmas Steps and on the exterior wall (replacing the Photomarathon results). Email SHOP to pre-register.
‘TAKE A LINE FOR A SATURDAY WALK’
Saturday 4th, 18th and 25th of September / 11am – 7pm / Free
SHOP is going to draw SHOP related shapes on a whole load of maps of central Bristol, your experiment starts when you collect them 3 Saturday’s in the month and follow the shape that SHOP has drawn on the map, making sure you take in the new and unexpected places you encounter along the way.
DO TRY THESE AT HOME:
Literary Journey
Pick a book at random from you bookshelf, read until a foreign country is mentioned, then choose a second book somehow related to that country, begin reading again and repeat until you have circumnavigated the globe.
Domestic Travel
Meet up with some friends on a Saturday morning, put your house keys and addresses in individual envelopes and randomly redistribute them. Spend the weekend at the address you pick, if possible keeping social engagements and appointments of the usual occupants.
Expedition to K2
Take any map of Bristol and find grid reference K2. Travel there and enjoy the cultural, gastronomic or aesthetic delights you find.
Travel Pursuit
Make your way to a starting point of your choice wait until you see someone interesting; follow them around the city, letting them be your guide.
Interesting Games
The Interesting Games festival returns to Bristol for its third year this September, on the 17th and 18th. Make the city your playground with games like 2.8 Hours Later (a massive Zombie chase game), Bike Jousting and the Running of the Bulls! FFI http://www.igfest.org/
EXHIBITION
Let’s Do Nice Things: Underground Travel
http://www.bentleg.co.uk/
1st – 30th September (excluding Sundays) / 11am -7pm / Free
Exhibiting the postcards made at August Art Club. The ‘Feed Me’ box will also be set up to encourage visitors to SHOP to write and draw on their own postcards, these will then be added to the exhibition through out the month.
CineSHOP
1st September / 7.30pm – 9.30pm / Free
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
Recent Dave Eggers/Spike Jonze adaptation of Maurice Sendek’s classic children’s book. Friendless Max is having a miserable time, so dressed in his wolf costume, he whisks himself away to a wondrous imaginary world where the wild things live.
16th September / 7.30pm – 9.30pm / Free
AALTRA
Two neighbours live opposite each other on a country road somewhere in Two neighbours live opposite each other on a country road somewhere in Northern France. They hate each other, but one day an agricultural trailer knocks them over and sends them both to hospital. Now paralysed from the waist down each decide to embark on a personal journey, but, seemingly unable to escape each other's destiny. Aaltra is a highly original odyssey, a pitch black and acutely observed comedy
OTHER EVENTS:
Christmas Steps Arts Quarter Artisan Market
4th September / 11am – 4pm / Free
The monthly SHOP-organised Artisan Market returns. Local makers sell their wares in amongst the other independent traders of the Arts Quarter, in the charmingly irregular setting of the Christmas Steps.
FAN
8th September / 6pm – 7pm / Free
http://www.thefancharity.org/
Don’t forget FAN meets monthly at SHOP, the second Wednesday of the month at 6pm. FAN means, Friends and Neighbours and it’s a chance to meet to talk others in the community.
37th Chamber
Search for ‘37th Chamber’ on Facebook
The 37th Chamber return to SHOP on Saturday 18th (not the second Saturday as previously) for another night of kung fu and samurai grindhouse classics.
NEWS
Social Vision
Are you a photographer? Would you like £750? Would you like SHOP to also have £750? Well, why not enter the ‘Social Vision’ Photography competition using SHOP as your subject and be in with a chance. Mail us for full info and an application form.
Little Maps
Fittingly enough for Psychogeography Month, Shop Club Member Nick Soucek is looking for hand drawn maps to add to his blog, ‘Little Maps’, please get in touch with Nick via the blog to donate your hand drawn maps to the project:
http://www.littlemaps.wordpress.com/
SHOP is Closing…
SHOP will be partaking in some Psychogeography of it’s own on the 10th – 13th of September so unfortunately SHOP will be closed during that time, business as unusual from 11am on the 14th.
Now, jog on.
No comments:
Post a Comment