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While there is a long well-documented tradition of poets walking and writing about the landscape, for at least the past fifty years visual artists have been laying out walks as various kinds of artwork. More recently, with the technology of mapping morphing into electronic devices, artists have begun using these tools to develop entirely new genres. (source)

Walking and Mapping: Artists as Cartographers (Karen O’Rourke, 2013)

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October 2025

Source

found in the XPUB library

Chapter 1 — Psychogeography: the Politics of Applied Pedestrianism

Synopsis

The first chapter of Walking and Mapping—namely: Psychogeography: the Politics of Apllied Pedestrianism; an extract can be read here—presents the concept of psychogeography. The term was first used by members of Letterist International in the 1950s. It describes the exploration of cities and similar environments with a focus on personal connections to the encountered places and routes taken. This approach is very much based on play and the personal opinions of someone on their surroundings. In the book, Karen O’Rourke recounts an experience from October 2004, when she participated in a “psychogeographic walk”. Writer and squatter Wilfried Hou Je Bek uses “walking algorithms” to drift through urban landscapes. On a note, he writes instructions for the participants such as “first right, first left, third right, repeat”, as well the request to note down anything striking.

Just a few pages later, O’Rourke again quotes Wilfried Hou Je Bek, who describes psychographic writing as “the city-space cut-up.” This is interesting, as cut-up has been a recurring term in Special Issue #28. And sure enough, in the next sentence O’Rourke makes a connection to William Burroughs and Brion Gysin. Just as they cur up and rearrange newspaper texts and audio snippets to reveal possible underlying meanings, “so too psychogeographers decode urban space by moving through it in unexpected ways”.

Importance

O’Rourke quotes Wilfried Hou Je Bek, who describes psychographic writing as “the city-space cut-up.". then she makes a connection to William Burroughs and Brion Gysin. Just as they rearrange newspaper texts and audio snippets to reveal possible underlying meanings, “so too psychogeographers decode urban space by moving through it in unexpected ways”. The chapter mentions other artists and writers connected to SI28 as well!

Personally, the idea of walking as research appeals to me. I like exploring spaces on foot and have been doing so a lot since moving to Rotterdam. I want to talk to Daan, who has explored walking as artistic practice in his Bachelor's thesis!

Reading this chapter inspired me to work on my project for the live event of Special Issue #28: The outer part of The Calm Machine.

Chapter 2 — A Form of Perception or a Form of Art?

Synopsis

In this chapter, the performative and choreographic potential of walking is in focus. Walking is a skill that has to be learned. After a while, it then becomes automatic. Still—“Every time we take a step we start to fall, then […] we regain our balance.” Repetitive walking is valuable to explore! “Repetition can induce a hypnotic or ecstatic state of conciousness.”

Interesting mentions

• John Dewey: “the live being recurrently loses and reestablishes equilibrium with his surroundings” (??)
• John Cage: encouraged his speakers to use constraints or predefined rules to produce new choreographic sequences
• Judson Group: “dance of ordinary language”
• Yvonne Rainer: body treated as an object; blurring distinctions between professional dancers and amateurs
• Asimina Chremos: When and at what point does “everyday life” segue into “art”?
• repetitive walking
• Bruce Naumann: […] if I was an artist an I was in the studio, then whatever I was doing […] must be art. Pacing around for example.”
• TV ballet: Quad I + II (1982)
• John Cage: live street sounds brought into the concert hall > 4’33’’ (1952)
• Janet Cardiff audio guide: “Her Long Black Hair”

Again—lots of names related to SI28 (such as John Cage).

Chapter 3 — A Map, No Directions

Synopsis

This chapter discusses walking protocols in depth, after they were already mentioned in Psychogeography: the Politics of Applied Pedestrianism.

• What is a protocol? — A rule, a guideline or document with specifications
  • In science: A protocol should include standards and be reproducible with the same results.
  • In art: A protocol is a statement of intention, defines methods and objectives, which makes it easier to collaborate and approach a work collectively. The protocol opens up the opportunity to share the artwork and invite others, the maker of the protocol does not necessarily need to be the only artist. In the arts, unlike in science a protocol can (should?) leave room for interpretation.
  • Synonyms: script, scenario, score

• Sol LeWitt: “When an artist uses a conceptual form of art, it means that all of the planning and decisions are made beforehand and the execution is a perfunctory affair. The idea becomes a machine that makes art.” (Note: Good summary of writing machines! Keep in mind when explaining SI28 to others.)

• [Drawing a] line is related to time. How is walking related to time? A straight line is related to competitiveness (in sports), to races, and to Phileas Fogg in Around the World in 80 Days.

• Richard Long: walking fast or slow — Fast is energizing, slow in sensible.

• Shaped walks: religious processions, pilgrimages, political demonstrations