came across this project called one block radius, a psychogeographic documentary, in which the block defined by bowery, stanton, rivington, and chrystie are documented through photos, video, audio, art, and writing. that this particular block just happens to be the same one where new york’s new museum of contemporary art is slated to rise is of course no accident. that cloying fact aside i have to say, i love the idea. i don’t love their implementation (all flash, overcomplicated) and in the end second hand psychogeography is less than pulse quickening or epiphany inducing. i’m willing to overlook these technicalities though because i think the method is not only valid but perhaps the purest type of reporting possible.

psychogeography was defined as “the study of the precise laws and specific effects of the geographical environment, consciously organized or not, on the emotions and behaviour of individuals.” don’t take that definition too seriously though, which is to say don’t misconstrue the use of “precise laws” and “specific effects” as some kind of scientific method. psychogeography is in fact quite the opposite. also, and this can’t be understated, this definition was put forth by the self proclaimed leader of the “situationist international” guy debord. an earlier situationist, ivan chtcheglov, defined the substance of psychogeography this way, “It must be sought in the magical locales of fairy tales and surrealist writings: castles, endless walls, little forgotten bars, mammoth caverns, casino mirrors.” the combination of the two might be closest to the truth.

this definition i found out there in cyberspace comes closest to one block radius’ intentions i think: psychogeography is the active search for, and celebration of, chance and coincidence, concurrently with the divination of patterns and repetitions thrown up by the [meeting/collision] of the chaos and structures of cities, personal histories and interpretations. It is based on the technique of the dérive, an informed and aware wandering, with continuous observation, through varied environments. It can be sought and can lead anywhere.” i think most new yorkers, whether realizing they were engaging in a high minded exercise in conceptual art, or not, have done this. just going out for no good reason, following their feet, and feeling something. 

if you have no idea who the situationists were you are not alone. i’m only aware of them because 8 years ago or so i worked in a bookstore and was often bored out of my mind- the perfect conditions for casually devouring books you don’t care about on subjects you’ve never heard of. in any case the situationists might be described as the ultimate “youngest sibling” art movement, trying to out-dada the dadaists, and out-surreal the surrealists, rejecting everything. in my estimation they were on the whole beyond any acceptable limit of pretension and purveyors of some of the finest grandiose, revolutionary, anarchist, yet simultaneously vague, opaque, and uninviting conceptual art ever ignored by the rest of humanity. their bread and butter was, as evidenced by their monicker, “the situation,” which might be thought of as the precursor to the dreaded and embarrassing “happening,” not to mention, dare i say it, the retarded “flash mob.” they also made picture books. none of which is to say they are not interesting in their own way. i enjoyed the book what is situationism, a reader when i read it, and i am no fan of conceptual art. if you

like conceptual art you’ll totally dig the situationists. if the phrase “totally dig” makes you cringe and start spouting words like bourgeois and proletariat you will also totally dig the situationists. personally i’ve found writing about the situationists more interesting than writing by the situationists (guy debord’s society of the spectacle excepted).

in any case, this one block radius project is well worth checking out. from a conceptual standpoint especially. i think anyone who has ever haunted certain blocks in new york will instantly appreciate what they are trying to do. i don’t think it’s entirely successful, but they are still working on it, and it may very well be that it’s the presentation that keeps it from resonating as much as it might. i’d like to see more contextual relationships between pieces of content. each piece is too singular, too removed as it is now. it’s hard to feel the ephemeral aspects of a city block, or to make the connections and random associations necessary to invoke the real dérive experience when everything is separated. all that aside, thumbs up.