We recently told you that you will occasionally see our newsletter introductions written by guest authors. Today is a bit different, Annemarie Lopez is a psychogeographer and has been helping us out at WLC to pursue a more prominent and permanent social media presence. She’ll also take turns in writing the introduction to our weekly newsletter, with this week being her inaugural appearance.

The UK’s unofficial patron saint of psychogeography, Iain Sinclair, is often credited with dusting off the legacy of the Situationists and refashioning it as a tool for contemporary wandering artists, writers and film makers. His latest book, Pariah Genius, is a bit of a departure from his urban exploration books such as London Orbital, or The Last London. It follows the life of Soho photographer John Deakin.

Sinclair believes Deakin was an ‘unconscious psychogeographer’, and part of the ‘urban stalker’ tradition that included photographers like Eugene Atget, who captured early morning street scenes in Paris. The urban stalker is a cross between a gumshoe with a camera, and a conjurer, relying on fortunate accidents to “catch what isn’t quite there” and “make it manifest”.

I think this description might resonate with a lot of walking writers and artists. We walk because we hope to discover something that we sense is out there, even if we are not sure what we are looking for. It is the walk and the attention given to it, to collect and recollect its details, that is the work required for the subject to fully reveal itself.

This brings us to our upcoming programme of walking writers and artists.

This Wednesday 15 May, as part of the Urban Tree festival, our two writers in residence Shani Cadwallender (poetry) and Amelia Hodsdon (prose) host their second ‘Finding a Place’ session with guest writer Dr Anna Burton. Burton turns her attention to trees, why they fascinate us, and how we have written about them through the decades. Info and bookings here.

The following week, on Wednesday 22 May, we welcome back leading chronicler of walking women writers Kerri Andrews. Kerri is the guest of Cheryl Markosky, who will also be hosting an online creative writing workshop inspired by women walkers and adventurers. Discounted combo tickets available. Find out more here.

On Wednesday 29 May, we will host the second of our co-funded EU Walking Arts and Local Communities bi-monthly online “Confluences”.  These free events will let you know about the work of our partners from across the EU. WALC Confluence 2 is hosted by Clara Gari from Nau Côclea, who will be discussing their upcoming Grand Tour event. An extraordinary walking caravan of poets, dancers, storytellers, visual artists and musicians on a 21-day odyssey across Catalonia. And, you can get involved. Details here

We look forward to seeing you online during the month.

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