Psy-Geo-Conflux

Psy-Geo-Conflux (better known as Conflux) is an annual New York City festival dedicated to psychogeography, where visual, performance and sound artists, writers, urban adventurers, researchers and the public gather for four days to explore the physical and psychological landscape of the city.

Founding

Conflux was co-founded by David Mandl of the Brooklyn Psychogeographical Association and Glowlab's Christina Ray. The first Psy-Geo-Conflux event was held in May 2003 at ABC No Rio in New York. Psychogeographers from the U.S., Canada, UK, France and the Netherlands conducted experimental walks using computer code, decks of cards and other systems for navigation; a mobile-phone-guided drift through the streets of New York; a life-sized chess game using humans as pieces; several talks and presentations; a noise parade; an art exhibition; and a night of psychogeography-inspired live music, DJs, and video. Village Voice writer Bryan Zimmerman noted, "The event is centered around a seasoned yet growing field of creative recreation and alt-geographic exploration called psychogeography. Trying to define this obtuse field is an adventure itself, although a relatively straightforward definition includes "the study of the effects of the geographic environment on the emotions and behavior of individuals." One of the boldest characteristics of psychogeography may be its ability to influence and bring together all kinds of artists, social scientists, philosophers, urban provocateurs and spelunkers, and even traditional geographers, in an entirely accessible venue-public space.".[1]

History

Conflux 2004 featured a full program of events over the course of four days, including experimental walks using altered maps and navigational aids; high-tech drifts through the city using wearable computing devices; a walking presentation of an urban documentary project commissioned by the New Museum of Contemporary Art; a gallery exhibition; a series of temporary installations, lectures, audio and video works and more. The second annual event took place at PARTICIPANT INC non-profit arts center on the Lower East Side, and included over 50 participating international artists and groups.

In 2005, Conflux was replicated by Providence Initiative for Psychogeographic Studies in Providence, Rhode Island in an event known as Provflux.[2] An additional Conflux-related event titled "Open Lab"[3] was held at Art Interactive in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The 3rd annual Conflux festival was held in Brooklyn for the first time on September 14–17 2006. McCaig-Welles Gallery in Williamsburg served as Conflux headquarters, with events taking place in and around the gallery. The 4th annual festival was held at [4] in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, the 5th annual festival at the Center for Architecture in lower Manhattan, the 6th annual festival at New York University in the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development on September 18-20th, and the 7th annual festival was held on October 8–10 at NYU Steinhardt’s Barney Building, in 2010.

Notes
  1. Psychogeographers Navigate New York City's Changing Landscape Archived 2003-06-03 at the Wayback Machine by Bryan Zimmerman, Village Voice, May 7, 2003
  2. Provflux Archived February 14, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  3. Open Lab Archived July 26, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
  4. "The Change You Want to See". The Change You Want to See. Retrieved 2013-01-04.

Bibliography
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