City engagement

>>The Montreal Psychogeography Society
examines public space and the human
psyche at street level

A WALK IN THE HOODS: Jacob Larsen

by TRACEY LINDEMAN

Caught between motorists’ and cyclists’ perpetual battle for Montreal’s streets and sidewalks, pedestrianism is hardly a leisurely activity in this city. But those seeking a good old-fashioned stroll can now find solace in the Montreal Psychogeography Society.

Inspired by Charles Baudelaire’s idea of the flâneur as a “gentleman stroller of city streets” and coined by 1950s Parisian Situationists to define their rambling walks, the term “psychogeography” refers to the idea that geographic surroundings affect the human psyche. Simply put, it’s observing the human interpretation of urban landscapes through dérive, or aimless walking. But for Jacob Larsen, it’s mostly about taking the road less travelled.

“I’ll admit, it’s a pretty pretentious name for a walking group,” says Larsen, the de facto organizer of the Montreal Psychogeography Society. The past several walks haven’t focused very heavily on the theories and methodologies behind psychogeography, but rather on “walking purposefully, but without direction” and observing how public spaces are used. It’s alright, though—it’s not like the Situationists were sticklers for rules.

Larsen laments that walking has become what one does between exiting the metro station and boarding the bus. “Walking and pedestrianism is such a mundane thing [to most people]. It’s a hard city to be a pedestrian in—we’re always ‘Go! Go! Go!’” he says. “We’re making a point of walking for walking’s sake, rather than walking out of necessity.”

With humble origins as just one of seven psychogeography groups on Facebook (other chapters are found in New York City, Seattle, Toronto, Vancouver, London and San Francisco), the Montreal Psychogeography Society remains a somewhat obscure DIY project, though it’s picking up new members here and there. Larsen is also partly responsible for bringing the Toronto-based Spacing magazine to Montreal in blog format, though he’s careful to separate the two—Spacing takes a more activist or advocacy approach to public space, whereas the Psychogeography Society merely explores those spaces.

“I don’t see it as a critical mass—it’s not about owning space; it’s a conscious engagement with our surroundings,” Larsen says. “It’s neat to use walking as a gauge of public space; to see if streets and neighbourhoods are viable public spaces.”

The first few walks attracted small but enthusiastic turnouts as they ambled around St-Michel, Côte-des-Neiges and upper Westmount; on July 1, they strolled through residential neighbourhoods to observe moving day mania (and pick up some sweet curbside finds). Larsen and his fellow amateur psychogeographers make a point of exploring lesser known areas of the city to stray as far from their everyday routes as possible. And the group stops for no season—Larsen says the group will tackle icy sidewalks and unplowed streets during the winter, when walking is “needed the most” to prevent people and the city from slipping into dormancy.

Though Larsen has a Bachelor’s degree in honours history and works as a research assistant for a historical geographer at McGill, the group itself isn’t armed with a particular knowledge of Montreal history, nor are they caught up in the theoretical mumbo-jumbo behind psychogeography.

“I can’t speak for every Montreal psychogeographer… but personally, by opening all my senses to whatever a particular area has to offer and bringing an open and curious mind, I hope to touch something of its essence. With all the intellectualizing one can do around psychogeography, it’s a much more basic thing I’m ultimately after.”

For more information, drop Larsen a line at larsen.jacob@gmail.com.