Psychogeopraphic art walk
August 7th, 8am-10:30am
Del Paso Blvd, Sacramento
Meeting point: Shift coffee house
Register to join
At This Spot is an art action inspired by the French Avant Garde artist and designer group, Situationist International who organized urban strolls in order to closely examine the built environment on a psychological level rather than a utilitarian one. In the early 1900s they noticed a trend of urban design centered around market capitalism and consumption and away from human-centered design. They focused on the emotional impact of place and being totally present as they took these wandering strolls.
Up to 30 volunteer participants can register for this participatory event. Registration deadline: July 19th, 2024.
https://forms.gle/yhHjxFrdgaWUKP9x9
The first art action took place on June 26th along Stockton Boulevard, one of the areas set for progressive development in the 2040 General Plan. The next one is August 7th in the Del Paso neighborhood.
This is a very different examination of the urban environment than a historical tour. Participants will be asked to listen to sounds, look at colors and patterns, and notice their emotions, while being totally in the present. ‘Innovation and creativity occur when our brains and heart aren’t cluttered with what we already know or think we know. History is very important but also rife with judgments and bias.’ Angie, the designer of the art walk explains. The long-term goal of the art walk is to inspire participants to replicate its creative strategies in other neighborhoods walks with different groups in schools, teams and community engagement programs.
The artist will facilitate the project that she refers to as a ‘game action.’ She explains, ‘I’ve designed cards with fun prompts that require players to analyze and react to the built environment at points along the route. They have to live the space as they go through it.’ Each participant will have an opportunity to pick one card that will have prompts for the group like, ‘At this point, go to the nearest bus stop and wait for the next bus.’ ‘At this point, look for a place to sit and sit there for 60 seconds.’ At this point close your eyes and listen to all the sounds without judgement.’
What does the winner receive in this art action game? If we play our cards right, we can get more voters, council members, and investors to design a great city built for true diversity, inclusivity and accessibility.
It’s a win- win situation.
This project was sponsored by a California Arts Council Creative Corps grant via the Office of Arts and Culture. The Office of Arts and Culture placed five professional artists in different City departments/programs to conceptualize artistic strategies to increase civic engagement.