From pub crawls to punk rock, via comic books, action painting and Hegelian philosophy; hear the unlikely tale of the Situationists: international artist-revolutionaries who tried to change the world itself into a work of art.
Learning modes and locations may be different depending on the course start date. Please check the location of your chosen course and read our guide to learning modes and locations to help you choose the right course for you.
Please note: We offer a wide variety of financial support to make courses affordable. Just visit our online Help Centre for more information on a range of topics including fees, online learning and FAQs.
When a handful of young artists, runaways and revolutionaries began drunkenly wandering the streets of Paris, guided only by the emotional effects of the terrain, they gave their activity a suitably grand-sounding name: ‘psychogeography’ was born!
Following in the lost steps of their Surrealist forebears, and the 19th Century drifts of the Parisian Flâneurs, the avant-garde Situationist group created psychogeography as a means to transform everyday life. They wanted to free art from the confines of the gallery and marketplace, turning the city itself into a vast arena for play and adventure.
In this Friday evening talk, we'll take a tour through the history of this intriguing and occasionally mysterious activity, from its Surrealist roots, through the work of the Situationists and their successors, right up to the urban drifters updating these experiments today.
What will we cover?
• The origins of psychogeography in 19th Century Flâneurie, Surrealist drifting and the postwar European avant-garde. • Psychogeography’s emergence in the 1950s, how it was practiced and the characters involved in its development. • Psychogeographic maps, as tools for getting lost and Psychogeographic architecture, as adjustable labyrinths for play and adventure. • Psychogeography into the present: those who followed in the Situationists footsteps and the diverse range of practices active today.
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
• Discuss the origins of psychogeography and list three influences giving rise to it. • Articulate a workable definition of psychogeography, incorporating its ideas and practices. • Engage in informed discussion on the nature of urban space and its impact on our emotions and behaviour. • Analyse the merits and limitations of critical art practice.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
This course is suitable for all levels.
You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety information. This course takes place on Zoom. Please be familiar with or be willing to learn how to operate elements of Zoom, specifically camera, microphone and chat functions. For more on how our online learning works, please click here.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
You will be taught online with slide presentations and group discussions. Please note: this is a live lecture course and will not be recorded for playback for reasons of copyright, digital infrastructure and data protection.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
You might wish to buy a notebook. You might wish to buy some of the books mentioned in class.
When I've finished, what course can I do next?
Search our website for "Lunchtime Lectures' or 'Friday Lates' to see a range of short courses on a variety of art historical topics.
Christopher Collier trained as an artist, before gaining an MA in Cultural Studies at Goldsmiths and a PhD in Art History and Theory from the University of Essex. He has taught at institutions including the University of Essex, Cambridge School of Art, and Winchester School of Art, as well as presenting internationally at a range of workshops and conferences, including at the ICA, London and CCA, Glasgow. His broad range of interests includes the intersections of art and the more-than-human world, along with art's relations to wider political economy and cultural theory. He is an Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
product
https://www.citylit.ac.uk/friday-lates-psychogeography-the-art-of-getting-lost231369Friday lates: psychogeography: the art of getting losthttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/v/b/vb548_psychogeography.jpg2929GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/vm/Contemporary Culture Courses in London/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Art history/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Art history/Art, ideas & theory/Courses/Online courses22851717113611771883173112285165311771136From pub crawls to punk rock, via comic books, action painting and Hegelian philosophy; hear the unlikely tale of the Situationists: international artist-revolutionaries who tried to change the world itself into a work of art.24.52720262Friday lates: Psychogeography: the art of getting lost1919https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/v/b/vb548_psychogeography_12.jpgInStockEveningFriOnlineNo longer availableOne-off onlyWeekday2026-05-15T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allMay 2026Culture, history & humanitiesVB5481919Friday lates: Psychogeography: the art of getting lost191219Christopher Collierfriday-lates-psychogeography-the-art-of-getting-lost/vb548-2526From pub crawls to punk rock, via comic books, action painting and Hegelian philosophy; hear the unlikely tale of the Situationists: international artist-revolutionaries who tried to change the world itself into a work of art.0015-FullStillOpen|2026-05-15 00:00:00<p>When a handful of young artists, runaways and revolutionaries began drunkenly wandering the streets of Paris, guided only by the emotional effects of the terrain, they gave their activity a suitably grand-sounding name: ‘psychogeography’ was born!<br/><br/>Following in the lost steps of their Surrealist forebears, and the 19th Century drifts of the Parisian Flâneurs, the avant-garde Situationist group created psychogeography as a means to transform everyday life. They wanted to free art from the confines of the gallery and marketplace, turning the city itself into a vast arena for play and adventure.</p><p><br/>In this Friday evening talk, we'll take a tour through the history of this intriguing and occasionally mysterious activity, from its Surrealist roots, through the work of the Situationists and their successors, right up to the urban drifters updating these experiments today.</p>From pub crawls to punk rock, via comic books, action painting and Hegelian philosophy; hear the unlikely tale of the Situationists: international artist-revolutionaries who tried to change the world itself into a work of art.• The origins of psychogeography in 19th Century Flâneurie, Surrealist drifting and the postwar European avant-garde.<br/>• Psychogeography’s emergence in the 1950s, how it was practiced and the characters involved in its development.<br/>• Psychogeographic maps, as tools for getting lost and Psychogeographic architecture, as adjustable labyrinths for play and adventure.<br/>• Psychogeography into the present: those who followed in the Situationists footsteps and the diverse range of practices active today.• Discuss the origins of psychogeography and list three influences giving rise to it.<br/>• Articulate a workable definition of psychogeography, incorporating its ideas and practices.<br/>• Engage in informed discussion on the nature of urban space and its impact on our emotions and behaviour.<br/>• Analyse the merits and limitations of critical art practice.This course is suitable for all levels.<br/><br/>You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety informationas well as basic functions of Zoom, specifically microphone and camera.<p>You will be taught online with slide presentations and group discussions. Please note: this is a live lecture and will not be recorded for reasons of copyright, data protection and digital infrastructure.</p>You might wish to buy a notebook. You might wish to buy some of the books mentioned in class.Search our website for 'Friday Lates' to see a range of short courses on a variety of art historical topics.Art historyArt, ideas & theoryvirtual3036385Friday lates: Psychogeography – the art of getting lost2929https://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/v/b/vb548_psychogeography_13.jpgInStockEveningFriOnlineAvailable coursesOne-off onlyWeekday2026-10-02T00:00:00+00:00Beginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allOct 2026Culture, history & humanitiesVB6752929Friday lates: Psychogeography – the art of getting lost291929Christopher Collierfriday-lates-psychogeography-the-art-of-getting-lost/vb675-2627From pub crawls to punk rock, via comic books, action painting and Hegelian philosophy; hear the unlikely tale of the Situationists: international artist-revolutionaries who tried to change the world itself into a work of art.0000-Available|2026-10-02 00:00:00<p>When a handful of young artists, runaways and revolutionaries began drunkenly wandering the streets of Paris, guided only by the emotional effects of the terrain, they gave their activity a suitably grand-sounding name: ‘psychogeography’ was born!<br><br>Following in the lost steps of their Surrealist forebears, and the 19th Century drifts of the Parisian Flâneurs, the avant-garde Situationist group created psychogeography as a means to transform everyday life. They wanted to free art from the confines of the gallery and marketplace, turning the city itself into a vast arena for play and adventure.</p><p><br>In this Friday evening talk, we'll take a tour through the history of this intriguing and occasionally mysterious activity, from its Surrealist roots, through the work of the Situationists and their successors, right up to the urban drifters updating these experiments today.</p>From pub crawls to punk rock, via comic books, action painting and Hegelian philosophy; hear the unlikely tale of the Situationists: international artist-revolutionaries who tried to change the world itself into a work of art.• The origins of psychogeography in 19th Century Flâneurie, Surrealist drifting and the postwar European avant-garde.<br>• Psychogeography’s emergence in the 1950s, how it was practiced and the characters involved in its development.<br>• Psychogeographic maps, as tools for getting lost and Psychogeographic architecture, as adjustable labyrinths for play and adventure.<br>• Psychogeography into the present: those who followed in the Situationists footsteps and the diverse range of practices active today.• Discuss the origins of psychogeography and list three influences giving rise to it.<br>• Articulate a workable definition of psychogeography, incorporating its ideas and practices.<br>• Engage in informed discussion on the nature of urban space and its impact on our emotions and behaviour.<br>• Analyse the merits and limitations of critical art practice.<p>This course is suitable for all levels.<br></p><p>You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety information. This course takes place on Zoom. Please be familiar with or be willing to learn how to operate elements of Zoom, specifically camera, microphone and chat functions. For more on how our online learning works, please <a href="https://help.citylit.ac.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/11273523970845-What-is-your-City-Lit-student-IT-account" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">click here</a>.</p><p>You will be taught online with slide presentations and group discussions. <strong>Please note</strong>: this is a live lecture course and will not be recorded for playback for reasons of copyright, digital infrastructure and data protection.</p>You might wish to buy a notebook. You might wish to buy some of the books mentioned in class.<p>Search our website for "Lunchtime Lectures' or 'Friday Lates' to see a range of short courses on a variety of art historical topics.</p>Art historyArt, ideas & theoryvirtual19,2919,2912,19VB548,VB675NONEFri02/10/2618:00 - 20:0018:0020:001 session1One-off onlyWeekdayOnlineOnlineChristopher CollierBeginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allNo longer available,Available courses2026-05-15T00:00:00+00:00,2026-10-02T00:00:00+00:00EveningMay 2026,Oct 2026Culture, history & humanities1919,29Friday lates: Psychogeography: the art of getting lost,Friday lates: Psychogeography – the art of getting lostfriday-lates-psychogeography-the-art-of-getting-lost/vb548-2526,friday-lates-psychogeography-the-art-of-getting-lost/vb675-2627From pub crawls to punk rock, via comic books, action painting and Hegelian philosophy; hear the unlikely tale of the Situationists: international artist-revolutionaries who tried to change the world itself into a work of art.0000-Available|2026-10-02 00:00:00<p>When a handful of young artists, runaways and revolutionaries began drunkenly wandering the streets of Paris, guided only by the emotional effects of the terrain, they gave their activity a suitably grand-sounding name: ‘psychogeography’ was born!<br/><br/>Following in the lost steps of their Surrealist forebears, and the 19th Century drifts of the Parisian Flâneurs, the avant-garde Situationist group created psychogeography as a means to transform everyday life. They wanted to free art from the confines of the gallery and marketplace, turning the city itself into a vast arena for play and adventure.</p><p><br/>In this Friday evening talk, we'll take a tour through the history of this intriguing and occasionally mysterious activity, from its Surrealist roots, through the work of the Situationists and their successors, right up to the urban drifters updating these experiments today.</p>,<p>When a handful of young artists, runaways and revolutionaries began drunkenly wandering the streets of Paris, guided only by the emotional effects of the terrain, they gave their activity a suitably grand-sounding name: ‘psychogeography’ was born!<br><br>Following in the lost steps of their Surrealist forebears, and the 19th Century drifts of the Parisian Flâneurs, the avant-garde Situationist group created psychogeography as a means to transform everyday life. They wanted to free art from the confines of the gallery and marketplace, turning the city itself into a vast arena for play and adventure.</p><p><br>In this Friday evening talk, we'll take a tour through the history of this intriguing and occasionally mysterious activity, from its Surrealist roots, through the work of the Situationists and their successors, right up to the urban drifters updating these experiments today.</p>From pub crawls to punk rock, via comic books, action painting and Hegelian philosophy; hear the unlikely tale of the Situationists: international artist-revolutionaries who tried to change the world itself into a work of art.• The origins of psychogeography in 19th Century Flâneurie, Surrealist drifting and the postwar European avant-garde.<br/>• Psychogeography’s emergence in the 1950s, how it was practiced and the characters involved in its development.<br/>• Psychogeographic maps, as tools for getting lost and Psychogeographic architecture, as adjustable labyrinths for play and adventure.<br/>• Psychogeography into the present: those who followed in the Situationists footsteps and the diverse range of practices active today.,• The origins of psychogeography in 19th Century Flâneurie, Surrealist drifting and the postwar European avant-garde.<br>• Psychogeography’s emergence in the 1950s, how it was practiced and the characters involved in its development.<br>• Psychogeographic maps, as tools for getting lost and Psychogeographic architecture, as adjustable labyrinths for play and adventure.<br>• Psychogeography into the present: those who followed in the Situationists footsteps and the diverse range of practices active today.• Discuss the origins of psychogeography and list three influences giving rise to it.<br/>• Articulate a workable definition of psychogeography, incorporating its ideas and practices.<br/>• Engage in informed discussion on the nature of urban space and its impact on our emotions and behaviour.<br/>• Analyse the merits and limitations of critical art practice.,• Discuss the origins of psychogeography and list three influences giving rise to it.<br>• Articulate a workable definition of psychogeography, incorporating its ideas and practices.<br>• Engage in informed discussion on the nature of urban space and its impact on our emotions and behaviour.<br>• Analyse the merits and limitations of critical art practice.This course is suitable for all levels.<br/><br/>You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety informationas well as basic functions of Zoom, specifically microphone and camera.,<p>This course is suitable for all levels.<br></p><p>You should be able to follow simple written and verbal instructions, demonstrations, hand-outs and health and safety information. This course takes place on Zoom. Please be familiar with or be willing to learn how to operate elements of Zoom, specifically camera, microphone and chat functions. For more on how our online learning works, please <a href="https://help.citylit.ac.uk/hc/en-gb/articles/11273523970845-What-is-your-City-Lit-student-IT-account" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">click here</a>.</p><p>You will be taught online with slide presentations and group discussions. Please note: this is a live lecture and will not be recorded for reasons of copyright, data protection and digital infrastructure.</p>,<p>You will be taught online with slide presentations and group discussions. <strong>Please note</strong>: this is a live lecture course and will not be recorded for playback for reasons of copyright, digital infrastructure and data protection.</p>You might wish to buy a notebook. You might wish to buy some of the books mentioned in class.Search our website for 'Friday Lates' to see a range of short courses on a variety of art historical topics.,<p>Search our website for "Lunchtime Lectures' or 'Friday Lates' to see a range of short courses on a variety of art historical topics.</p>Art historyArt, ideas & theoryconfigurable
18831136Art, ideas & theoryhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/courses/humanities/art-history/art-ideas-theory1/2/285/1177/1136/18831/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Art history/Art, ideas & theory
