The London Psychogeographical Association (LPA), sometimes referred to as the London Psychogeographical Committee, is an organisation devoted to

psychogeography Psychogeography is the exploration of urban environments that emphasizes interpersonal connections to places and arbitrary routes. It was developed by members of the Letterist International and Situationist International, which were revolution ...

. The LPA is perhaps best understood in the context of

psychogeographical Psychogeography is the exploration of urban environments that emphasizes interpersonal connections to places and arbitrary routes. It was developed by members of the Letterist International and Situationist International, which were revolution ...

praxis Praxis may refer to: Philosophy and religion * Praxis (process), the process by which a theory, lesson, or skill is enacted, practised, embodied, or realised * Praxis model, a way of doing theology * Praxis (Byzantine Rite), the practice of fai ...

London Psychogeographical Institute

The LPA was first mentioned in 1957 by the British artist

Ralph Rumney Ralph Rumney (5 June 1934 – 6 March 2002) was an English artist, born in Newcastle Upon Tyne. In 1957 lifelong conscientious objector Rumney - he evaded National Service by going on the run in continental Europe - was one of the co-founders ...

, as one of the organisers of the "First Exhibition of Psychogeography" in Brussels, which included his work. According to many accounts the group eventually merged into the

Situationist International The Situationist International (SI) was an international organization of social revolutionaries made up of avant-garde artists, intellectuals, and political theorists. It was prominent in Europe from its formation in 1957 to its dissolution ...

. Rumney was in fact the only member of the 'Association'.

LPA East London Section

In the 1990s, the LPA was reinvoked as the LPA East London Section by Fabian Tompsett, using the pseudonym Richard Essex, who published a series of newsletters and pamphlets under its name, as well as the writers grouped around the multiple user name Luther Blissett, including

Stewart Home Kevin Llewellyn Callan (born 24 March 1962), better known as Stewart Home, is an English artist, filmmaker, writer, pamphleteer, art historian, and activist. His novels include the non-narrative ''69 Things to Do with a Dead Princess'' (2002), an ...

. Activities of the ELS also included trips to destinations of psychogeographical interest and the organisation of three sided football matches. This version of the LPA has been described by the writer

Iain Sinclair Iain Sinclair FRSL (born 11 June 1943) is a writer and filmmaker. Much of his work is rooted in London, recently within the influences of psychogeography. Biography Education Sinclair was born in Cardiff in 1943. From 1956 to 1961, he was educate ...

, whose work is often described as

, as useful in "branding" that kind of practice. In 1994 Barry Hugill wrote an article for ''

The Observer ''The Observer'' is a British newspaper published on Sundays. It is a sister paper to ''The Guardian'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', whose parent company Guardian Media Group Limited acquired it in 1993. First published in 1791, it is the ...

'' covering the LPA. He depicted their ideas as "so cranky that to mention Mr Ackroyd's name in the same breath is to invite a writ." However he also states that "the psychogeographers fear that in 2000 there may be an attempt to perpetuate

patriarchy Patriarchy is a social system in which positions of dominance and privilege are primarily held by men. It is used, both as a technical anthropological term for families or clans controlled by the father or eldest male or group of males ...

through the

ritual murder Human sacrifice is the act of killing one or more humans as part of a ritual, which is usually intended to please or appease gods, a human ruler, an authoritative/priestly figure or spirits of dead ancestors or as a retainer sacrifice, wherei ...

of a top member of royalty." The work of Luther Blissett, Stewart Home and other psychogeographical groups is said to involve the issuing of numerous leaflets and letters under a series of aliases, both personal and organisational, and the description of interactions, including collaborations and feuds, between both these and other, real people and groups (for example between Luther Blissett and the parapolitical researcher Larry O'Hara).Stewart Home: Feuds
/ref> The last LPA Newsletter was issued around the year 2000.

References

{{reflist

External links

''The Great Conjunction: The Symbols of a College, the Death of a King and the Maze on the Hill''
(

Unpopular Books Unpopular Books is a publisher in London's East End, producing leaflets, pamphlets, and books. Published work Leaflets, pamphlets and booklets * Jean Barrot - ''What is Communism'' (1984) * Jean Barrot - ''Fascism/Antifascism'' * Jean Bar ...

, 1992) - a booklet authored jointly by the LPA and the Archaeogeodetic Association
''LPA Newsletter'' no. 1 - February 1993

Situationist International Psychogeography

London Psychogeographical Institute

LPA East London Section

See also

References

External links