December's First Sunday

Hello everyone

It’s First Sunday this Sunday and we’re going to do something a little different. I’ve been sifting through The LRM archive and a few themes keep recurring. One of these is the pleasure we find in what Richard Mabey calls “accidental nature,” the blurred lines between what we call civilisation and the beauty of buddleia colonising derelict buildings and the gorgeous textures and potentials of canalsides, embankments and neglected playgrounds. Of course we are not alone in this delight, or our search for the edgelands. Marion Shoads work is well worth a read here http://www.marionshoard.co.uk/Documents/Articles/Environment/Edgelands-Remaking-the-Landscape.pdf.

The second theme is the contradictions and (im)possibilities of communal flâneurie, a subject which I’ll return to another time, and my fear that some people feel they need to be told how to dérive. You do not, and please don’t save wandering for First Sunday. We all have the power to transform place through wandering here, now, and always. So…..

A First Sunday with multiple options and elements which I hope you will choose to contribute to. On Sunday you are invited to go for a walk on your own, anywhere, anytime, but please let it be guided by nature. You may follow birds, or trace lines of moss, or let your eye be drawn towards swirling leaves. Simulacra and spectacular “nature” may be included too; what are the fake plastic trees trying to tell us? Concentrate on the way flora and fauna penetrates the city, challenging, buegulling and enchanting us. Also try and think about how the experience is shaped by solitude. Record your journey any way you fancy, in your head, photos, drawings, words, tweets @thelrm or just stay in bed and make up a story.

On Monday the experiment will be repeated collectively (or conducted for the first time if you skipped the preceding paragraph). Please gather in The Britons Protection, Great Bridgewater Street at 7pm, we’ll leave at 7.15 and explore the same notions together, doubtless ending with a blether and a beer.

Everyone is welcome to take part in either event, Sunday or Monday, if you have any questions, comments or want to say hello please send me a message or email loiter@hepzombie.co.uk tweet @thelrm or call/ text 07974929589

Finally, a prize will be awarded for evidence of the most audacious buddleia, interpret that as you will and please get your entries to me before the end of the year.

Love and golden apples

Morag x

Whose City? Debate Reminder

The Mule are hosting the Whose City debate tonight, 7.45 at the Black Lion in Salford. The event is free, all welcome and I'm chairing. Here's a wee interview they conducted with me to get you in the mood: http://manchestermule.com/article/friends-of-mule-panellist-spotlight-morag-rose

November's First Sunday: In Memoriam

I am delighted that November has spawned not a monster but a very special First Sunday, facilitated by Soibhan

Here is what she says: 

lets wander around Angel Meadows, and remember the unmarked graves of the poor. In Angel Meadows as many as 40 000 were buried between 1788-1816, many in paupers graves. In Greater Manchester there have been 1,000 paupers’ funerals over the past five years, the highest number in England, and growing. In Manchester city area "paupers" are buried in a communal grave in southern cemetery.

Wear Black for Remembrance. Bring flowers, tributes, memories, poems, songs, libations.

Paupers’ – or public authority – funerals are provided by a council or health authority when someone dies with no money or their relatives cannot be traced, do not want to be involved or have no money to pay for the funeral.

Meet outside new co-op building at 1 Angel Square 1pm

Wake at Bar Fringe afterwards.

October Derive News

First sunday this sunday. Meet 2pm lincoln square for a random derive around autumnal joys & urban wores. All curious walkers welcome. I promise a better website will be coming soon, in the meantime I'll see you on the streets xx

walking between worlds

I'm delighted to be curating a short season of films for trauma film club, free for the next three Monday nights starting with the wonderful robinson in ruins http://www.hssr.mmu.ac.uk/trauma/sept-2013-walk-between-worlds/

Septembers First Sunday

First sunday this sunday and I am hugely grateful to Dale Meakin for agreeing to guide the good ship lrm on a very special voyage. Embark 2pm on sunday at The Queen Victoria statue in piccadilly gardens for a derive based on loss "but not in a sad way". Thanks cap'n dale and sorry to miss the boat this time. Im adrift in dissertation land but will be back next month. Happy travels xxx

Monstrous Manchester

The LRM's contribution to Manchesters Gothic Festival and i am really delighted to be working with Julian Holloway who has been a big supporter of  inspiration to us over the years http://www.hssr.mmu.ac.uk/gothicmmu/gothic-manchester-festival/monstrous-manchester-tour/

Ardwick Green Heritage Day

In another life I have a day job which i try to keep separate from my loitering.... but paths always seem to converge, diverge and blur.... and I think this will be of interest to many here so I'm sharing and outing my other (not so secret) identity

St Thomas Centre & Ardwick Green Heritage Open Day, including a semi-psychogeographical tour of the area at 2pm, films from the film archive, free tea, cake and wine and random artefacts and exhibtions about the area.

http://www.gmcvo.org.uk/st-thomas-centre-and-ardwick-green-heritage-open-day

Please do come along if you can, I've been uncovering some really fascinating facts, plus we have films which include a lego version of Fort Ardwick (!) and you can watch me squirm as I try to reconcile my psychogeographical urges with the conventions of everyday employment.

If you have any juicy anecdotes or any special interest in the area please do get in touch, also we have some lovely promotional postcards if anyone wants to help distribute I'd be grateful.

August Expedition

First Sunday, This Sunday

Its the beginning of an odyssey (albeit a fragmented and occasional one) to the outer limits of the metrolink system. This month we'll be going for a mooch around Rochdale, meeting 1pm Sunday August 4th under the glorious tiled map at Victoria Station, Manchester where will then proceed to catch the next available tram. For those travelling by other methods we should be at Rochdale by 1.45 and will stay within site of the tram station until 2.00pm. If anyone is the wrong kind of lost you can call me on 07974929589 - but please try not to do so just cos yer running late as it disrupts the flow of the derive and isnt fair on punctual types.

All are welcome to join us for a drift in convivial company, we'll be seeking the soul of the city and trying to unravel some esoteric truths whilst disrupting the space-time matrix (or something).

If, rather than walking, you fancy some musical treats, due to technical issues my radio show for acoustic spectrum is being repeated tomorrow (September 3rd) at 1pm, I'll be playing some of my favourite records which I hope you enjoy.

I hope to see you on the streets soon
Love M xx

JULY activities

First Sunday this Sunday.... and due to a temporal shift in the universe we are actually meeting the day after on SECOND MONDAY that is 8th July, meeting 6.30 in the crown and kettle ancoats st to leave at 7pm on a random game based derive, most likely of the kind best called "ramshackle shennanigans" be ace to see folk there as i know not everyone can do sundays and evening derives always have a special ambience. xxx

JULY activities

First Sunday this Sunday.... and due to a temporal shift in the universe we are actually meeting the day after on SECOND MONDAY that is 8th July, meeting 6.30 in the crown and kettle ancoats st to leave at 7pm on a random game based derive, most likely of the kind best called "ramshackle shennanigans" be ace to see folk there as i know not everyone can do sundays and evening derives always have a special ambience. xxx

the week in psychogeography

Hi everyone

Couple of exciting events coming up this week

Quick reminder anyone is welcome to join in the art school drift tomorrow https://www.facebook.com/events/466286646785993/

and on Friday I am so excited to be at On Walking in Sunderland, I am in awe of the programme http://onwalking.wordpress.com/2013/03/16/conference-poster-2/

Also, advance warning July's First Sunday is on 2nd Monday (ie July 8th) instead

Insert usual apology for the shabbiness of this blog here, the new site is due to launch in august

glittery love and power

M xx

First Sunday, This Sunday June 2nd 2013

We'll be meeting 1.45 in Lincoln Square by the shoddy-but-fascinating (to me at least) diana memorial. It's going to be an experimental anti-derive as we will be constrained by the route of the manchester day parade, this means them that want to see the spectacle will be able to but there will be ample opportunity to avoid it as well. we'll explain the game on the day so please, if you're coming to this one, be on time as we won't be hanging around. It will revolve around the contested notions of manchester day and wish you were here (points will be deducted by me for anyone quoting post-syd pink floyd although i do appreciate most other loiterers disagree with me on this) Please do come and join us, its going to ramshackle and marvellous as we celebrate our love for the city. xxx

London Loitering

so, i'm really excited, intrigued and a tad nervous about tomorrow. be lovely to see folk. I dont know the pub - and big thanks to simon richardson for organising this - but i hope i'll be easy to spot. am short, with pink hair and i'll be wearing a frock with a peacock feather print xx

We are off for a loiter down south in that London, thanks to Simon and others who have been inviting us for ages

The big day is Sunday 19th May, and we will be meeting 2pm at The Hope and Anchor 14 Newby Place Poplar, Poplar, London, E14 0EY near All Saints DLR

We'll start with a short introduction to The LRM and psychogeography (yes, Venn Diagrams may be used) and then we'll set off on a game based derive which will include a wander around Robin Hood Gardens, a doomed modernist utopia of sorts and will doubtless end in beers.

First Sunday in May

First Sunday, This Sunday 5th May  - and yes, it has crept up on me somewhat this time!

It's going to be a slighly ramshackle, gameplaying kind of a loiter to celebrate May Day and the joy of daffodils so please bring an open mind, a big grin, some comfy shoes and if you have one a dice may come in handy.

Everyone is welcome and we'll be meeting 2pm outside the Urbis building/ football museum, due to the nature of the game I'm not sure where will be going so please try and be ontime or you may end up accidentally hide-and-seeking us.

Hope to see you soon, any queries please holler - my email is loiter AT hepzombie DOT co DOT uk and the lrm hotline is 07974929589
Love morag xx

PS apologies for the shabby web presence, making it better is one of my Summer projects, if anyone techie wants to help it would be much appreciated

April's First Sunday THIS SUNDAY

I'll be performing the liminal spaces walk which explores thresholds and will probably be the last talkie walk for a while - in May we will be back to game playing as well as seeing the first "official" loiter in that London. Details soon but in the meantime hope to see you 2pm outside Hilton House in the Northern Quarter. Expect minor epiphanies, death, sex, music, befuddled builders, special brew, hungover goddesses and why transphobia is shit.   

The walk was first curated for MMU – see some pictures here http://unitxidcmm.tumblr.com/post/45676978424/a-liminal-walk-with-our-friend-morag-rose#_=_

Due to the content of this walk, and the subjects covered this may not be appropriate for everyone, especially younglings. I realise this is contrary to the general LRM ethos and normal service will be resumed next month. Please get in touch (loiter-at-hepzombie-dotnospamplease-com) if you want to discuss this.

Love and golden apples

Morag x 

First Sunday March 2013

First Sunday, this Sunday. Woohooooh

To celebrate the first sighting of spring flowers, and becuase i put things to a vote amongst the participants of the art of walking and promised to curate their chosen walk there are actually 2 simultaneous loiters happening this weekend.

We will be starting at Piccadilly Gardens, 2pm, by the memorial tree and then you can choose from infinite paths; those 1 shall be facilitating will be

a)  Ways of Looking, Being, Seeing The City
Small groups are given a series of instructions, each is a different way of exploring the city as you walk, it’s playful and offers a chance to discover unusual, imaginative and overlooked dimensions of the urban landscape.

b) Drinking In the City
This performative guided tour explores the cultural geography of drinking and how it has shaped the city, discussing issues around prohibition, public health, entertainment, class, and the history of specific pubs (its not changed much since i ran this towards the end of last year)

We'll be gathering together at 4ish to swap travellers tales and share a beverage or 2 somewhere in the northern quarter. as ever first sunday is free because the streets belong to us all (although i still want the EDL to fuck right off).

All welcome to come and play out with us but please, please be prompt if you wish to take part or this could all turn into a logistical nightmare!xx

ways to escape

The ways to escape derive will start at 2220 nq tomorrow, saturday at 2pm to mark the end of the exhibition. probably the last talkie walk for a while, not least because it draws together various avenues of exploration explored recently and i feel the need to wander in new directions. All welcome xx

March Diary

 I've got loads of stuff coming up this month so putting it all in one post (mostly so I don't forget)

First Sunday this sunday 3rd march, starting 2pm Piccadilly Gardens memorial tree come and explore ways of being/seeing/doing or embark on the drinking in the city tour (finish 4pm in a NQ bar) more details in my previous post

Next Tuesday 5th March the art of walking course concludes with an expedition to which everyone is invited. Start 6.30pm outside the cornerhouse for another chance to play ways of being/seeing/doing or to join me on the ever popular manchester modernists heroine tour

I'm part of a new group exhibition Ways to Escape is at 2022 NQ 14th-23rd March http://www.waystoescape.org/waystoescape/_.html and the escapist derive is will be on Saturday 23rd 2pm, starting at the gallery

Finally the manchester modernists are showing bata-ville on March 14th at Manchester Art Gallery, an excellent film, i'll be giving a short introduction and possibly talking to the directors afterwards (that bit is tbc but there wont be any skype this time i promise) http://www.eventbrite.co.uk/event/5656175774/eorg

All free, all welcome. would be lovely to see folk at any or all of these and I promise at some point I will finish the new website (if anyone fancies helping with this I'd be delighted: as ever I prefer playing out on the streets to being at the computer)

glittery love

Morag xx

PS THE COMMUNITY DRONE IS COMING....

Robinson in Ruins

Really delighted that Robinson in Ruins is screening at the cornerhouse next Tuesday, its open to anyone to attend (normal going to the pictures ticket prices apply obviously)
Details are here: http://www.cornerhouse.org/film/cinema-listings/robinson-in-ruins

Here's summat I wrote about the film after I first saw it (i really should get the website sorted shouldn't I so I get these things posted when I write them)

Reflections on Robinson in Ruins

Robinson in Ruins is Patrick Keiller’s third film – after London and Robinson in Space – exploring England through the travels of the enigmatic Robinson. His findings are imparted by a narrator, Vanessa Redgrave, who informs us our anti-hero is concerned England is suffering “a great malady, that I shall dispel… by making picturesque views, on journeys to sites of scientific and historic interest.” By coincidence (or not) his quest coincides with global economic crises and New Labours demise.

Keillers’ film is poetic rather than polemic but still didactic.   His style contrasts with Adam Curtis's franticness, although both seek to weave together disparate political and historical strands to illuminate our current state.  Keiller has distanced himself from the label psychogeography but it is easy to see why it still sticks as he unravels the complex layers creating “place”.  Robinson celebrates the seemingly banal , which on closer inspection of course proves rather fascinating. However there is an implicit nostalgic tendency in much psychogeography.  Visions of a brighter future – if they exist at all – are vague and rather conservative.  Keiller avoids this; his investigation is a call to arms.

The landscape is not merely a palimpsest; if echoes resonate we should heed their lessons and view radical history as a catalyst.  This is made clearer in the essay by geographer Doreen Massey which accompanies the film. Both Massey and Keiller share a pragmatic emphasis on the reality rather than  aesthetic visions of space. There is a tangible rootedness in the country Robinson explores although he places it within an invisible web of energies. Massey’s words illuminate the previous Robinson in Space “amid the Ridley Scott images of world cities...the Baudrillard visions of hyperspace...much of life for many people, even in the heart of the First World, still consists of waiting in a bus shelter with your shopping for a bus that never comes.”

Power structures, and struggles, shape our landscape. The countryside is still viewed as a rural idyll or heritage attraction despite, for example, military ownership, bunkers hidden in the undergrowth and animals suffering in factory farms. Agri-businesses blur boundaries for the benefit of hungry urban bargain hunters. Can such places even be viewed as rural? The system creates a strange netherworld. 

Robinson “believed that he could communicate with a network of non human intelligences that had sought refuge in marginal and hidden locations.”  The peoplelessness of Keillers’ film is uncanny but telling: we have an urgent need to learn language of the landscape.  There is meditativeness but not passivity in Keillers’ elegant visual style. It utilises languorous static shots of nature sound-tracked by tales of evictions, enclosures and PFI follies.  There is dry wit accompanying despair; a celebration of the beauty and tenacity of lichen which mocks Blairite notions of modernity.

We are reminded Capitalism is not “natural”: markets destroy nature. For example, dependence on oil and its derivatives makes us complicit in war and desecration. The commodification of land, and labour at a local and global level is a recurring theme.  Massey again: “in terms of power, the 'national' working class (of whatever ethnic origin) has no more ownership than does the recent migrant. There is common cause here.”  Oppression and displacement transcend local borders, nationalism and race. To get to the heart of the problem we must “Ask not 'do you belong to this landscape?' but 'does this landscape belong to you.”

This is true wherever we are.  As I type this the view from my window is dominated by “I heart Manchester” banners.  These reveal something crucial about the (re)manufacturing of cities. The riots were the product of myriad factors; the frankly bizarre official response was a marketing campaign apparently suggesting we can shop our way out of inequality.  I do indeed love my city but not uncritically. This is a place with a shameful public health record, acute deprivation outside the shiny core – and an abundance of buddleia.

We must beware the romance of ruins which so much contemporary art is enthralled with.   Robinson is not simple propaganda; viewers need to unpick the code behind Keillers images.  Effort is rewarded for although it may seem tempting to lose oneself in the striking visuals the narrator juxtaposes them with horror stories from the torture of Bartholomew Steer to David Kelly's suicide. Robinson’s little epiphanies rupture the comfortable hegemonic illusion and remind us of the political construction of landscape.

Massey conceptualises space as “a contemporaneous multiplicity of stories” this implies a dynamic process.  We stand in landscape that tells an ongoing story. We can influence future development. We must consider the implications of our actions, and critically examine our perceptions of place, because they have a direct impact on what happens next. Robinson ponders whether financial crisis might be part of a “larger, historic shift” as the shadow of ecological, as well as economic, collapse hovers over the landscape due to the unnatural forces of Capitalism.  A difficult question beautifully asked. I hope we can learn from the mutuality of lichen.

This weekend

first sunday is six this weekend! please join us for a loiter meeting at the victoria stature in piccadilly gardens at 2pm. there will be baked goods xx

hi everyone
just popping in to let you know the urbis research forum is back tomorrow and i'll be on the panel discussing urban interventions: http://urbisresearchforum.wordpress.com/

The Art of Walking: Cornerhouse Course

Hello everyone, just realised I never shared some exciting news on the blog; I'm thrilled to be writing and delivering a course for The Cornerhouse. Its called The Art of Walking and includes a screening of Robinson in Ruins which is open to all. More details here:
http://www.cornerhouse.org/education/education-courses/the-art-of-walking

January 2013 - first first sunday of the year

hello everyone, apologies for the late notice but we will, of course, be celebrating first sunday in the traditional manner tomorrow, i'm delighted dale has agreed to curate and the adventure will start 2pm outside the friends meeting house, mount st. i'm not too sure what he has planned.... xx