Arts of urban exploration

This paper addresses ways in which artists and cultural practitioners have recentlybeen using forms of urban exploration as a means of engaging with, and interveningin, cities. It takes its cues from recent events on the streets of New York thatinvolved exploring urban spaces through artistic practices. Walks, games,investigations and mappings are discussed as manifestations of a form of‘psychogeography’, and are set in the context of recentincreasing international interest in practices associated with this term, followingits earlier use by the situationists. The paper argues that experimental modes ofexploration can play a vital role in the development of critical approaches to thecultural geographies of cities. In particular, discussion centres on the politicalsignificance of these spatial practices, drawing out what they have to say about twointerconnected themes: ‘rights to the city’ and‘writing the city’. Through addressing recent cases ofpsychogeographical experimentation in terms of these themes, the paper raises broadquestions about artistic practices and urban exploration to introduce this themeissue on ‘Arts of urban exploration’ and to lead into thespecific discussions in the papers that follow