The Psychogeographer’s Guide to Virtual Worlds 9 November to 8 December 2024

About

How does one play a psychogeographical game in a virtual world?

Psychogeography was first introduced by the Situationists who used the term to describe the conscious or unconscious impact of the geographical environment on the emotions and behaviours of individuals within a city. One of its core practices is the walking practice known as the dérive, which usually involves taking an unplanned journey through a city that takes people out of their usual everyday life.

Psychogeography has had a long history of influence and expression through contemporary artistic practices and literature, just as computer games have also become a new space for artistic practices. What relationship does the psychogeographical game have with computer games of today, and how could one play a psychogeographical game in the virtual world of a massively multiplayer online roleplaying game?

Debbie Ding will present games and works-in-progress from the recent years of her practice in a series of VRChat Safaris, Open Studios, artist talks, and workshops at 136 Goethe Lab.

Public Events

9 NOVEMBER – 8 DECEMBER

Open Studio
Every Saturday (9 Nov, 16 Nov, 23 Nov, 30 Nov & 7 Dec), 1 to 6pm
Visit here to register

Monday – Friday & Sunday by appointment only via https://psychogeogamer.org
 

The Artist

Debbie Ding is a visual artist and technologist whose interests range from historical research and urban geography to visions of the future. She researches and explores technologies of perception through personal investigations and experimentation. Prototyping is used as a conceptual strategy for artistic production, iteratively exploring potential dead-ends and breakthroughs–as they would be encountered by amateur archaeologists, citizen scientists, and machines programmed to perform roles of cultural craftsmanship.

Debbie received a BA in English Literature from the National University of Singapore and, as a recipient of the NAC Arts Scholarship (Postgraduate), an MA in Design Interactions from the Royal College of Art, London. She is currently doing a practice-led PhD at Nanyang Technological University on the NTU Research Scholarship. She has had solo exhibitions at The Substation Gallery, Singapore (2010) and Galerie Steph, Singapore (2013). Selected exhibitions include "Radical Gaming" (HeK), “Wikicliki” (Singapore Art Museum, 2021), “President’s Young Talents” (Singapore Art Museum, 2018); “After the Fall” (National Museum of Singapore, 2017); Singapore Biennale (2016); Radio Malaya (NUS Museum, 2016). Her work was shortlisted for the President’s Young Talents 2018 and Impart Art Awards 2020.
 

The Space

136 GOETHE LAB is a new project space at the Goethe-Institut Singapore. Housed in the former library and reading room, the space is intended as a response to the need for physical spaces for the arts, and an ongoing conversation with the public and arts community in Singapore.

THE PSYCHOGEOGRAPHER’S GUIDE TO VIRTUAL WORLDS is supported as part of the open call for 136 GOETHE LAB, which invited applicants to activate the space with a group proposal.