My Dérive
October 1, 2008
A dérive is usually defined as an aimless walk through an urban environment. The idea of the dérive was developed by the Situationists, a group of European artistic and political avant-gardes. Guy Debord, famous Situationist, stated that during a dérive one should be fully aware of his or her surroundings, but manage the trip based on emotion. Often times a dérive was used as a tool of rebellion by the Situationists.
I wanted to stay true to the definition of a dérive, but still be VERY creative. I decided to walk the same general path to school, but with one change. No sidewalk allowed. Instead, I journeyed between the two flows of vehicle traffic. I noticed how quickly my environment changed. I definitely become more aware of my surroundings. My senses were heightened. I was curious to see what social interaction would occur. I was pushed farther than my normal limits and it was then that I realized the importance of the dérive. Urban development and society’s traditional rules had molded and pushed me into a corner creating monotony in everyday life.
Dérive project for Arts Technology class at Illinois State University completed September 23, 2008. Please do not attempt to recreate this video.
