London Psychogeographical Association

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logo of the East London Section of the London Psychogeographical Association

The London Psychogeographical Association (LPA) is a largely fictitious organisation devoted to psychogeography. The LPA is perhaps best understood in the context of psychogeographical praxis.

1 London Psychogeographical Institute
2 LPA East London Section
3 See also
4 References
5 External links

[edit] London Psychogeographical Institute

The LPA was first named in 1957 by the British artist Ralph Rumney, as one of the organisers of the "First Exhibition of Psychogeography" in Brussels, which included his work.^[1] According to many accounts the group (which was also referred to as the London Psychogeographical Institute or Society, and may or may not have involved other people besides Rumney) eventually merged into the Situationist International.^[2]

[edit] 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. 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, whose work is often described as psychogeographical, as useful in "branding" that kind of practice.^[3]^[4]

In 1994 Barry Hugill wrote an article for The Observer 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 through the ritual murder of a top member of royalty." The death of Princess Diana in 1997 is still under investigation.^[5]

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).^[6]

However, despite the disputes of existence and non-existence, the last LPA Newsletter was issued around the year 2000.