We question walking itself as an experiential edu- cational and artistic method as practised by the geographer Élisee Reclus, as well as his attempts at appropriating maps as a tool of social geography instead of power and surveillance. The walk starts from exhibition space nodine where we highlight a number of documents we collected on anar- chist and geographer Élisée Reclus, the Université Nouvelle and the Institut des Hautes Études. These institutions were founded by progressive thinkers and dissident professors after Reclus’ invitation to teach geography at the Université libre was can- celled for fear of his anarchist sympathies. We then look for the nearest river, the Zenne, which after many proposals and plans, was finally vaulted, and for which working-class neighbour- hoods had to give way to stately avenues from 1865 onwards. We then walk past surprising places where historical characters lived or worked, includ- ing artists, writers, lawyers, geographers, politi- cians,...who played a decisive role in the creation and development of the Université Nouvelle. In the process they’ve put a social-emancipatory role of geography, art and education on the map.
Gesture: WALK #01 The geographer who didn’t like maps Brussels city centre