Flaneur and creator Andy Knowlton / Courtesy of Andy Knowlton
American flaneur Andy Knowlton has captured his musings in a collection of books documenting his wanderings in Korean cities.
With the primary e-book spotlighting Daegu, he additionally has books deliberate for Busan, Pohang in North Gyeongsang Province and Jeonju in North Jeolla Province. His books, printed by Pondicherry Books, an unbiased imprint he based himself, mix commentary, reflection and quiet storytelling, setting them aside from conventional journey writing.
Though he’s American by nationality, Knowlton was born in Paris and spent a part of his childhood in France, the place individuals often known as flaneurs have been practising flanerie — principally strolling — because the nineteenth century. It’s stated that flanerie is not only walker, however a manner of being within the metropolis, intently tied to fashionable city life, poetry, philosophy and the artwork of commentary.
As he explains, a flaneur isn’t merely somebody who walks so much, however who walks to not arrive someplace, however to soak up fashionable life, faces, gestures, style, decay, magnificence and tedium.
Knowlton’s books comply with an analogous format, presenting minimalist writing together with easy pictures taken on his telephone. Over time, the books have develop into extra private. “At first, it was largely commentary,” he advised The Korea Occasions. “Later, I felt extra comfy together with my ideas.”
Importantly, he doesn’t stroll with the intention to create content material, simply to expertise. The writing comes later, naturally, with out strain. The flaneur’s goal is to be within the current second first, and replicate second.
“I don’t really feel like I should be at that place by 3 p.m. to face in step with all the opposite individuals. Once you don’t have any plans in any respect, your complete day is simply open to potentialities. And I prefer to let the town itself invite me in several instructions. So, I actually assume it’s enjoyable to stroll this fashion. It’s attention-grabbing. I’m going to locations with none expectations. I’m strolling and not using a plan, with out an itinerary, simply being free to go wherever, you already know, if one thing appears attention-grabbing this fashion, I’ll stroll that manner. And if one thing attention-grabbing is over in that path, then I’ll stroll within the different path,” he stated.
The quilt of Andy Knowlton’s “Notes of a Flaneur in Korea: E book 1 / Daegu” / Courtesy of Andy Knowlton
“After I stroll, I don’t hearken to music. I don’t take a look at my telephone. It’s a manner of unplugging.”
Greater than journey writing, Knowlton’s work invitations readers to rethink how they transfer by means of their very own cities — and their lives. To decelerate. To note. To wander.
In Korea, he finds cities stuffed with sudden contrasts, outdated streets opening into fashionable districts, slim alleys resulting in sudden communities.
“I feel the cities in Korea are stuffed with surprises. Round each nook, you possibly can be strolling down a really outdated avenue, after which abruptly you’re in an space that’s very new and really fancy. And then you definitely go down the following avenue, and it’s outdated once more. And there are little alleys. And so, I feel Korea is thrilling as a result of it’s very unpredictable. It’s arduous to know what’s coming across the nook. As a part of the explanation why I love to do it’s that perhaps I’ve traveled round Korea fairly a bit.”
Unpredictability is the center of the expertise, and somewhat than seeing what the town needs to indicate vacationers, a flaneur discovers what the town really is.
“In my experiences touring, I feel more often than not what I like probably the most isn’t all the time the touristic websites or the historic locations that you’re supposed to go to or anticipated to see,” he stated. “I’m all the time having fun with the on a regular basis life of individuals and seeing simply very regular issues, common individuals residing their lives. It doesn’t should be a stylish place. The extra I keep right here, the much less these locations curiosity me. And so, I need to see the locations that aren’t often captured in articles, blogs or magazines. I need to seize one thing that you just don’t usually see on paper or within the media.”
Knowlton’s relationship with poetry has all the time been unconventional. Earlier than coming to Korea, he labored briefly at a newspaper and struggled, like many writers, to discover a readership. His resolution was radical simplicity: He left poems in public locations — inside books, on cafe tables or benches — for strangers to seek out.
In Korea, confronted with a language barrier, his poetry grew to become extra visible. Considered one of his most attention-grabbing tasks is named Drunken Poets, that are small dolls comprised of trash discovered on the road. Inside every doll is a poem sealed in a tiny bottle. He has positioned these dolls all through Korea and in additional than 20 international locations throughout a two-year backpacking journey together with his spouse. “It’s about shock, discovering poetry the place you don’t anticipate it,” he stated.
Knowlton has lived in Korea since 2007, residing in cities akin to Daegu, Seoul and at present Busan. His long-term life in Korea, alongside his Korean spouse and their daughter, has deeply formed his inventive perspective. He hopes his strolling books will ultimately be translated into Korean. He believes the message resonates strongly at the moment, at a time when journey is hyperplanned, consideration is fragmented and telephones dominate each second.
Comply with @andy_k_art on Instagram for extra info,or go to lulu.com to order “Notes of a Flaneur in Korea: E book 1 / Daegu.”
Bereket Alemayehu is an Ethiopian photograph artist, social activist and author primarily based in Seoul. He’s additionally the co-founder of Hanokers, a refugee-led social initiative, and freelance contributor for Pressenza Press Company.
