Encounterism: The Neglected Joys of Being In Person

Product Information

A rousing reminder that our cities, our residential and work places, must still allow for the possibility of spontaneity and shared, in-person joy. There are nine chapters with "Notes on Sources' at the end of the book that directs you to the articles read in preparation for this book.

Andy Field – along with his partner Beckie Darlington – have an international programme of projects which is really helping forge the next generation of architects, planners, urban designers and flaneurs, by asking them what they want from their cities. We learned how to build trust, and that invited us to be daring in what we said and what we revealed about ourselves.

A playful, analytical, informed, and poetic exploration of the delight and transformative power of real-life encounters. Field will draw upon his expertise in live performance that uses everyday people from around the world, to consider the choreography of each of these encounters and what they feel like, inviting readers to consider their interactions in the real world with the same precision and detail as carefully managed artistic encounters. As a 40 year old, I had to work with 10 year olds to help them visualise what their (and my) home town would look like in 30 years time. Field’s book takes you on a journey through his own everyday ‘encounters’ which have shaped his life.

Because of years of experience in those groups and sometimes leading them, I was very disappointed in the overall content and depth of the essays. In this deeply rewarding book, Andy Field brings together history, science, psychology, queer theory, and pop culture with his love of urban life and his own experiences--both as a city-dweller and as a performance artist--to forge creative connections: walking hand-in-hand with strangers, knocking on doors, staging encounters in parked cars. The book is littered with chunks of information and psychology which feel more like anecdotes at a dinner party, as opposed to academic prose. In this deeply rewarding book, Andy Field brings together history, science, psychology, queer theory, and pop culture with his love of urban life and his own experiences―both as a city-dweller and as a performance artist―to forge creative connections: walking hand-in-hand with strangers, knocking on doors, staging encounters in parked cars.The light touch of a hairdresser's hands on one's scalp, the euphoric energy of a nightclub, huddling with strangers under a shelter in the rain, a spontaneous snowball fight in the street, a daily interaction with a homeless man--such mundane connections, when we closely inhabit the same space, and touch or are touched by others, were nearly lost to "social distancing.

And whether he's guiding us into mass snowball fights on the streets of London or the meaning of holding hands, this unmet stranger cheerfully reminds us all of the value of touch and the virtue of trying to see the world anew. This attention to detail flourishes in other chapters too, such as the John Updike "Spring Rain" references or the euphoric nightclub leitmotif of "Your Love".The authors little stories are good reminders about the joys of being in person for a time when we're all often focused on the potential awkwardness, tense situations, or even danger. Into this precarious state of affairs steps “Encounterism: The Neglected Joys of Being in Person,” an argument by the British artist Andy Field for venturing out among the populace. Andy Field guides us through a series of perfectly ordinary situations (going to the cinema, dancing in a club, walking in a park) and invites us to reflect on the hidden wonders of each moment shared with friends, family and even strangers. I've always been interested in learning about most people I meet, but I'm also guilty of being dismissive (and occasionally rude) if I encounter someone on a bad day.

You never know what someone else is going through, which could be a lot worse than how you think your bad day is progressing. Each essay is carefully crafted, and full of questions that lead the reader onto further contemplation.Encounterism is a joyous immersion into the everyday pleasure and shared humanity we stand to lose in an increasingly digital world.