Invisible Cities on BBC 3
Posted by Bradley L. Garrett on Sunday Jun 3, 2012 Under Geography, Heritage, History, Infrastructure, London, Memory, Poetry, Radio, Ruins, Situationism, Skyscapers, Spatial Politics, Urban Exploration“Cities, like dreams, are made of desires and fears, even if the thread of their discourse is secret, their rules are absurd, their perspectives deceitful, and everything conceals something else.” – Italo Calvino, Invisible Cities
Inspired by Italian writer Italo Calvino’s novel “Invisible Cities”, on the 40th anniversary of its publication, this BBC 3 Between the Ears explores the hidden, fantastical and surreal stories caught between the cracks of the modern city.
With contributions from writers, urban explorers and mapmakers we explore the imaginative possibilities held within cities, their secret folds. How does the layout of a city’s streets, underground passages and the glittering spires of its skyscrapers capture our desires, our fears and our memories?
From the ghosts contained in a cavernous lost property office deep underground to the view from the top of an abandoned warehouse – what impression does the structure of a city leave on its inhabitants?
The programme features myself, Rebecca Solnit, Anna Minton, Denis Wood and PD Smith and was produced by Eleanor McDowall.
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June 4th, 2012 at 1:59 am
[…] he be referring to “moments of in-betweenness” B.L.Garrett wrote urban explorers ”are in search […]
June 19th, 2012 at 1:04 pm
I keep reading your blog for over an year ago now. I am a brazilian based in Sao Paulo for the past 10 years. Have lived in LDN as well, and every time I feel like traveling without leaving my chair I just pop into your website.
You def. HAVE to come to Sao Paulo. You are going to freak out with the underground here.
There is a very famous graffiti artist here who draws on the drains, called Zezão. He recently draw in Parisian Catacombs, and also some chineses that sell food on the streets and hide their trails on the dirty underground. Maybe it can be a start for your journey. http://www.flickr.com/photos/zezao/
Here is his website. Cheers. Hopefully someday I'll read your blog and you will be coming here.
June 20th, 2012 at 2:30 pm
Ah yes, yes indeed, Zezãoa and I have encountered each other before, or rather, our art encountered each other, a few years back: http://s442.photobucket.com/albums/qq143/Goblinme…
I have deep respect for him, he is an ambitious and innovative artist. How about I come visit you next winter when London is miserable and cold? We will be in Buenos Aires – might as well extend the trip eh? Send me an email digicado (at) gmail (dot) com.
And thank you for following my adventures!
July 28th, 2012 at 7:38 am
With this great infrastructures, I must say that we really transform from old times up to today. Love to see this pictures of high building with thousands of lights! Thank you! 🙂
October 25th, 2012 at 1:26 pm
If you enjoy big and beautiful cities, you should visit Bucharest. Its architectural pattern is one of a kind, it's a wonderful mix of old and new. It's called the little Paris and has a lot of potential for a photographer, in my opinion.