Thesis Proposal ~ Anastasia Nefedova 2022-2024

Unveiling the Flâneuse: Exploring Feminist Walking Practices

Flâneuse is a term used by author Lauren Elkin in her book Flâneuse: Women Walk the City in Paris, New York, Tokyo, Venice, and London. The traditional concept of the flâneur originated in 19th-century Paris and typically referred to a man who strolled through the city as an observer, detached from the crowd. Elkin rethinks the history of flânerie and argues that women have their own distinct relationship with the city, shaped by societal expectations, gendered experiences, and personal agency. The nature of the flâneuse stems from the unique perspective and challenges faced by women, historically limited in their access to public spaces. Considering walking as a challenge to social constraints, I’m going to research the political power of the woman flâneuse. Starting with Elkin’s book, I plan to analyze the walk from the perspective of the experience of female artists, emphasizing their contribution to flâneuse practices as an act of artistic and social actions. The structure of my research will build through several thematic blocks:

- walking as a gender and self-identity declamation;

- walk as a protest and social action;

- walking as a connection between memories, nature, and history;

- walking as a collective learning process.

In the first block, I would like to speak about walking in a sense of self-identity exploration and expression. By examining the body of art projects by Sophie Calle and Pipilotti Rist, I intend to introduce how women challenge the perception of gendered dynamics in society. Historically, women who walked alone in cities were often associated with negative connotations such as prostitution, homelessness, catcalling, and danger. Breaking this matrix of a social construct that is formed by men and men's gaze, I will demonstrate how the concept of gender performativity by Judith Butler can be approached through walking. Further, in the second block, the walk will be considered as a protest and social action. I want to present that walking can be a resistance mechanism. One of the examples will be Russian artist Katrin Nenasheva and her art walk Follow against the state facial recognition system and installed surveillance cameras in the city. Referring to Charlotte Wolff, German- British psychologist, writer, and feminist, this block will question social norms regarding the presence of women in public spaces and the limitations imposed on their autonomy. Then, the walk will be analyzed as a weaving process, connecting histories, memories, and nature. Following the book Walking, Writing and Performance by Deirdre Heddon, Carl Lavery, and Phil Smith, I’m going to present how strolling can become a tool for speaking aboutautobiography and storytelling. Calling upon wandering as a form of contact with the sensual and embodied aspects of nature, I would like to underline the contribution of flâneuse to a greater understanding and appreciation of the world around us and ourselves. In the last chapter, the walk will refer to the collective learning process that can help to go beyond individual practices and create a space of interaction. Emphasizing the ideas of Jane Jacobs, an urban activist, and writer known for her influential book The Death and Life of Great American Cities, I will view walking in the city streets through the perspective of interactions where people from different backgrounds and with diverse interests could coexist, ultimately enhancing the overall livability of a neighborhood, engaging in spontaneous participating in shaping the urban fabric. One of the examples will be SAVVY Contemporary and their walking practices that challenge social norms, explore notions of time and endurance, and engage in a dialogue with the surrounding communities. In conclusion, I want to emphasize the importance of feminist art walking practices and build a genealogy to make visible the contribution of women to the history of flânerie and the emancipatory potential of such practices. Taking all of this into account I consider a feminist walking impact on navigating and interacting with the urban environment as a means of empowerment and connection.

Biography

Debord, Guy. "Theory of the Dérive." Situationist International Online (website). Accessed June

4, 2023. https://www.cddc.vt.edu/sionline/si/theory.html.

Elkin, Lauren. Flâneuse: Women Walk the City in Paris, New York, Tokyo, Venice, and London.

California: City Lights Booksellers & Publishers, 2023.

Butler, Judith. Notes Toward a Performative Theory of Assembly. Cambridge: Harvard

University Press, 2015.

Heddon, Deirdre, Carl Lavery, and Phil Smith. Walking, Writing and Performance

Autobiographical Texts by Deirdre Heddon, Carl Lavery and Phil Smith. Edited by Roberta

Mock. Intellect Ltd; Illustrated edition, 2009.

Solnit, Rebecca. Wanderlust: A History of Walking. New York: Verso, 2002.

Jacobs, Jane. The Death and Life of Great American Cities. New York: Random House, 1961.

Wolff, Charlotte. The Human Hand: A Psychological Study. Oxfordshire: Routledge, 2017.