Where you’re at Glowlab in Central Square and Kerouac-minded films in Lowell BY RANDI HOPKINS

No longer content to navigate by the stars, or by unfolding and then arduously refolding accordion-style pleated paper maps, we find our way around these days with the able assistance of MapQuest, GPS, our cell phones, satellite imaging systems, and the time-honored tradition of asking strangers for directions. The quest to understand the psychological and emotional ramifications of exactly where we find ourselves — geographically — and the effects of our daily environment on how we feel and act inspires the artistic investigations of a Brooklyn-based community of artists called "Glowlab" that was founded by artist Christina Ray in 2002. Ray’s network of artists are forging a contemporary practice of "Psychogeography," a term originated in the late 1950s by an international political and artistic movement called the Situationists and now used by artists to refer to their exploration of the impact of our geographic environment on our mental state.

For nine weeks this fall, Art Interactive has invited Glowlab artists to conduct a series of experiments in the inventive art venue’s Central Square environs in a project called "Glowlab: Open Lab," which gets under way with an opening reception and kickoff party on October 14 from 6 to 9 pm. This event will inaugurate several ongoing "Glowlab: Open Lab" projects, as Sal Randolph collects sounds for the Open Sound Exchange, a 24-hour Internet radio stream, artist collective PIPS hosts informal conversations with a talking suitcase, Toby Kim Lee staffs her library in preparation for engaging participants in hand-copying published texts into composition notebooks, and Jessica Thompson readies her "laughing bike" to tour the neighborhood. Check out Art Interactive’s calendar on-line for a full listing of events: you wouldn’t want to miss your chance to learn how to hack your own bike so it will laugh, for example (October 15), or join the imaginary ballooning scavenger hunt through Cambridge (October 22), or make an interactive outfit from authentic Cambridge trash and discarded electronics (December 10). The results and the documentation of the psychogeographic activities will be on view at Art Interactive for scrutiny and rumination throughout the project’s run.

Unwitting psychogeographic literary figure and Lowell native son Jack Kerouac is honored with poetry readings, film screenings, walking tours, and a pub crawl in the 18th annual "Lowell Celebrates Kerouac! Festival," which takes place October 6-9 with events all over town (www.lckorg.tripod.com). In the peripatetic spirit of Kerouac, 119 Gallery is hosting an "On the Road Video Festival" on October 8 and 9 jurored by Boston-based video artist Alberto Roblest and featuring a selection of short, experimental films submitted by artists from around the world that were made in the "road movie" genre or explore journeys and journeying. Connect, or reconnect, with your inner Dharma Bum at the former 911 Gallery’s new digs.

"Glowlab: Open Lab" @ Art Interactive, 130 Bishop Allen Drive, Cambridge | Oct 14–Dec 14 | 617.498.0100 or http://www.artinteractive.org/calendar| "On the Road Video Festival" @ 119 Gallery, 119 Chelmsford Street, Lowell | Oct 8–9 | 978.452.8138 or http://www.911gallery.org/.