The connection between a person and the places of their life is a mystery, yet it is obvious. It is known to the famous precursors genius loci—that is, the genius of a place—which connects spiritual, intellectual, and emotional phenomena with their material environment. At the intersection of an artist and the place where they live and work, a new reality emerges—one unknown to both the world of art institutions and to geography. In an attempt to capture this reality, a strange genre appeared: a kind of blend of travel notes, memoir, and literary-artistic essay—the result of traveling the world alongside great guides.
From the performer: When the book first came into my hands, I was simply struck by it. I read it aloud and to myself, gave it to my friends, and bought it again for myself until the moment came when, once again at the store, it turned out to be unavailable. Something terrible happened: for a couple of years I was without the “Genius.” Then it was reissued, and—as it usually goes—the paper quality was worse, but I didn’t make that mistake again; I only gave newly bought books.