Nick Ballón

In Conversation with writer Laurence Blair

I'd like to invite you to a talk I will be having with friend, author and collaborator Laurence Blair.

Over the past decade, over countless miles, hours and days, I have travelled and explored South America with Laurence. Often in search of something lost, overlooked in the current societal discourse. Our collaborations serve as a testament to our love for South America and the place its history and culture holds in our lives. Laurie recently released a book "Patria: Lost Countries of South America", something described as telling an alternative history of South America, spanning thousands of miles and five centuries to the present. He takes as his waymark nine countries that can't be found on a map: vanished realms, half-imagined utopias and dismembered homelands.

On the 20th July Laurence will be visiting Picnic to have a conversation with me about some of these journeys we've shared including the Chincha Islands, El Alto and more recently The lost city of Vilcabamba on the trail of a distant relative of mine, conquistador Mansio Leguizamon.

I look forward to welcoming him and revisiting some of these memories and times we've shared exploring.

See you there!

20th July, 3pm @ Picnic, 40 Marina, St. Leonards-on-Sea, TN38 0BU

Posted on May 21, 2025