The Art in Freerunning and Parkour - Coursework Example

The Art in Freerunning or Parkour College The Art in Freerunning or Parkour Parkour in the beginning France has spent hundreds of years being on the cutting edge for art, and the 1980's proved no different. Like other parts of the world, Paris had become a modern tourist attraction and cultural intersection, however more than one thousand years of history could still be felt in the atmosphere and in certainly in the artworks. Once again surpassing the rest of the world, the heart of Paris worked through its resident David Belle to found a new sport that would take off throughout the country and eventually trek its way across other continents; Parkour would evolve into one of the most modern and controversial forms of art and sport (depending on who you ask) of our times. Parkour has since become a big part of current French subculture and personal art scenes; just in the last few years we are beginning to see Parkour practised in countries both nearby to France and across the Atlantic Ocean in North America. The idea behind this sport (also thought of as an art form, particularly by Belle himself) is to continue on in one direction, using smooth motions and not letting any physical objects get in the way. The practise can be confusing to someone who has never witnessed the fluid motions of a practitioner like Belle, as it does tend to draw similarities with other straight forward sports like hurdle jumping and steeplechasing. The fact is that Belle took these principles to quite another level when he developed his sport, and being the Parisian that he is ensured that there was always a clear undertone of the art world running along with him. Enthusiasts often make the connection from Parkour to post modern art, and however controversial and misunderstood this relationship might be Belle himself does insist that his practise is an art form. With the smooth motion of the body and the sense of camaraderie between the practitioner and his surroundings, it is easy to get a feeling that yes, in fact Parkour is a participant form of post-modern art. Belle began Parkour when he was fifteen, and claims it was inspired by the ideas of the French physician George Hebert, who promoted the 'methode naturelle' (Method-Naturelle retrieved January 2006 pp.1-9) of medical treatment. The methode focused on the pure benefits of exercise over other methods like drug treatment for simple illnesses and injuries. Hebert took pride in the fact that he understood how the body worked and above all how it needed to be treated in order to stay healthy and in top working order. With simple exercises, the physician realised that the formula to good health was generally very simple: aerobic movements provided oxygen and blood to the extremities as well as the inner organs of the body and these two substances are what is most required by any one person to remain in a healthy state. This dedication to movement and physical tuning was what David Belle latched onto when he studied the methode, and these principles are clearly seen to be the foundations of the Parkour practise. To be strong in body was to be strong in mind and to have control over yourself and your life. Belle took these principles and used them in his own fitness regime, which did quickly turn into something of a post-modern art form in itself (Gire 2006 p.1, pp.12). His Parkour took the physicality and mental stimulation of the methode naturelle and tuned the resources of the individual to conquer not only themselves but in turn the physical surroundings of the city. Freerunning David Smythe describes Parkour as "a new urban craze that involves jumping off things and landing on other things" (2005 p.1, pp.3). The term is often used simultaneously for 'freerunning', and although at the first this was acceptable use of the word now both practises have become different in themselves. Parkour is the practise for which David Belle found himself featured in the 2004 film Banlieue 13; a movie that included several chase scenes with Belle performing Parkour. Freerunning, on the other hand, is a very similar practise that evolved from the original sport into what is less about the physical and mental grasp of the world and more about aesthetics. Whereas a Parkour practitioner will focus on continuing on in a straight line no matter the obstacles, a freerunner will not be bound by this line and instead focus on conquering any obstacles and using such structures to complete tricks like somersaults or flips. The popularity of this sport is catching on and has even been made into a video game by Eidos (Gamespot PSP website) Freerunning is about using your body in conjunction with architectural arrangements to perform. The practise is eye pleasing and quite possibly contained to one space, while its sister Parkour is reliant on the practitioner to continue on a set path and simply not let such structures be a burden to the journey. While freerunning is almost purely stylistic, Parkour retains the focus of physical tuning and mental capability to run unhindered. Is parkour an art form Post-modern art takes many ideas on board, but the main feature of this art form that is embodied in Parkour is the aspect of realism through another medium: "Reality itself founders in hyperrealism, the meticulous reduplication of the real, preferably through another, reproductive medium, such as photography" (Epstein et al 1999 p.7, pp.4). Post-modern art deals with new and fresh takes on the reality all around us in the world. The question with Belle and Parkour is simple; is the practise actually an art or merely a sport that has been copied by followers across the world Van Esterik, Van Esterik and Miller describe artists as people who "may be revered and wealthy as individuals or groups, or stigmatized and economically marginal." (Van Esterik et al 2001 p.367, pp.2). Overall, the consensus is that artists must use unique concepts or create new ideas from reality or already established forms of art; in this Belle certainly did succeed and can therefore be thought of as an artist and Parkour as the ultimate in post-modern art. The fact that Parkour blossomed in Paris goes to show that the practise is both dependent on urban reality and reflecting this feature of the world. A city in itself harbours many different social issues: health problems, commercial pandemics, mob mentality, oppression, trade union revolts - there are few forms of human comprehension and need that aren't embodied in some way within a city. The very structures themselves hold a thousand conversations, misinterpretations, schemes, good will and pure lies between their walls or within their cement, and it is these vibes that the artist strives to portray in well presented post-modern art. Parkour is the perfect canvas from which to accurately describe first the streets of Paris and then the world beyond. What at first might seem like a simple practise of avoiding hurdles, when viewed under the post-modern light, shows a city crawling with differences in opinion and corporate control. For who erected these structures in the first place What happens within the walls of the building, who parks their cars in the parking lot and who is meant to be keeping who out with the iron bars across a road All these questions rise quietly to the surface in the mind of the dedicated Parkour practitioner, just as with other post-modern artists like Cris Burden who silently and matter-of-factly question reality with extreme art like gunshot woundings. It is both with shocking images of reality and with silent reinterpretation of city structures that the post-modern artist makes his point about human suffering, elite control and supposedly outdated class structures. The Architecture of the Physical Artist Miles notes how the "forms and spaces of the city are at the heart of academic enquiry across a number of disciplines from architecture and planning to geography, sociology, cultural and media studies" (2000 p.1, pp.1). People like David Belle and his followers have been enthralled by the stark reality that is the inner city, and this is what Parkour is based upon fundamentally (Pinch 2004 p.1, pp.12). A similar remark can be made about skateboarding and its use of the city space in such a comprehensive, post-modern way. Iain Borden explains how skateboarders have taken a new look at their surroundings and discovered how to interact with them and take a real interest in all the elements of the city they live in. Borden challenges his readers to adopt the same way of thinking and to take a more hands on approach to the spaces in which they live - particular to appreciation specialised spaces like skate parks (Borden 2001 p.58 pp.2). Toby Patterson is a skateboarder and artist who took home the Beck's Future art award in 2002. He is someone who has managed to link his post-modern hobby into his own unique artwork, much of which is focused on city structures. Sophia Phoco notes how Patterson views "a [Greek] site of political contestation in recent years, as developers have attempted to re-designate this public space" (Phoca, retrieved January 12 2007, p.1,pp.7). Between the physical act of connection between city structures with his skateboard and his artist's brush, Patterson has developed an innate understanding of the underlying issues inherent in city structures such as the space Phoca refers to, and he is able to portray this reality of transgressive behaviour for his audiences. Skateboarders became a subgenre of the surfing culture in 1970's America, soon realising that the drought that ruined their surfing and emptied the pools of California's rich citizenry offered them a unique chance to use the smooth ramp-like concrete for their own purposes. With crude skateboards these people dove into the emptied pools and created the very first vertical skateboarding culture, now embodied by the half-pipe and celebrated world wide. The irony lies in the fact that this first pioneer vertical skateboarding group, known specifically as the Dogtown or Z-boys (Dogtown and Z-Boys) grew into a culture that embraced Punk music, also born of the same time as their sport and still inextricably linked to skateboarders today. Punk is a musical genre that rebels against the status quo, speaks out for impoverished people and criticises uncaring and money driven nations and governments. Today, Punk bands focus on the bad side of Capitalism and humanitarian and environmental degradation caused by ignorant or uncaring people in high places trying to double their fortunes. Skateboarders and Punks, so often one and the same, have in fact rallied against urban development in rural areas that they feel are better left free and autonomous - therefore essentially chiding the very concrete that gave them their culture in the first place. Such is the way with sport like this and Parkour; indeed David Belle, who has inspired so many people to rethink the way they look at their cities could not have done so without his own use of the city itself. This is post-modern art at its best: the use of the supposed evil to accurately portray the evil to others. Without the pure reality of the city and its structures, Parkour practitioners would not be able to portray the state of the inner city to such a degree as they do. Harbison (2000 pp. 54-72) notes the intimate connection between people and the spaces they create around them; cities, rooms, gardens and freestanding structures all have the ability to help us formulate our thoughts more clearly and discover hidden truths about ourselves and the other people interacting with the space. With a physical artform such as an architectural structure, a person must develop a relationship of some kind with the structure based on proximity and other almost tangible relationships that have already been formed. When a building or a garden is created, there are sometimes hundreds of people involved that have shaped the way you will think about it and relate to it in the future. With this clarity of thought, Parkour not only uses architectural structures to formulate silent opinions, but it also flawlessly ties together what can be thousands of years of human history in a single bound. It is easy to comprehend how the use of an iron bar meant to block entry into a private space can make a social point, but when the next few steps or jumps takes a Parkour practitioner onto the thatched roof of an Elizabethan cottage the train of thought is altered drastically. Suddenly the focus is not just on modern societal afflictions but on the processes that brought us to this point. Is social inequity simply a part of human nature, you are forced to ask yourself For the makers and dwellers of this cottage were surely classed and degraded every bit as much as the people who are not allowed to pass through that gate and share in the space beyond. The truth is that a few skips, bounds and carefully executed flips can connect so many different architectural structures that any commonplace blame for the unfortunate state of society is shattered into a wonder of all the different people who struggled or commanded through all the years of dwelling in the city space. A city like Paris offers so many different avenues for thought that Parkour can only humbly portray an understanding that might actually be basal and quite feeble due to all the years of unrecorded anguish, joy and history. As with skateboarding, Parkour is a sport that allows you to reflect on the constant changing and evolution of a city, and to notice how architecture is often the embodiment of Capitalism and oppression (Borden 2001 p.242, pp.4-6). The architecture of any city can be bound together by the skilled Parkour practitioner, or indeed a freerunner or skateboarder, in such a way as to structure thought patterns along the historical and social implications of such things. What individually are functional pieces of the city become a blatant artistic canvas when drawn together and juxtaposed in a certain light. The dangers of Parkour Regardless of the awe surrounding Parkour and its close cousins, it must be noted that Parkour is a dangerous art form, and many of its practitioners have sustained injury from its execution. Of course this is not a new development in the world of post-modern art; Josephson mentions reknown artist Cris Burden in this vein, since he is in the habit of using images of self harm, namely involving gunshots, that are considered life threatening and are in this feature uniquely shocking to American society (Josephson 1996 p.72, pp.3). In fact, Parkour seems to attract the sort of artists looking for innovative and entirely shocking ways of drawing attention both to themselves and their ideas about societal ills. To overcome these dangers, it has been said that a freerunner must posses "a good pair of sneakers, cat burglarlike agility and a lot of courage" (Washington Times 2004 p.1, pp.1). While this is certainly true, many of the Parkour practitioners who lean towards the artistic vein are decidedly unagitated about the many lumps and bumps they earn from a good day's run. The fact is, such injuries are often viewed as inevitable and rather a part of the whole process of the artform itself. Dan Edwardes explains how Parkour is no more dangerous when executed properly than any other sport, and that most serious injuries occur because a person is not quite ready to handle all he or she is tackling within the sport. In particular, Edwardes notes how beginners seem intent on practicing on rooftops, something that he thinks is both bizarre and simply too extreme too fast. He wonders at the will of people to put themselves in obvious danger, and says that "Parkour is concerned with the refinement of one's own movement, with grace, control, efficiency and self-expression. These goals can be achieved in any environment - so why pick a dangerous place to train, like a rooftop, when the more expansive and varied terrain is almost always to be found at ground level" (Edwardes, retrieved January 13 2007 p.1, pp.3). Experienced Parkour practitioners like Edwardes are wary of beginners who take more on than they can handle, instead of working their way up from simple techniques in an average parking lot. While Parkour poses an unquestionable risk to all who endeavour to conquer their surroundings in a boundless run, these injuries can also be put into the post-modern art spectrum and understood on a basic level that incorporates injury into the art of the practise. Doug Jeck, a post-modern artist who uses his ability to create near perfect classical clay human figures, presents his own take on post-modernism by mutilating these exquisite figures before presentation to an audience. Jeck's work shows how a seemingly intact and unmarred person is carrying around various scars that are unseen; with works like these it is easy to see how injury in all its forms can be a valued part of post-modern art (What Post-Modernism is Not, retrieved January 12 2007 pp.1-3). Parkour as a Derivative of the Social Norm Guy Debord wrote of the ability and freedom of a person to become suddenly unattached to the normal social world they are a part of, and instead focus on relationships with physical aspects of the landscape or urban sprawl (1958 pp.1-22). It was his belief that there were suitable and unsuitable times during the day or night, depending on your opinion, for a person to become so unattached and explore the physical world at will. These align very closely with the principles of Parkour, and practitioners would agree that they do indeed lose their socialised connection with the working world when they are running. Exploring your physical environment, to Debord, was a necessity in humanity, and a way to really explore the inner machinations of your own mind. He believed that physical objects and spaces act as a mirror to the individual who looks upon them and interacts with them; Parkour therefore is a way of not only understanding the world as it is in underlying reality but of seeing who you are. Using Debord's explanations of derivative behaviour, you can see how Parkour falls easily into this category. The practise faces criticism, is massively misunderstood and offers the practitioner a way out of the netting that every other person is caught up in simply by existing. As skateboarding offers insight into the Capitalism of our time, Parkour offers a way out of this system and therefore it has the power to give its practitioners a perspective that is wholly unique to the culture. In fact, derivation is often what post-modern art is all about. Whether artists are using mutilated sculptures or a dividing arc across a New York square, or even using themselves to represent the connections between different types of architecture and show rarely understood boundaries, all of these are derivative of general behaviour and opinion. Most people do not realise they are caught within the framework of human history, government policy and social acceptability every day, and yet they do on some subconscious level because they actively work within their own boundaries. With clothing, hairstyles, makeup, literature, art, food, occupations and certainly with money, every single citizen of a society is conforming to the often unspoken rules of acceptable behaviour. Post-modern art gives everyone the tools with which to re-evaluate this position and think about it independently. Parkour, in this sense, offers a way for people to see themselves and their lives in a different context than they are used to. Parkour around the World From its conception in Paris more than twenty five years ago, Parkour has gained in strength and ideology as its practitioners have become more diverse and indeed farther apart. It's safe to say that some form of the sport is practised in most countries of the world, and in fact many of these have established clubs and teams that get together regularly to hone their skills and see what the next big achievement might be. Apart from France there are several other countries with large Parkour enthusiast bases: Germany, Canada, Great Britain, Australia, Croatia, Portugal and Japan are among the most populated of these. Groups in international cities like Toronto are discovering what Belle knew all along; Parkour offers you a way of coming to grips with the reality of a city that so often tries to bound you in, and triumphing over these obstacles (Law 2005 pp.1-1). These communities are helping both to foster the even wider spread of Parkour to other parts of the world and also to develop the art form into an almost regional language of post-modernism. Each region of a country and each different city has its own unique culture, and this is what practitioners pick up on as they perform. Because of specific qualities inherent in each city or region, Parkour practitioners are all moulding the practise into their own unique form that is area specific and relative purely to their home. Criticisms Like all art forms and indeed all new ideas and forms of thinking, Parkour and post-modern art has its fair share of detractors. When Richard Serra constructed his 'Tilted Arc' in New York City in 1981, many residents of the city complained that its features were intrusive, attractive to ill-meaning people such as graffiti artists and terrorists, and simply a waste of time and money (Eyecon Art, retrieved January 12 2007 pp.1-3). The structure has since been destroyed, and its fate is shared with many other such pieces of work that for such a short time grace the streets and squares of cities all around the world. With Parkour, critics feel that the sport is altogether too dangerous to attempt with any degree of safety, and the fact that the injury is often an accepted part of the practise does nothing to convince these detractors otherwise. For an art form, it seems, people are willing to go the extra mile and put themselves in harms way to make a point or simply feel the freedom of working outside of the usual boundaries; Parkour certainly offers this opportunity. Unfortunately for some, it is difficult for non-practitioners and people far outside of the culture to understand the mindset of those that take part, and it is this lack of understanding that like so many other things turns into criticism and fear. Sebastien Foucan, credited as Parkour's co-creator, has been heard to defend the sport from critics who believe it is too dangerous and costly to human life. After the death of English practitioner Alex Leatherbarrow in 2005, Foucan was quoted as saying, "I feel very bad when things like this happen. Parkour brings so much inspiration, but it can bring bad things too" (Graf 2006 p.1, pp.3). Amidst the claims that deaths like this would be avoided if people weren't encouraged to take part in a physical art form, Foucan persevered with his stance and stated that "[Parkour] is a way to express yourself with your environment" (Ibid. p.1, pp.5); a right that should not be taken from anyone no matter what the dangers. Parkour Interpreted by the Masses So what do participators feel they are getting out of Parkour The opinions are varied and very interesting to researchers like Western Mail writers, who have commented on how the art form is "graceful and strict" (2005 p.1, pp.1) at the same time. Piers Hernu remarks that the jumps involved are difficult and dangerous, something best left to professionals and yet appealing to the average citizen of the world. While the art form was born in France and continues to find its most passionate practitioners there, Parkour has spread all over the world and is being seen more often in television and music videos in British and North American homes. Low notes how the art is being seen in London now (2006 p.1-1) and Parker joins in with an account of how freerunners are "defying death" in the English capital (Parker 2004 p.1,title). Oddly enough amongst all the media reporters describing Parkour as a dangerous stunt and something liable to see hundreds of broken heads on the pavement at some point in the near future, Hansen has decided that the art can actually be taken into consideration as an exercise regime (Hansen 2006 p.1-1). This is, of course, exactly what Belle was basing the art form on to begin with, as it derived from the Method Naturelle; the primary key to bodily health as laid out by George Hebert. Does this mean that after an initial period of shock and what seems like simply a new way of acting out against mainstream society, Parkour has rediscovered its own roots in our weight oriented culture It does seem likely, and the Sunday Mercury has contested that this is certainly the case (2005 p.1-1). Slowly, what started as a physical exploit and turned into a hotly debated art form is edging its way back into the realm of exercise and physical health. How does this mesh with the post-modern ideology that has framed much of Parkour in the past Harris (2001 p.162-187) feels that the beauty of post-modern art is its ability to evolve within itself and express new ideas within an existing reality. As with its original interpretation as post-modern art, Parkour is indeed still being reinterpreted within a realistic and purely physical field, as well as keeping its connotations to a more abstract form of art. Although this physicality does represent the primary function of the Method Naturelle and the roots of Parkour, the fact is that this phenomenon is just basically being brought into the mainstream because it fits the mania of our time: diet and exercise. Smyth and Barney have even pointed out the use of this art in nothing less than pop music itself; Madonna staged a music concert recently that featured dancers trained in Parkour, using stage props to demonstrate a simplified version of the sport (Smyth and Barney 2006 p.17). It has become noticeable that freerunning is also being taken seriously not only by its loyal practitioners and audience but by the average citizen: travel articles have even seen the use of Parkour to entice would-be travellers to book holidays and take up the sport for a weekend of fun (Liverpool Echo 2005 p.1-1). Basically what we are seeing is a switch from this underground post-modern phenomenon to a full fledged modern trend. What the Daily Record (2004 p.1-1, title) refers to as a the sport of "thrill seeking enthusiasts" is in the process of changing and becoming more socially acceptable, and overall, more accessible to the average person. Parkour has been touted as the refuge of the extremist and used to display controversial pieces of post-modern art. However much like the skateboarding it has been compared with time and again, we are seeing this art form come into the mainstream and become a bit softer around the edges. Madonna's dancers cannot have performed the art exactly as created by David Belle because in the context of a music concert one cannot work outside the set boundaries of the stage area; this was a mere pop culture interpretation of freerunning and did not, in fact, exactly represent the sport itself. As the Daily Mail noted early last year, Parkour will either make the average person "tut in awe or gasp at the recklessness" (2005 p.1-1, pp.7). Of course, this is the perfect way to sum up post-modern art in all its forms. Works Cited Banlieue 13 (film release 2004). Borden, Iain (2001). Skateboarding, Space and the City: Architecture and the Body. Berg Publishers. Daily Mail (January 6, 2005). Pick of the Day. Solo Syndication Limited: COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group. Daily Record (October 13, 2004). Living on the Edge; THRILL-SEEKING ENTHUSIASTS OF BASE JUMPING CRAZE RISK LIFE AND LIMB AS THEY LEAP BETWEEN BUILDINGS AND ROOFTOPS. Scottish Daily Record & Sunday: COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group. Debord, Guy (1958). Translator and Editor Ken Knabb. Situationalist Anthologies, "Theory of the Derive". Retrieved January 2007. Edwardes, Dan. Retrieved January 2007. The Core Level, "Safety First and Last". Eyecon Art. Retrieved January 2007. "Trends in Post-Modern Art". Gamespot. Retrieved January 2007. Gire, Dann (2006). French Thriller Sets New Standard for 21st Century. Paddock Publications: COPYRIGHT 2006 Gale Group. Graf, Amanda (October 31 2006). Daily Illini "Co-Creator defends risky sport" Hansen, Kia; The Mirror (January 16, 2006). Your LIFE: NEW WAYS TO GET SLIM & SEXY. MGN LTD: COPYRIGHT 2006 Gale Group. Harbison, Robert (2000). Eccentric Spaces. The MIT Press. Harris, Jonathan (2001). The New Art History: A Critical Introduction. London: Routledge. Josephson, Susan (1996). From Idolatry to Advertising: Visual Art and Contemporary Culture. NY: M. E. Sharpe. Lamb, Charles (2004). The Theatre of Howard Barker. New York, Routledge. Law, Jaclyn; This Magazine, "PK and Fly" (2005) Liverpool Echo (October 18, 2005). Foreign Travel Battle on for Last Bookings. MGN Ltd.: COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group. Low, Valentine; The Evening Standard (July 4, 2006). The East End High Life; French Free-Running Sport 'Parkour' Gets off to a Flying Start in London. Solo Syndication Limited: COPYRIGHT 2006 Gale Group. Methode Naturelle (retrieved January 2006). Methode-Naturelle.com. Miles, Malcolm, and Hall, Tim (2000). City Cultures Reader, NY: Routledge. Parker, Charlie; The Evening Standard (September 1, 2004). An Urban Leap of Faith; How 'Free Runners' Defy Death as Extreme Sport Craze Hits Capital. Solo Syndication Limited: COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group. Peralta, Stacey (film release 2001). Dogtown and Z-Boys. Phoca, Sophia. Retrieved January 2007. Athens: Xippas Gallery, Ileana Tounta Contemporary Art Centre and the British Council Pinch, Emma; The Birmingham Post (May 11, 2004). Its More a Lifestyle Than a Sport, Say Freerunners. Birmingham Post & Mail Ltd: COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group. Smyth, David and Katharine Barney; Evening Standard (August 2, 2006). Madonnawhips Up Storm; Queen of Pop's Wembley Show Is Horsey and Racy .... Solo Syndication Limited: COPYRIGHT 2006 Gale Group. Smythe, David, The Evening Standard (April 18, 2005). Trust the Fresh Prince. Solo Syndication Limited: COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group. Sunday Mercury (October 9, 2005). Holidays: Take the Ultimate Thrills and Spills Adventure for Beginners; Fully Paid-Up Member of the Couch Potato Society CHRIS HIGHAM Is Persuaded to 'Have a Go' at a Range of Adrenaline-Filled Extreme Sports on a Weekend for Beginners on the Isle of Wight - and Lives to Tell the Tale. Newspaper Title: Sunday Mercury. Birmingham Post & Mail Ltd: COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group. The Washington Times (June 11, 2004). Parkour Has Fans on the Run; in New Sport, Players Make Leaps of Faith. News World Communications, Inc.: COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group. Van Esterik, Penny, Van Esterik, John and Barbara Miller (2001). Cultural Anthropology. Toronto, Allyn and Bacon. Western Mail (March 10, 2005). Free Running. MGN Ltd.: COPYRIGHT 2005 Gale Group. Jeck, Doug. What Post-Modernism is Not. Retrieved January 2007. www.sofaexpo.com/NY/2004/essays/Del%20Vecchio.pdf Read More