Le Parkour, The City, The EventLe Parkour, The City, The Event

Oli MouldOli MouldUniversity of the Arts LondonUniversity of the Arts London

ParkourParkour

David Belle and Sebastian Foucan – the David Belle and Sebastian Foucan – the Yamakasi Group in 1988 in the suburbs of ParisYamakasi Group in 1988 in the suburbs of Paris

Increasingly evident in popular cultureIncreasingly evident in popular culture– ‘‘Rush Hour’ ident in 2003Rush Hour’ ident in 2003– Films (mainstream – Casino Royale)Films (mainstream – Casino Royale)– Computer Games (GTA4, Assassin’s Creed)Computer Games (GTA4, Assassin’s Creed)– Free Running (Nike, Addidas adverts)Free Running (Nike, Addidas adverts)– Free Running Championships in London, 3Free Running Championships in London, 3rdrd

September in the Roundhouse, CamdenSeptember in the Roundhouse, Camden

Parkour and the CityParkour and the City

Unique interaction with the urban environment Unique interaction with the urban environment (Parkour rarely associated with non-urban (Parkour rarely associated with non-urban environments)environments)

Often seen as subversive, akin to skateboarding, Often seen as subversive, akin to skateboarding, and marginalised by city authoritiesand marginalised by city authorities

Ties in with the conceptualisation of the Ties in with the conceptualisation of the multiplimultiplicity city or the 100-mile / Endless City (Sudjic, or the 100-mile / Endless City (Sudjic, 1992, 2008)1992, 2008)

Can we understand Can we understand Parkour and the city Parkour and the city through a theoretical through a theoretical

engagement?engagement?

Line of Flight?Line of Flight?

Deleuze and Guattari (1987: 208)Deleuze and Guattari (1987: 208)– “Find your black holes and white walls, know them, know your faces; it

is the only way you will be able to dismantle them and draw your lines of flight”.

Smooth versus striated space of the urban Smooth versus striated space of the urban environment (evident in the BBC ident)environment (evident in the BBC ident)– The nodamic war machine and the space instituted by The nodamic war machine and the space instituted by

the state apparatusthe state apparatus– ‘‘Subserviseness’ of Parkour can seem ‘nomadic’, Subserviseness’ of Parkour can seem ‘nomadic’,

while the striated city (architecture) can seem to while the striated city (architecture) can seem to ‘institutionalise through state apparatus’ ‘institutionalise through state apparatus’

Line of Flight?Line of Flight?

‘‘Cutting through’ the city is an appropriate Cutting through’ the city is an appropriate metaphor, but the ‘war machine’ aspect of metaphor, but the ‘war machine’ aspect of Deleuze and Guattari’s thought (see Zizek, Deleuze and Guattari’s thought (see Zizek, 2008) goes against the grain of Parkour2008) goes against the grain of Parkour

More an essence of ‘rediscovery’More an essence of ‘rediscovery’– Practicing Parkour, is to identify sites, discover the forests from

top to bottom, the cites and the originality of our discipline finds itself in the unlimited diversity of the spaces that are offered to us. The perception of that which surrounds us is modified at each instance and calls for freedom of expression”.

(Foucan, 2002)

The EventThe Event

““Nothing happened to me, ***** *******. I happened. Nothing happened to me, ***** *******. I happened. You can’t reduce me to set of influences.”You can’t reduce me to set of influences.”

The EventThe Event

““Nothing happened Nothing happened toto me, Officer Starling. me, Officer Starling. I happenedI happened. You . You can’t reduce me to set of influences.” (Harris, 1988: 19)can’t reduce me to set of influences.” (Harris, 1988: 19)

The EventThe Event

““The emergence of the New, The emergence of the New, which cannot be reduced to its which cannot be reduced to its causes or conditions” (Zizek, causes or conditions” (Zizek, 2008: 386)2008: 386)

Therefore, we could turn to Therefore, we could turn to Badiou (1988, 2005) and ‘The Badiou (1988, 2005) and ‘The Event’ for a number of Event’ for a number of reasons…reasons…Multiple of multiples / the what-Multiple of multiples / the what-is-not-one coming to the foreis-not-one coming to the fore– A run is a continuum of A run is a continuum of traceur traceur / /

urban interactionsurban interactions

Fidelity…Fidelity…

Fidelity to the EventFidelity to the Event

(Dewsbury, 2007: 453)– “moments thus only become events in their maintenance

through fidelity post their taking place; thus the politics rests in whether we maintain the truth of the event”.

Fidelity to the event, faith, is a crucial concept in Parkour, as it reifies truth (Hallward, 2003)

Rejection of commercialist activities, Zen-like, almost religious tendencies of Parkour can subjectify the ‘truth’ of the event of Parkour

Fidelity to the EventFidelity to the Event

Arguably, Arguably, tracuerstracuers have contributed to the have contributed to the event of Parkour by event of Parkour by practicing it faithfully practicing it faithfully (i.e. in its original form (i.e. in its original form and style, rather than and style, rather than ‘free-running’) and ‘free-running’) and ‘rediscovery’ of the city‘rediscovery’ of the city

Parkour versus Free-running?Parkour versus Free-running?

Parkour about movement, a philosophy, an Parkour about movement, a philosophy, an escapeescape

Free-running is the commercialisation which, Free-running is the commercialisation which, some argue, is needed – “if you impress people some argue, is needed – “if you impress people and they will take you seriously”and they will take you seriously”

Urban Freeflow clothingUrban Freeflow clothing

Recent ‘Free-Running Championships’ in Recent ‘Free-Running Championships’ in London (sponsored by Barclaycard)London (sponsored by Barclaycard)

The EventThe Event

So Badiou’s conceptualisation of the event So Badiou’s conceptualisation of the event allows us to:allows us to:– Free Parkour’s ‘smooth movement’ from the ‘war Free Parkour’s ‘smooth movement’ from the ‘war

machine’ (subversion, violence)machine’ (subversion, violence)– See how it is fidelity and faithfulness to Parkour by See how it is fidelity and faithfulness to Parkour by

traceurs that creates an Event (also through the traceurs that creates an Event (also through the rejection of commercialism)rejection of commercialism)

– Highlight the fluidity and ‘multiple of multiples’ of a runHighlight the fluidity and ‘multiple of multiples’ of a run– Also, the minutiae of interaction of the Also, the minutiae of interaction of the tracuers tracuers with with

the urban ‘tools’ creates a reappropriation of the city the urban ‘tools’ creates a reappropriation of the city (i.e. Lefebvre) (i.e. Lefebvre)

Further considerations…Further considerations…

Continued disparity between Parkour and ‘free-Continued disparity between Parkour and ‘free-running’ (commercialisation, media)running’ (commercialisation, media)

Dissemination of the image (akin to Dissemination of the image (akin to skateboarding) – about the spectacularskateboarding) – about the spectacular

Masculinity of Parkour – elitist art?Masculinity of Parkour – elitist art?

Danger/fear? A mundane building can suddenly Danger/fear? A mundane building can suddenly be seen as an object of fear and intimidationbe seen as an object of fear and intimidation