Came across an interesting Oleg Varsav interview. The damn file is up on the Russian Networking site 'InContact'... I think you need member-ship to view the file, but here's the link anyway (http://vkontakte.ru/video-5348136_136990353).
Here's a partial translation:
Oleg seems uncomfortable at being asked direct questions. He's being interviewed by two women. There are a few others in the room.
He denies that what he is doing is parkour. He says that there's no long-term goal to anything he does. His aim is to get away with doing exactly what he wants for as long as possible without putting labels on anything.
Interviewer: You do what you do, but others would call it parkour.
Oleg: Yeah. Other people always make those decisions for you... I just don't think about it.
After some dodging, weaving and uncomfortable silences near the start of the interview, the interviewer agrees to take a less specific approach.
They ask if it's true that he dropped out of school. Oleg replies that it's true. "It happened spontaneously... I simply got tired of putting up with it and eventually, just stopped going... though it was simple at first, eventually you start getting other people's input, and matters become more complicated."
The interviewer (at this point it's clear he doesn't like then and they don't like him) asks if he's worried that that would set an example 'I dropped out, and I'm fine'.
Oleg noticeably cringes: "That's an old (unoriginal) question."
The interviewer presses on: "When we walk out of this room, people will know who you are. Many imitate and idolise you. So, does this example you set worry you?"
Oleg: I'm not so much an egotist to always think of the effect I have on others. I live my own way. I never asked to be imitated.
Interviewer: We've seen District 13, would you like to be in something similar?
*Bad sound quality here I have some trouble hearing his response.*
His response in uncommitted. He reiterates that he has no specific plans for the future. They ask him if he enjoyed a project he was working on in the past. He replies "The past is past"
They talk about some project he was involved in when he was 16. They ask about specific people whom I don't know he's worked with. He answers, but my I don't really know what he's talking about here so I'm not going to translate...
The question continue along the lines of future plans and aspirations. Eventually Oleg states: All of these things you ask, I still haven't answered any. The things you're looking for and the answers you were expecting, I haven't given you those things. Those things you're looking for.
Interviewer: You know what we want (to hear)?
Oleg: Judging by the questions you've asked...
Interviewer: The ones you haven't answered?
Oleg: I know what you want. But I can't give it to you... *phone rings, can't make out the next few phrases*
...I've not been like this all my life. I've been a fake, for money. But now, this is how I am.
Interviewer: What age do you perceive yourself to be?
Oleg: Tough question. I don't really believe in 'ageing' people. In time (currently) in the things I do, it doesn't matter how old I am. Or how old he is, or you. For example, how old are you?
The female interviewer flinches: 28.
Oleg: I don't care.
interviewer: But you asked!
Oleg: (if) I like you. I wouldn't ask if... we were to have some kind of relationship.
interviewer: Also, it's impolite.
Oleg: I don't know politeness. I don't have constant idea of age. I live in time but...
interviewer: What nationality is in your passport?
A series of questions about his ethnic identity follows. He says that he just puts down what his dad put down. Though he identifies as Russian.
Oleg: I studied in Russia, then we moved to Latvia and my passport identity changed.
interviewer: Do you consider yourself a disciplined person?
Oleg: ... I don't want to put myself into those kinds of brackets, I am what I am.
interviewer: Why are you so popular in Russia and Crasnoyarsk?
Oleg: I don't know. (he points off camera) Maybe he knows.
Some guys starts going on about Crasnoyarsk, then switches to broader Russia.
Unknown guy: He does what he does. But people have a habit of splitting things up into categories. They see a guy swinging on bars, so he becomes a 'traceour'. So they fall in love with this 'traceour'.
interviewer: We've met people who put things into two categories: The first is the people who do things for a hobby. That's all. THe second is those who are professionals. That's study, life, income, career. I understand that you haven't really thought about it and don't intend to get stuck in that. You're kind of a third category.
Oleg: I DO think about it. But I try not to. These thoughts come into my head. You can't help... for example, I run out of food - I start thinkig "I need money". I can't move to woods and catch squirrels. Needs keep arising. I look at my offers and I accept one. I don't think about why, but I know that the reason is I need money. THEN, later, I think 'hey this might be cool. This is a chance to travel!'. (otherwise) I'm the type the could live his entire life in one place, without travel.
interviewer: where have you been? Where have you been invited? You've never been to Crasnoyarsk, for example. (I'm guessing these interviewers are from there, that's why they keep brining the place up.)
Oleg: In Russia? Moscow, St Petersburg... my first job was there. Been to moscow two... three times. Just traveling around, jumping from place to place.
interviewer: Where to next?
Oleg: Next? Home. Then London... these arn't upto me, I mean, they ARE upto me. But people tell me to go somewhere, so I go. Are you asking where do I want to go?
interviewer: Where you'd want to go.
Oleg: Nowhere. I don't want to travel.
interviewer: It will come to you?
Oleg: It already has. I'm not concerned about plans and hopes - though I believe in hope. I'm concerned with here and now.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
parkour
For me it all comes back to this notion of parkour's artistic sensibility. In sociological terms, parkour fits neatly into the category of 'lifestyle sports'. Before I get lynched for calling it a sport, this is just a label to help people who don't do much exercise (academics) understand that there's training and physical activity involved. Other lifestyle sports include skating, wake-boarding, base-jumping, and a whole bunch of other activities that practitioners would dispute being a sport at all.
The thing that unifies these is this idea that it's a personal, lifestyle commitment and choice. These people chose these activities because they are not organised, commercial, group events (despite the efforts of some who seek to redefine them). Instead these are personal activities. People, generally, don't take too kindly to being told how to conduct personal activities and often rail against restrictions placed on them. "I don't do parkour so that I can follow rules."
Here's where things get tricky. The more I listen and read from David and Seb, the more it becomes clear that they share this same attitude. People are right insofar as parkour IS a personal developmental, life-style activity... what people fail to grasp is that it's a very SPECIFIC lifestyle activity developed by a specific person for a specific purpose. The confusion comes from the fact that people are using the term is a general way. "Look at me, I'm doing parkour and I'm doing it my own way, with flips and spins." This is like saying "Look at me, I'm soccer and I'm doing it my own way, with hoops and hand-throws." The first one isn't parkour, and the second one isn't soccer. There are only so many changes one can make to something before it stops being what you started off with.
Soooooooooo... I'd say there are two current views on what parkour is:
Parkour: That viral fad/emerging sport/training discipline/philosophy that involves the navigation of any environment using nothing but the human body.
Parkour: The training discipline/philosophy developed and defined by David Belle for his own distinctive purposes.
In the second version to say "I practice parkour" is the same as saying "I follow the path of David Belle". That kind of commitment doesn't really offer as much freedom as many people really want to have. Doesn't leave that much room for artistic sensibility.
The thing that unifies these is this idea that it's a personal, lifestyle commitment and choice. These people chose these activities because they are not organised, commercial, group events (despite the efforts of some who seek to redefine them). Instead these are personal activities. People, generally, don't take too kindly to being told how to conduct personal activities and often rail against restrictions placed on them. "I don't do parkour so that I can follow rules."
Here's where things get tricky. The more I listen and read from David and Seb, the more it becomes clear that they share this same attitude. People are right insofar as parkour IS a personal developmental, life-style activity... what people fail to grasp is that it's a very SPECIFIC lifestyle activity developed by a specific person for a specific purpose. The confusion comes from the fact that people are using the term is a general way. "Look at me, I'm doing parkour and I'm doing it my own way, with flips and spins." This is like saying "Look at me, I'm soccer and I'm doing it my own way, with hoops and hand-throws." The first one isn't parkour, and the second one isn't soccer. There are only so many changes one can make to something before it stops being what you started off with.
Soooooooooo... I'd say there are two current views on what parkour is:
Parkour: That viral fad/emerging sport/training discipline/philosophy that involves the navigation of any environment using nothing but the human body.
Parkour: The training discipline/philosophy developed and defined by David Belle for his own distinctive purposes.
In the second version to say "I practice parkour" is the same as saying "I follow the path of David Belle". That kind of commitment doesn't really offer as much freedom as many people really want to have. Doesn't leave that much room for artistic sensibility.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
