Friday, February 04, 2005

Pourquoi???

I have written about Parkour. But isn't it so disappointing that reports of this sport concentrate on young males exploring and reinterpreting the space around them?
I and a few colleagues have engaged in a debate about the relative invisibility of middle aged women's practices of exploring spatiality.

I have therefore brought to your attention (here and here.) images and commentary on the more acknowledged uses of space associated with women and girls.

What I am talking about today, is the imaginative (often practical) uses of space which are so embedded in women's everyday practices, that they have, until now, remained invisible, except to the more discerning observer. These kinds of practice I refer to as 'Pourquoi??' ('Why??') since I do recognise Pourquoi?? movements' variance from, but similarity to, the more contemporary, more well known and possibly, well, pretentious, practice of Parkour.

I have a few images of what I mean and will be bringing you further evidence in due course.

Here is a middle aged woman creatively making her way down the banister in her workspace, reinterpreting the architecture, exploring the boundaries of workspatiality:

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And here we see the movements of someone leaping from the top to the bottom of a staircase:

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...Swwwwwwooooooosh!!!!!


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Obviously our Pourquoi?? expert here leapt so fast her movements through space were rendered invisible (just like the fairy who does the housework; invisible, but we know she has done her work.)

Some women in the Pourquoi?? movement are able to exploit their feelings of oppression in really imaginative ways:

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More of this later.

9 comments:

Gareth said...

Now that is something completely different, my how you have been busy, busy, busy. Unreal

cityB said...

Cool. I'm loving that. Je l'aime beaucoup. How can I join the Pourquoi?? movement and who is the girl in the photos?

Anonymous said...

What is 'pourquoi' do or not do?
I would that I had bestowed that time in
the tongues that I have in fencing,
dancing and bear-baiting.
O! had I but followed the arts.

Gareth said...

But I say to Sir Andrew 'Then hadst thou had an excellent head of hair.'

cityB said...

Enough of the Twelfth Night merde. How do you add the links to other blogs - did you write it in the html yourself or is it an option in the settings? I can't find it. Nice ass in the first photo by the way.

Joolz said...

Hi CB,
What you do for the links is thi: ( you have to use html)
word you want people to click for the link goes here, followed by this It is explained in blogger help somewhere I think - tend to do thios for all my links as I use an apple mac a lot of the time and the handy easy links etc are not there on apple macs for some strange reason.

Joolz said...

Ooops in showing you the code on a comment I stupdlt did not think ahead that the demo of what to do would turn into a link.... soz.

cityB said...

s'OK, but what I really mean is how you get the links to Trois Tetes and Guy's blog and CityB on the right hand side. Thanks, CB.

Joolz said...

Aha.
Well, it is best if you originally choose a template which has a links section at the side.
BUT, if you go on blogger help it does give you the code to add links. HOWEVER, i do find my links jump around a bit and they are a bit dodgy.
But best to have dodgy ones than none at all I spose.

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Sheffield, South Yorks, United Kingdom
I am an academic interested in New Literacies, Digital Lifestyles, Informal Online Learning.