‘Traceurs: to trace, to draw, to go fast’ is a collection of twenty black and white films, commissioned by Westminster City Council, that were created using a thermal imaging camera, which capture a series of moments in which traceurs (practitioners of parkour) come into physical contact with the urban fabric.
Made popular through advertisements and action movies, Parkour is an urban acrobatic activity dedicated to moving from one place to another as efficiently and quickly as possible, using principally the abilities of the human body. Essentially a âstreet’ movement like graffiti art, the highly disciplined and skilled traceurs move mostly undetected through the urban environment. Like skateboarders, traceurs confront the urban fabric and through their practice are some of our most acute architectural critics, unlike graffiti, however, Parkour leaves no mark. Layla Curtis wanted to trace the untraceable and record the tracks and routes left by traceurs through a variety of locations in the City of Westminster, investigating and documenting ‘alternative’ routes and passages, and new ways of moving through the city. In response to the almost impossible challenge of recording this virtually invisible activity, Curtis investigated the potential of using a thermal imaging camera to record the heat traces of footprints and handmarks etc left on obstacles and buildings.
In response to the almost impossible challenge of recording this virtually invisible activity, Curtis investigated the potential of using a thermal imaging camera to record the heat traces of footprints and handmarks etc left on obstacles and buildings. The camera, which sees the world in terms of temperature rather than light, makes visible the glowing white heat residue transferred from hands, fingers and feet onto the surfaces that the traceurs nimbly leap onto, run across and spring off. The films are screened simultaneously as part of a multi channel video installation.
The exhibition, by artist Layla Curtis, ran at Chelsea Futurespace during the summer of 2009. Chelsea Futurespace was an exemplary collaboration between Chelsea College of Art and Design, Futurecity, and the property developer, St James Urban Living, part of the Berkeley group. It provided a showcase exhibiting space for the alumni and staff of Chelsea College of Art and Design set within St James’ Grosvenor Waterside development at Chelsea Bridge.
To see more videos from ‘Traceurs: to trace, to draw, to go fast’, please click here
