The Art of Urban Madness

The lines between the sane and the insane tend to get blurred in an urban setting. It is something about the pulse of large cities that tends to trigger in many the need to not simply dwell on the hamster wheel but to fling their bodies from it in a dramatic way that sets themselves apart from the masses.



It is easy to feel faceless, nameless, and trapped when in a major city, and although this feeling is one of the worst in the world out of it comes some really intense and amazing feats of human strength and expression. Here are some of the most interesting artistic responses to life in an urban setting.

1) Parkour/Free Running

is an activity with the aim of moving from one point to another as efficiently and quickly as possible, using principally the abilities of the human body. It is meant to help one overcome obstacles, which can be anything in the surrounding environment — from branches and rocks to rails and concrete walls.



2) Buildering/urban climbing

Urban climbing has recieved a fair bit of attention lately. The most visible urban climber is Alain Robert and when you look at the below clip or his website it is clear that he suffers from urban madness.



I am aware that this post just scratches the surface of this topic. I will be searching for and featuring other pursuits of this genre over the next few weeks.