DE PARIS YEAR BOOK
Ever thought of skateboarding as an art? Well, look no further than De Paris YearBook. An innovative idea from Thomas Busuttil which shows Paris on wheels...literally.
Now, I can (shamelessly) just about stay on a longboard for 10 seconds, but I've always been fixated on skaters, rollerbladers, BMX-ers and their art of flight.
De Paris Yearbook offers an insight to various suburbs around Paris/London/Berlin through video, photo and print. I asked Thomas (Project Manager) a couple of questions:
Where is your favourite place to skate in Paris and London?
In Paris: for me it's definitively the tiny Jemmapes skatepark, it's perhaps the smallest skatepark in France - even maybe in Europe. But it's an open space, trees everywhere, it's along the canal St Martin (which is closed for cars on Sunday) and in my neighbourhood. It's so small that you're obliged to look at the other guys and finally really share the session with the other guys. And when you're tired the bench is always crowded with skateboarders chilling with beers. We built a concrete diy quarter, banks and barbecues on the spot and to make it alive as much as possible. We even have been able to redesign it, and make a V.2 of the park, after 10 years of use. Every year on the 21st of June there's a big Party called 'Jemmapes Family Gang Party'.
In London: I can say that I kinda fell in love with Stockwell. It's old, not influenced with a mind of contemporary park builders, it's just fun. Well-connected between transitions and the hips are sometimes rough, sometimes easy - that's what skateboarding must be like in my mind. You can also smell a story of the area, with the used benches which might have hosted thousands of bottoms over 30 years of skateboarding at this spot. Bmt guys was nice as well and the scene continues to make the spot alive - that's what talks to me.
Where did the idea of 'De Paris Yearbook' come from?
The idea of the book came two and a half years ago, after having worked for different French skate magazines. I wanted to give a better place for photography (than how it's shown in magazines) and be able to use photographers who couldn't find their way in magazines - due to lack of space and interest or sponsoring opportunities, possibilities of full articles. Some of these photos where so expressing... So, finally, it was about using them to build a story of skateboarders in a year. It's connected in a frame which is delimited by the time and the space (Paris / the same year). With this kind of theme, you have now more space to dig and connect scenes from the everyday skateboarder life which is shared with the rest of the city (as we stay mostly outside - just next to everyone on the street). So at least skateboarders have to share the space with the other people from the city (which is not the case for football, team sports and many others occupations). It was interesting enough for me to try to capture all these interactions which come from our everyday skateboarding.
What's the worst injury you've had from skateboarding?
I'm currently unable to skate since this summer after twisting my right knee..I've have surgery from the left one about 5 years ago. Also, I badly hurt my fingers, shoulder, head... But it's part of the game.Even if we usually know the kind of risk we take, sometimes you're unlucky and it can happen - a little rock is enough to stop your board sometimes.. You gotta pay to play... but it's not that dangerous for sure.
Like De Paris Yearbook on Facebook, follow on Instagram or visit their website for more information...
Or buy their stuff here.
OR look at their 3D exhibition here.
All images Copyright © 2015 De Paris