House Gymnastics

House Gymnastics is a cultural phenomenon created by James Robert Ford and Spencer Harrison.

This faux fitness regime is akin to an internet based, Fluxus "happening", which often encouraged maximum audience participation. The viewer connects with House Gymnastics because it reminds them of their childhood, when they used to climb around the house and explore, with the desire to be one of their wall-climbing heroes like Batman or Spider-Man. House Gym empowers the banal domestic setting with new meaning and excitement. When someone performs House Gymnastics they become the artist making the art, creating ephemeral human sculptures that last for only 3 seconds. Viewers can sign up as members, submit photos and enter the Move of Month competition.

Origins

House Gymnastics originated from the endeavors of Harrison and Ford in a joint and convoluted attempt to put up a bedroom blind. It could be argued that boredom was the real catalyst for House Gymnastics to take on a more tangible form. The first moves were busted during a house discussion about boredom in the upstairs hallway, a natural meeting place and crossroads within the house. The Brace was conceived and perfected in this one afternoon and several experimental versions of moves followed that still stand to this day as part of The 25th Element. A trip in the car later that day demonstrated a shared enthusiasm with other house members and Harrison and Ford knew they were on to a good thing. In one single afternoon their embryonic concept had flourished and House Gymnastics was born.

From there on in moves were being created and busted on an almost daily basis. Everything was meticulously recorded and the house became a laboratory for the development of new moves. Language was appropriated to compliment the physicality of House Gymnastics and let the participants communicate while performing. The naming of each of the new moves became as important as the move itself. The hallway was renamed "The Arena" as it became the main focus of Harrison and Ford’s exploits and words such as "busted" and "amped" entered the house vocabulary as part of everyday speech. Harrison&Ford House Gymnastics had arrived.

External links

* [http://www.housegymnastics.com Official House Gymnastics website]
* [http://www.jamesrobertford.com James Robert Ford website]

References

* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/features/2003/12/house_gymnastics_interview.shtml House Gymnastics - the interview, December 2003, bbc.co.uk]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/nottingham/culture/2003/12/house_gymnastics_review.shtml House Gymnastics - book review, December 2003, bbc.co.uk]
* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/2718389.stm Keeping fit is child's play, February, 2003, bbc.co.uk]