Every year the
world's greatest climbers and mountaineers push the boundaries of
what can be achieved further and further. There are no cheering fans
or stadiums in which these adventurers demonstrate their craft. They
toil alone, on the wall, far from the world's gaze.
Over the years,
the way in which these feats have been recorded has gone from letters
and journals to today's brand sponsored video and GoPro enthusiasts.
As with many developments driven by technology and commerce it has
resulted in a change of tone and perspective on what is being
captured and recorded. A change that can't be attributed to the
passing of time alone.
It is said that
'History is written by the victors'. However, as Hollywood has
demonstrated with its portrayal of historic events, such as World War
2, history is also written by those that choose to present a version
of events rather than simply those that document what has happened.
That's why I
started the BoxMonkey project. Box- like TV, Monkey- like climbing. I
was concerned that climbing and mountaineering was experiencing its
own Hollywood moment. The money being invested portrayed American- or
specifically- Californian climbing culture and the ascents of note
were narrowed by the climbers photogenic enough to be sponsored by
the bigger brands. That's not to say British names, British climbing
culture and British filmmaking doesn't often stand
shoulder-to-shoulder with these films.
Of course it does; but does
the world hear that British voice and can we be complacent? Our
climbing heritage is rich and varies from the old mining communities
of North Wales to the working men of Sheffield who first ventured out
onto Gritstone. Times change, of course, but as times change people,
or shall we say the majority, can become completely detached from the
roots. BoxMonkey is meant to provide these roots in an accessible and
modern form.
There is also
another consequence of globalisation and commerce that this project
attempts to counterbalance. I was speaking to a leading climber in
the GB team recently. They told me that a number of the brand
sponsors had had a 'clear out' of the climbers and mountaineers that
they sponsored. Being a first class athlete or visionary adventurer
wasn't enough. You had to demonstrate mastery of online services like
Twitter and Instagram. Climbers with big online followings were
considered valuable and those that had failed to cultivate this
persona were considered expendable or without value. A meritocracy,
yes, but a meritocracy based upon criteria that prioritises
marketability over achievement.
Ironically, it is this marketability
that creates value and that value is passed onto the climber and
enables them to go on trips and make history. Adventurers have, of
course, always needed money or support from somewhere; but the
motivation for this support has changed. In the UK,on TV, we have an
institution that counterbalances these market forces. It's called the
BBC. I'd like to think that the BoxMonkey project acts in the same
capacity in a similar scenario. Indeed, the British Mountaineering
Council recognised as much when they recently featured the project......BMC/Get on the Box Monkey
In closing, I
want share one of my recent and favourite short films. It's one that
readers of this blogazine might particularly enjoy. Its a film by James
Robinson and George Sewell and retraces the steps of an account from
Fell and Rock Journal first published in 1916. It's believed this may
be the fist 'bouldering guide' ever written. The video - which is
shot in a black and white silent movie style - is interspersed with
statements from the 1916 article. We watch as a group of modern day
climbers dressed in tweed and leather boots attempt the routes
featured in them article. It's a whimsical account of what climbing
trips were like almost 100 years ago. What makes it all the more
special, is the way in which it uses modern form to bring the past to
life. You can find the film at www.BoxMonkey.tv
or on Vimeo directly from James Robinson and George Sewell.
You can find and
contribute at BoxMonkey
