Holly Richards
Brouhaha,
induced by small spectacles of interaction accelerates as the perpetrator
evaporates into the cyberspace, swiftly unnoticed. Though, this concept of the
‘flâneur’ has been lurking throughout history even before the age of internet. The flâneur finds themselves leisurely
wandering through the paths of society, and loitering around city lanes and
busy streets. Prouty explains further in ‘Turtle on a leash’, “…The flâneur walked a fine line between
the teaming masses of the great industrial city and the bourgeoisie protected
by its private interests… he is as much at home among the facades of the houses
as a citizen within his four walls…”
The
internet challenges the old concept of the flâneur with a new grasp of culture.
As being a flâneur would once have been a lifestyle choice, lurking unnoticed
within the realms of cyberspace seems almost impossible to avoid. Even more impossible
within an online gallery, a flâneurs paradise.
Behance,
the online ‘cyber-louvre’, creates space for art and graphic design to be
swindled through the passages of the virtual reality. The network has a strong
base of connections and existences of power formalities and floating within are
their ‘own form’ flâneur’s. Walking through pages of interpretations and observations,
as one would down a city lane, a Behance flâneur interacts swiftly between the
comments and publications, going unnoticed.
 |
| A Flâneur through the Pages of Behance (Zuber, 2004) |
Though
as we can all be found guilty of lurking through the pages of the internet, using
the ‘flâneur’ approach online can be used to advantage more effortlessly than
in the ‘real world’. One can simply act as a flâneur for some time through the
pages of Behance; observing strong and weak links they can then publish to
their advantage. Going unnoticed, an individual creates a space of comfort within
the guidelines for themselves to then enhance within the virtual reality. Lecturer,
Victoria Kuttainen noted “[the individual] primarily seeks to fulfill his or her individual needs behind a facade
of conformity.” Though, these spectacles of display are not the only
way flâneur’s are relevant within the social network.
Behance
gives publication freedom and though once going unnoticed the flâneur is now
the conversation of many online creatives. The artworks of self-proclaimed flâneurs,
artwork inspired by flâneurs and even guides and prints on to be a flâneur are
accessible. Behance fashions a space for
flâneurs to link and share discourse; taking way the essence of being a flâneur
within this realm and giving to everyone surrounding them. Marcin Jaroszewski,
a growing artist whom has taken interest in the concept has created multiple publications
surrounding the ideas of Benjamin Walter. Not being the only ‘flâneur induced’
artist, Behance has become a hub for non-flâneur Flâneurs.
As
the internet does, and will continue to do, it has created new essence within a
historic actuality. Flâneurs, always existing have now become a new artistic
realm online, through real intention or simply inspiration. Behance has expression
of flâneurs through the screen of artistic individuals within the cyber-streets
and online arcades; wandering around the minds of countless creatives within
the realms, or even part of the artwork themselves.
REFERENCES
Jaroszewsku,
Marcin (Artist). (2012). Flâneur [Image Portfolio]. Retrieved from
https://www.behance.net/gallery/5292255/Flaneur
Kuttainen, V. (2017). Our Space: Networks, Narratives and
the Making of Place: Lecture 4 Maps [PowerPoint Slides]. Retrieved from https://learnjcu.jcu.edu.au/webapps/blackboard/execute/content/file?cmd=view&content_id=_2850929_1&course_id=_84764_1&framesetWrapped=true
Prouty,
R. (2009, October 28). A Turtle on a
Leash: One Way Street [Web Blog]. Retrieved from http://www.onewaystreet.typepad.com/one_way_street/2009/10/a-turtle-on-a-leash.html
Zuber,
Marlena (Artist). (2004). The Toronto Flâneur [Illustration]. Retrieved from http://spacing.ca/archive/flaneur01.htm
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