Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Philippe Petit Goes for a Walk

On August 7, 1974, Philippe Petit carried out a daring stunt he'd been planning for six years. He secretly suspended a cable between the twin towers of the brand new World Trade Center and walked back and forth between those towers eight times until he was apprehended by the NYPD:





Photos by Jean Louis Blondeau and Jean-Francois Heckel


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Five years after the destruction of the World Trade Center and the murder of some 2,800 innocent people by terrorists, The New Yorker recalled Petit's thrilling walk:
“Soaring Spirit,” by John Mavroudis (concept) and Owen Smith, 
The New Yorker, September 11, 2006


August 25, 2015 Update: A copy of the New Yorker of September 11, 2006 signed by Philippe Petit was sold on eBay recently. It is presumably quite rare.

“Soaring Spirit,” by John Mavroudis (concept) and Owen Smith, 
The New Yorker, September 11, 2006

Philippe Petit in Bryant Park

“Soaring Spirit,” by John Mavroudis (concept) and Owen Smith, 
The New Yorker, September 11, 2006

Philippe Petit in Bryant Park

Hmm.

eBay Listing Ended October 21, 2015

eBay Item Description



John Mavroudis shares his concept art for this New Yorker cover here.

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2 comments:

  1. A miracle of a walk. A mystery, truly unfathomable. Thanks for posting this. How certifiably profound. !

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    Replies
    1. I agree, Mike. At some point this daring stunt became something poetic and inspiring.

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