“Ficar em silêncio e caminhar são hoje em dia duas formas de resistência política”

Publicado em 21/10/2017 por Sílvio Diogo

Foto de Javier Albiñana
"O pensador francês, autor de livros como El silencio e Elogio del caminar, descreve o seu ideário nesta entrevista concedida ao Grupo Joly, antes de pronunciar uma conferência em La Térmica.

*

Por Pablo Bujalance
Málaga, 19 de outubro de 2017
[artigo publicado originalmente no ‘Diario de Sevilla’]

Doutor em Sociologia pela Universidade Paris VII e professor na Faculdade de Ciências Sociais da Universidade de Ciências Humanas Marc Bloch, de Estrasburgo, o pensador francês David Le Breton (Le Mans, 1953) encarna como poucos de seus contemporâneos a melhor tradição intelectual de seu país. Na Espanha, publicou com êxito livros como El silencio, Elogio del caminar e Desaparecer de sí: una tentación contemporánea, com os quais aposta em formas concretas de resistência diante da desumanização do presente. Nesta semana pronunciou uma conferência em La Térmica, o centro de cultura contemporânea da Assembleia Legislativa de Málaga, antes da qual concedeu esta entrevista.

*

Permita-me uma pergunta um tanto primária para começar: você defende o silêncio como forma de resistência, mas de onde nasce o ruído?
Boa parte da nossa relação com o ruído procede do desenvolvimento tecnológico, especialmente em seu caráter mais portátil: sempre carregamos sobre nós dispositivos que nos recordam que estamos conectados, que nos avisam quando recebemos uma mensagem, que organizam os nossos horários com base no ruído. Esta circunstância veio incorporar-se às que já haviam tomado forma no século XX como hábitos contrários ao silêncio, especialmente nas grandes cidades, governadas pelo tráfego de veículos e por numerosas variedades de contaminação acústica. Neste contexto, o silêncio implica uma forma de resistência, uma maneira de manter a salvo uma dimensão interior frente às agressões externas. O silêncio permite-nos ser conscientes da conexão que mantemos com esse espaço interior, o silêncio a visibiliza, enquanto o ruído a esconde. Outra maneira de nos conectarmos com o nosso interior é o caminhar, que transcorre no mesmo silêncio. O maior problema, provavelmente, é que a comunicação eliminou os mecanismos próprios da conversação e se tornou altamente utilitarista com base nos dispositivos portáteis. E a pressão psicológica que suportamos para os armazenarmos é enorme.

É mais fácil cultivar e fomentar o silêncio no Oriente, em relação à Europa e aos Estados Unidos, por exemplo?
Sim, na tradição japonesa existe uma noção muito importante de disciplina interior, cristalizada em sistemas de pensamento como a filosofia zen. Digamos que no Oriente há muito caminho percorrido, mas as invasões contra as quais convém opor resistência já são as mesmas.

O que você responderia a quem sustentasse que o silêncio é uma confissão de ignorância?
O silêncio é a expressão mais verdadeira e efetiva das coisas inomináveis. E a tomada de consciência de que há determinadas experiências para as quais a linguagem não serve, ou que a linguagem não alcança, é um traço decisivo do conhecimento. Nesse sentido, tradições como a cristã, em que o silêncio é muito importante, tornam-se reveladoras: a sabedoria dirige-se a compreender o que não se pode dizer, o que transcende a linguagem. Nessa mesma tradição, o silêncio é uma via de aproximação de Deus, o que também se pode interpretar como um conhecimento. Podemos utilizar o silêncio para nos conhecermos melhor, para nos distanciarmos do ruído. E este é um valor a reivindicar no presente.

Sobre o desaparecer de si, penso na psicologia construtivista e em autores como Jean Piaget. Seria possível formular uma psicologia da desconstrução para a personalidade?
Sim, é possível chegar a isso por meio de uma disciplina, de um exercitar-se no silêncio. Como disse antes, no Japão esta disciplina é algo muito comum. Podemos ir abrindo na nossa rotina diária espaços para o silêncio, para meditar, para nos encontrarmos com nós mesmos, e com a disciplina adequada esses espaços serão cada vez maiores. A minha melhor experiência nesse sentido, a definitiva, foi no Caminho de Santiago: quando cheguei enfim a Compostela, compreendi que eu havia me transformado completamente, depois de numerosos dias em marcha e em absoluto silêncio. Foi um renascimento.

Na França, vocês possuem uma grande tradição do caminhar com Balzac e a figura do flâneur.
Sim, o caminhar nas cidades, o vagar sem uma meta concreta. Não apenas Balzac, também Flaubert o defendia. E para os situacionistas, isso se converteu num assunto fundamental. Caminhar é outra forma de tomar consciência de si, de reparar no próprio corpo, na respiração, no silêncio interior. Na Idade Média havia aqueles que se dispunham intensamente a caminhar no deserto. Porém, a prática do caminhar nas cidades encerra conotações relacionadas ao prazer. Trata-se de desfrutar daquilo que você percebe, de se deleitar com os atrativos que a cidade lhe oferece pelos sentidos. É uma atividade hedonista. Jean Baudrillard e os intelectuais de orientação sartriana também o definiram assim, como uma prática contrária ao puritanismo.

É por essa qualidade de resistência que se tacha de louco quem caminha sem rumo?
Sim, é o que acontece. E por isso o caminhar, como o silêncio, é uma forma de resistência política. No momento de sair de casa, de movimentar-se, você de imediato se vê diante da interferência de critérios utilitaristas que evidenciam perfeitamente aonde você deve ir, por qual caminho e por qual meio. Caminhar porque sim, eliminando da prática qualquer tipo de apreciação útil, com uma intenção decidida de contemplação, implica uma resistência contra esse utilitarismo e, ocasionalmente, também contra o racionalismo, que é o seu principal benfeitor. A marcha lhe permite advertir como é bonita a Catedral, como é brincalhão o gato que se esconde por ali, as cores do pôr-do-sol, sem qualquer finalidade, porque toda sua finalidade é esta: a contemplação do mundo. Frente a um utilitarismo que concebe o mundo como um meio para a produção, o caminhante assimila o mundo que as cidades contêm como um fim em si mesmo. E isso, claro, é contrário à lógica imperante. Daí a vinculação com a loucura.

Entretanto, com a sua transformação em centros comerciais, e penso no próprio coração de Málaga, as cidades não se tornaram os piores inimigos dos caminhantes?
Sim, você tem razão. De fato, todas as grandes cidades, seja Paris ou Tóquio, já se transformaram em superfícies comerciais. É muito importante que as cidades encontrem um equilíbrio entre os recursos que garantam a sua prosperidade e a qualidade de vida dos que nelas residem. De outra maneira, as cidades tornam-se entidades desumanizadoras. O fato de caminhar por suas ruas sem nenhum interesse em comprar ou em gastar dinheiro, somente em vagar sem rumo, daqui até ali, porque sim, também é uma forma de deixá-las mais humanas, de rebelar-se contra as ordens que convertem todas e cada uma das interações humanas num processo econômico.

De volta ao silêncio: a indústria cultural não foi um dos principais canais do ruído no último meio século?
Sim, é isso. Estou de acordo. Em meu livro El silencio me ocupava desse assunto. Porque, afinal de contas, a indústria cultural vem a ser uma forma do poder político. Uma atividade cultural teria de estar encaminhada para que cada um se encontrasse consigo mesmo, se reconhecesse em seu interior e iniciasse um diálogo íntimo sem sair de si, valendo-se dos instrumentos que a cultura deveria pôr ao seu alcance. Contudo, em vez disso, temos uma cultura que é cada vez mais de massas e menos de pessoas, na qual é impossível se reconhecer. Também é importante opor resistência às formas invasivas da cultura que permeiam o silêncio.

*

Tradução: Sílvio Diogo

*

Um agradecimento à professora Ana Maria Domingues de Oliveira, que divulgou em seu mural no Facebook a entrevista em espanhol."

Cycling for beginners

"Cycling is a truly invigorating and liberating experience, enjoyed by people of all ages and from all walks of life.
Whether you're cycling to work, to school, to the shops or just for fun, the humble bicycle is an easy way to get more active.
This guide is designed to make cycling a safe and enjoyable experience for beginners, and provide you with tips on staying motivated.

Before you start

For short journeys, any good working bike will do. You might have an old 10-speed racer, a shopping bike or a bargain mountain bike that you could use.
If you're buying a second-hand bike or you have an old bike that's been gathering dust, consider having it serviced at a bike shop to ensure it's roadworthy.
If you're buying a new bike, there are lots of models to choose from. Hybrids, road bikes and mountain bikes are most popular.
A bike shop can advise you on the correct frame size and help you select a bike to suit your budget and the type of cycling you want to do.
Find out if your workplace operates a cycle to work scheme. This is a more affordable way of buying a new bike and safety equipment.
There are many bikes available for people with disabilities. The two main providers of specialist bikes are Wheels for All and CTC.
For most people, cycling is a safe and effective form of exercise. If you have any health concerns or an existing medical problem, see your GP before you start.

Cycling safely

  • practise in a safe environment
  • wear a helmet
  • be seen and heard
  • check your bike
  • be alert and plan your route
  • always follow the Highway Code
If you haven't cycled much before or you're out of the habit of cycling, find yourself a traffic-free area to start off in, such as your local park.
Practise riding single-handed so you can make hand signals, and get comfortable looking over both shoulders to improve your visual awareness.
To learn to cycle with confidence, see CTC's cycle training or Bikeability for information on training schemes, some of which are free.
Before you start cycling in traffic, check the Highway Code for up-to-date rules and regulations for cyclists.

Health benefits

Regular cycling can reduce the risk of chronic illnesses such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke. It can also boost your mood and keep your weight under control.
For health benefits, adults and older adults should do at least 2 hours and 30 minutes (150 minutes) of moderate-intensity activity each week.
Children and young people should do at least an hour (60 minutes) of moderate to vigorous intensity activity every day.
A 30-minute ride will count towards your recommended weekly activity target.   

Staying motivated

Make it a habit

The easiest way to cycle regularly is to use your bike as a means of everyday transport. Work out your routes using journey planning websites such as Sustrans and Cycle Streets.
If you want some company on your bike ride, whether it's to work or just for fun, find a cycling pal using BikeBUDi. The free Bike Hub appfinds the quickest or quietest cycle routes, on roads or on cycle paths. It can also locate the nearest bike shops.

Cycle to work

Commuting by bike is cheap, green and one of the easiest ways to fit exercise into your routine. Work out your route to work using Sustrans or contact your local council for free cycling maps. Transport for London has an interactive cycle journey planner and free local cycling maps.

Cycle to school

Riding to school is a great way to get the kids more active. Cycling has many benefits for children such as improved health, confidence and concentration. Parents may want to accompany younger children, which makes it a good way for grown-ups to get cycling, too.

Mix it up

There are many wonderful places to cycle in cities and the countryside. Cycling is an ideal way for friends and families to explore their neighbourhood and beyond. Sustrans has free information packs about cycling in your region.

Join a bike ride

From charity rides to park cycles, signing up for a bike ride is a great way to stay motivated and experience the great outdoors. Find a bike ride near you using Bike Hub's events search or Sky and British Cycling's Sky Ride.
Page last reviewed: 30/06/2016
Next review due: 30/06/2019"

Street fighter: how Jane Jacobs saved New York from Bulldozer Bob

‘She picked up things no one else could see’ … Jane Jacobs holding a petition.
Photograph: Phil Stanziola/World Telegram & Sun/Library of Congress
"Robert Moses was the despotic planner hellbent on building four-lane highways through neighbourhoods. She was the cyclist who stopped him. A new film, Citizen Jane, revisits their David and Goliath struggle for the soul of New York

“There is nobody against this,” insisted a flustered Robert Moses at the hearing for his plan to drive a four-lane highway through New York’s Washington Square Park in 1958. “Nobody, nobody, nobody but a bunch of ... a bunch of mothers.”

The despotic city planner hadn’t counted on the determination of the mothers in question, or the ferocity of their leader – an owlish stenographer and freelance journalist by the name of Jane Jacobs. As part of his insatiable hunger for grand public works, Moses wanted to extend Fifth Avenue through the square, ostensibly to ease congestion, but with the real motive of rewarding developers and raising property values south of the park, where he had already razed a swath of Greenwich Village for redevelopment.

Jacobs, who lived in the West Village and knew how much her neighbourhood valued the park, mobilised a vocal coalition of campaigners, residents and politicians, who eventually halted the project. “It is very discouraging to do our best to make the city more habitable,” Jacobs wrote to the mayor, “and then to learn that the city is thinking up schemes to make it uninhabitable.”

That hearing was the only time Jacobs and Moses ever crossed paths, the single meeting in an oft-recounted, years-long David and Goliath saga of the saintly protector of the streets fighting the villainous master builder. Their duel, which came to symbolise the struggle of “bottom-up” versus “top-down”, is the focus of a new documentary, Citizen Jane: Battle for the City, made to commemorate her centenary last year.

Now arriving in the UK, the film brings home the enduring relevance of her ideas. Three years after her Washington Square victory, the inquisitive self-taught journalist published a book that would change urban planning for ever. The Death and Life of Great American Cities was a rallying cry against the destruction the broad brush of postwar urban renewal was wreaking on the fine grain of the city.With startling precision and sensitivity, Jacobs detailed how streets and spaces are actually used by people, as opposed to how they are perceived from above on the politician’s grand plan. Jacobs deployed her training in zoology, geology and political science to look at the city through an anthropologist’s eye, using ecological metaphors to describe urban life as a complex and fragile ecosystem. As one of the talking heads in the documentary puts it: “She was the hypersensitive antennae, picking up on things no one else could see.”

To her, the success of a vibrant city came from the “intricacy of pavement use, bringing with it a constant succession of eyes”. This daily “street ballet” of public interaction that unfolded outside her house is depicted with archive footage of bustling Manhattan dating from the early to mid 20th century. “There must be eyes upon the street,” she wrote, “eyes belonging to those we might call the natural proprietors of the street. The buildings on a street equipped to handle strangers, and to insure the safety of both residents and strangers, must be oriented to the street. They cannot turn their backs or blank sides on it and leave it blind.

It all sounds like common sense now, but to the postwar planners – infected with the modernist dogma of sweeping the slate clean to make way for tower blocks in wide open spaces – this was an affront to everything they had been taught. Jacobs had witnessed at first hand the failures of urban renewal in Philadelphia, where a zoning masterplan siloed different functions – housing, industry, offices, shops –into towers, separated by yawning public spaces lined with retail units that were soon lying empty. People weren’t behaving as they should, the planners said, refusing to accept that their brave new concrete vision wasn’t tuned to how citizens actually behave.

The documentary forcefully charts Jacobs’ battles and the level of destruction power-hungry Moses inflicted on existing communities in the name of improving New York for the greater public good. We see the carnage inflicted by the Cross Bronx Expressway, the country’s first major urban highway, which carved a ravine through the borough, fatally separating north and south Bronx in a piece of vandalism described by writer Mike Davis as “the single most destructive act in the history of US cities”.

The Lower Manhattan Expressway, which Jacobs and her allies halted, would have inflicted a similar fate on Soho and Little Italy – conveniently framed by Moses as a crime-ridden “hell’s hundred acres”, to be swept clean by gleaming new arteries topped with futuristic mega-structures. Old TV clips show “Big Bob the Builder” oozing arrogance and reptilian cunning, as he condemns whole areas, describing a low-income part of Harlem as “a cancerous growth that has to be carved out” and scoffing at the idea of compensating landowners who stand in his way: “Do you think anything would ever be built if we did that?” All that’s missing is footage of him being chauffeur-driven around the city in his stretch limo with pigskin seats.

By contrast, Jacobs is the indomitable champion of the people, gliding around town on her bicycle, corralling campaigns into action. She was a master of popular media, choreographing stunts like mock funerals for neighbourhoods and staging colourful protests with snappy badges and banners. Proclaimed Queen Jane by Vogue and photographed by Diane Arbus for Esquire, she counted Eleanor Roosevelt and Susan Sontag among her supporters.

If it all sounds a little black and white, that’s because it is. Told, retold and even produced as a children’s story, the pantomime goody-baddy narrative has become drastically oversimplified, a problem that this film does little to address. Yes, Moses was a bullying megalomaniac, but he also built 13 bridges, two tunnels, 637 miles of highways, 658 playgrounds, 10 giant public swimming pools, 17 state parks, not to mention dozens of housing projects and city parks.

Neither should Jacobs’ theories and her influence on contemporary “good practice” go totally unquestioned. “Jacobs romanticised social conditions that were already becoming obsolete,” says urban sociologist Sharon Zukin, while Deyan Sudjic, director of the Design Museum in London, believes her “underlying message is of unblinking paranoia”.

Jacobs’ writings have led to a collective received wisdom – driven by the spurious discipline of “placemaking” – that decrees every street frontage should be “active”, every public space should bustle with civic life, every bit of the city should be configured around clear “desire lines” from A to B, with citizens’ movement intricately choreographed. It is a world in which narrow alleyways and quiet corners are banished in favour of 24-hour curated vibrancy.

Ironically, in an echo of Big Bob’s hunger for demolition, Jacobs’ arguments are now being deployed to raze postwar council estates across the world, her principles mobilised to lambast “sink estates”, conflating social problems and lack of maintenance with a particular style of architecture. They are the new cancer to be carved out. At the same time, the kinds of historic districts Jacobs helped to save now often feel like open-air museums, places as soulless and devoid of real life as the high-rises she so despised.

A hint of this would have added a welcome cautionary tone to the film. Instead it ends with Saskia Sassen, the Dutch sociologist, railing against China’s new megacities as “Moses on steroids”, over footage shot from a speeding car. If urbanists got out and looked more closely, as Jacobs herself did, they’d find that urban life continues to flourish in unexpected places. As critic Paul Goldberger concludes, Jacobs’ finest quality was “a willingness to doubt the received wisdom and trust our eyes instead”.”

The Lazy's Person Guide to Save the World

"End extreme poverty. Fight inequality and injustice. Fix climate change. Whoa. The Global Goals are important, world-changing objectives that will require cooperation among governments, international organizations and world leaders. It seems impossible that the average person can make an impact. Should you just give up?
No! Change starts with you. Seriously. Every human on earth—even the most indifferent, laziest person among us—is part of the solution. Fortunately, there are some super easy things we can adopt into our routines that, if we all do it, will make a big difference.

We’ve made it easy for you and compiled just a few of the many things you can do to make an impact.

Level 1: Sofa superstar
Things you can do from your couch
Save electricity by plugging appliances into a power strip and turning them off completely when not in use, including your computer.
Stop paper bank statements and pay your bills online or via mobile. No paper, no need for forest destruction.
Share, don’t just like. If you see an interesting social media post about women’s rights or climate change, share it so folks in your network see it too.
Speak up! Ask your local and national authorities to engage in initiatives that don’t harm people or the planet. You can also voice your support for the Paris Agreement and ask your country to ratify it or sign it if it hasn’t yet.
Don’t print. See something online you need to remember? Jot it down in a notebook or better yet a digital post-it note and spare the paper.
Turn off the lights. Your TV or computer screen provides a cosy glow, so turn off other lights if you don’t need them.
Do a bit of online research and buy only from companies that you know have sustainable practices and don’t harm the environment.
Report online bullies. If you notice harassment on a message board or in a chat room, flag that person.
Stay informed. Follow your local news and stay in touch with the Global Goals online or on social media at @GlobalGoalsUN.
Tell us about your actions to achieve the global goals by using the hashtag #globalgoals on social networks.
In addition to the above, offset your remaining carbon emissions! You can calculate your carbon footprint and purchase climate credits from Climate Neutral Now. In this way, you help reduce global emissions faster!”


Level 2: Household hero
Things you can do at home
Air dry. Let your hair and clothes dry naturally instead of running a machine. If you do wash your clothes, make sure the load is full.
Take short showers. Bathtubs require gallons more water than a 5-10 minute shower.
Eat less meat, poultry, and fish. More resources are used to provide meat than plants
Freeze fresh produce and leftovers if you don’t have the chance to eat them before they go bad. You can also do this with take-away or delivered food, if you know you will not feel like eating it the next day. You will save food and money.
Compost—composting food scraps can reduce climate impact while also recycling nutrients.
Recycling paper, plastic, glass & aluminium keeps landfills from growing.
Buy minimally packaged goods.
Avoid pre-heating the oven. Unless you need a precise baking temperature, start heating your food right when you turn on the oven.
Plug air leaks in windows and doors to increase energy efficiency
Adjust your thermostat, lower in winter, higher in summer
Replace old appliances with energy efficient models and light bulbs
If you have the option, install solar panels in your house. This will also reduce your electricity bill!
Get a rug. Carpets and rugs keep your house warm and your thermostat low.
Don’t rinse. If you use a dishwasher, stop rinsing your plates before you run the machine.
Choose a better diaper option. Swaddle your baby in cloth diapers or a new, environmentally responsible disposable brand.
Shovel snow manually. Avoid the noisy, exhaust-churning snow blower and get some exercise.
Use cardboard matches. They don’t require any petroleum, unlike plastic gas-filled lighters.


Level 3: Neighborhood nice guy
Things you can do outside your house
Shop local. Supporting neighbourhood businesses keeps people employed and helps prevent trucks from driving far distances.
Shop Smart—plan meals, use shopping lists and avoid impulse buys. Don’t succumb to marketing tricks that lead you to buy more food than you need, particularly for perishable items. Though these may be less expensive per ounce, they can be more expensive overall if much of that food is discarded.
Buy Funny Fruit—many fruits and vegetables are thrown out because their size, shape, or color are not “right”. Buying these perfectly good funny fruit, at the farmer’s market or elsewhere, utilizes food that might otherwise go to waste.
When you go to a restaurant and are ordering seafood always ask: “Do you serve sustainable seafood?” Let your favorite businesses know that ocean-friendly seafood’s on your shopping list.
Shop only for sustainable seafood. There are now many apps like this one that will tell you what is safe to consume.
Bike, walk or take public transport. Save the car trips for when you’ve got a big group.
Use a refillable water bottle and coffee cup. Cut down on waste and maybe even save money at the coffee shop.
Bring your own bag when you shop. Pass on the plastic bag and start carrying your own reusable totes.
Take fewer napkins. You don’t need a handful of napkins to eat your takeout. Take just what you need.
Shop vintage. Brand-new isn’t necessarily best. See what you can repurpose from second-hand shops.
Maintain your car. A well-tuned car will emit fewer toxic fumes.
Donate what you don’t use. Local charities will give your gently used clothes, books and furniture a new life.
Vaccinate yourself and your kids. Protecting your family from disease also aids public health.
Take advantage of your right to elect the leaders in your country and local community."

"Se quem tem mais desse um bocadinho a quem tem menos, o mundo era melhor. É tão simples"

PAULO SPRANGER/GLOBAL IMAGENS
Publicado a 21/02/2017, por Ana Sousa Dias

"Passou a vida a fotografar mas aos 50 anos atirou-se de cabeça a um projeto de solidariedade que se revelou um êxito: a Cozinha Popular da Mouraria. Agora chegou a Muita Fruta, ou o sonho de aproveitar a fruta dos quintais da cidade


É fotógrafa de profissão, vive na Mouraria e é presidente da associação Cozinha Popular. Por que se meteu nesta aventura?
Nem sei bem como as coisas começam. Quando comecei a ficar sem trabalho como fotógrafa jornalista.

Freelancer?
Sim, freelancer. Começaram as limpezas nas revistas e pensei que tinha de encontrar alguma coisa para a minha vida. Quando uma pessoa faz 50 anos, começa a pensar o que é que interessa verdadeiramente, de tudo o que fez até aí qual é o fim que se pode dar a isto. Nos últimos 15 anos o meu trabalho foi sempre dar à cozinha, acompanhei a evolução toda dos chefs, fotografei-os, fiz artigos com eles, viajei muito. A cozinha interessa-me desde pequena.


Aqui não põe as mãos na cozinha, tem um cozinheiro.
Temos o cozinheiro, a equipa da cozinha e temos muita gente que vem aqui cozinhar. A minha intenção aqui não é ser cozinheira, mas ganhei fama de boa cozinheira entre os amigos, porque sempre fiz muitos jantares em casa. Isto é uma extensão da casa. Sempre quis ter uma família grande e gostei de mesas com muita gente e muita vida. Tudo foi dar a este projeto. E há o lado de ajudar os outros, não no sentido da caridade mas de tentar melhorar a vida das pessoas, melhorar um bocadinho o mundo à nossa volta. Fazer alguma coisa. A minha vida não tem interesse, ou só tem interesse se eu achar que estou a fazer bem a alguém, no sentido de mostrar outros caminhos ou partilhar coisas que vi ou que vivi.

Gilles Clément : «Jardiner, c’est résister»

"Depuis plus de quarante ans, Gilles Clément pense le paysage. Il aime avoir les mains dans la terre et travailler avec le vivant. Dans la Creuse, où il vit, à Versailles, où il enseigne, et partout ailleurs, puisque la planète est un jardin. Il porte la vision d’un monde où l’homme vivrait avec la nature et non pas contre.


Reporterre - D’où vous vient cette « vocation » de jardinier ?
Gilles Clément - Quand j’étais adolescent, chez mes parents dans la Creuse, je mettais les mains dans la terre. Ça me plaisait, car on voit le résultat tout de suite. Bêcher, semer, récolter. Même si à l’époque, je jardinais en arrachant les « mauvaises herbes » et en utilisant des engrais.
Au lycée, une enseignante de sciences naturelles m’a parlé du métier de paysagiste. Ça m’a séduit, et je me suis formé. Plus tard, en exerçant le métier, je me suis rendu compte que j’utilisais plus le vivant que le non vivant. La nature plutôt que le béton. Je me suis démarqué de la dimension de l’architecte en allant vers le jardinier.
J’attachais de l’importance à la diversité, à la vie, et ça coïncidait avec les préoccupations de l’écologie. Un paysagiste peut faire du paysage avec du béton, le jardinier travaille avec le vivant. Certains paysagistes ne connaissent pas les plantes, ils sont plus des sculpteurs.

Et vous êtes rapidement devenu un défenseur de l’écologie, à une époque où vous étiez le seul, ou presque, à porter ces idées…
Les idées que j’ai proposées ne sont pas nouvelles. Je suis de la génération 68. A ce moment-là, on disait tout, notamment sur l’écologie. Mais il y a eu plus tard un contrecoup terrible, l’économie capitaliste et néolibérale a pris le dessus, avec Thatcher et Reagan. On a oublié les avancées de 68. Il y a eu une perte, un recul, mais moi, je n’ai pas perdu cette conscience, parce que j’avais un jardin. En 1977, je me suis installé dans la Creuse. J’ai gardé les mains dans la terre. Donc je continuais à faire des propositions, à parler de jardin et de plantes. J’étais un Ovni.

Eis o seu cérebro ao ar livre

Perto de Seul, na Coreia do Sul, centro agitado da vida contemporânea,
Sungvin Hong descansa após uma caminhada no Parque nacional de Bukhansan.
O parque atrai cerca de cinco milhões de visitantes por ano.
Texto Florence Williams   Fotografias Lucas Foglia