Philippe Petit
Philippe Petit
Philippe Petitis a French high-wire artist who gained fame for his high-wire walk between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York City, on the morning of August 7, 1974. For his unauthorized feat1,350 feetabove the ground, he rigged a 450-poundcable and used a custom-made 26-footlong, 55-poundbalancing pole. He performed for 45 minutes, making eight passes along the wire. The following week, he celebrated his 25th birthday. All charges were dismissed in exchange for him doing a...
NationalityFrench
ProfessionPerformance Artist
Date of Birth13 August 1949
CityNemours, France
CountryFrance
Everybody wanted me to be rich and famous on my art. And I said no to all the commercials and all the seedy offers.
I was born in a world of opera, theatre, films, poetry, art, and therefore, out of the wire, I made a stage. That's why they call me a high wire artist.
I was in art school once a week from six to 16, which was essential in shaping my artistic sensitivity.
Fame was never something I was seeking in my artistic journey. It's to be used as a tool for an artist to break open doors and keep creating. That's how I enjoyed fame in '74; it was not just for the emptiness of being famous.
I have been performing in the street for more than 50 years: magic for basically 60 years, and the high wire 45 years. The beauty of it is that it's never the same. It's never easy. And yet, part of my art is to make it look easy.
When art in general, and film in particular, succeeds is when it pulls you away onto a voyage. Then it's a good film.
Art is maybe a subversive activity. There is a certain rebellion when you are an artist at heart, even if only in the art of living.
If I look at the performance of another friend Sting, whenever I hear him take over a stage and share his art with millions, it's very inspiring to me. So I have a lot in my life, a lot of friends who inspire me and I'm sure it goes the other way around, or so that I inspire them.
When a loved one disappears, you continue to live with the accompaniment of that person. One has to find a balance between joy and sorrow.
It would be very, very dangerous for a wire walker to experience fear while he is balancing on the wire. Fear has its place on earth, before and maybe after a high-wire walk, but not during for me.
I started very early, from five or six years old, to climb. To climb trees, to climb rocks everywhere I could. At some point, of course, I used a rope.
An intellectual challenge presents itself? I am in bliss. Instantly, it brings forth the notion of triumph.
I've been arrested many times for illegal high wire walking and illegal street performing.
I wanted all my life to give my world into other arts - books, plays, movies - but I didn't want to sell out.