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The Flâneur by Jenna Newman
Recent newbie to collaborate with Belle Flaneur, is writer Jenna Newman. JN4BF (Jenna Newman for Belle Flaneur) has captured the spirit of our online community and crafted insights into what makes our creative team tick. JN4BF shares our passion to celebrate bright young talent and all things visually intriguing on the streets…
The Flâneur by Jenna Newman
The flâneur falls somewhere between Romantic escapism and Realism. The flâneur is rooted in the present, yet longs to be swept away by the excitement of the city. He or she is an individual who wanders through the city’s streetscape in hope of finding ‘happenings’ that excite or spontaneous rendezvous that inspire.
Literary hero, Charles Baudelaire defined the flâneur in the 19th century as someone who wanders the city in order to truly experience life in all its beauty. Centuries later, Belle Flâneur has resurrected the legend of flânerie. BF takes the streets to the online – from innovative fashion shoots to imaginative window displays.
By blogging about cutting edge street action and things that ‘make us modern urbanites’ tick, BF negotiates the urban space of our city’s streetscapes. BF’s anonymous blogger has conceived cyber flânerie to promote people’s talent and share these ‘happenings’. ‘Happenings’ that we stumble upon daily and leave us mesmerized.
Through a marvellous collaboration of talents, the community of BF provides an insider perspective on the electrifying and exhilarating ‘happenings’ that occupy our streets of today.
“To be away from home and yet to feel oneself everywhere at home; to see the world, to be at the centre of the world, and yet to remain hidden from the world—impartial natures which the tongue can but clumsily define. The spectator is a prince who everywhere rejoices in his incognito.”
― Charles Baudelaire, The Painter of Modern Life and Other Essays.
17 November 2011
Belle Flaneur is a modern
creation site for bright talent
to collaborate, develop
and shine. Our community
celebrates the aesthetics
of the city by transporting
street style to the
information highway. We strive to redefine, repurpose & reuse discarded objects to create sustainable concepts.
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Belle Flaneur. All rights
reserved. Do not use
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13 Comments
wow such a talented writer..cant wait to read more!
Love the concept…and of course anything with a French accent..;)
I agree with Lauren! Very engaging!
What a clear and brilliant definition of the somehow blurry concept of flanerie. As a french lady, I can only say Bravo! I love the pictures, they transported me in the past and connected me to the future in the same time. From this writing, I feel that the flaneur is not only “genderless”, but also timeless ! A great discovery …please keep writing!
I’m compelled to write something about this intriguing commentary on what it means to be a flaneur, hmm… maybe I will take a stroll outside and gather my thoughts and feel the vibe
Further thought on the “timeless” idea that came for me earlier from these pictures. As time is of essence in our busy modern lives, I just wonder how the modern flaneur finds the time to “flane” these days. I see Belle flaneur as an opportunity to feel the city, the vibe, the romantic “flanerie” from our window to the WorldWideWeb .
I guess Sophie The modern day flaneurs incorporates the “flane” in everyday life if only for a short stroll it’s important to take it all in. There’s always something interesting and engaging going on around us!
Oh Jenna you have helped me out so much with this piece and I’m sure many other Flaneur-ians as I have been struggling to verbally say what it actually means, now I can just direct people to read your piece which is so spot on, you really capture the essence and soul of what belle Flaneur is all about! So I just want to say thank you haha.
I knew you would do a fantastic job. So glad you’re on the team and can’t wait to read more!!
Thanks lc , you are so right! Today I just manage to ” flane” as I was getting a sandwitch for my boss downstairs. He was surprised it took me so long he was starving:-) and this morning I went to work using a new path. All are opportunities for “flane” and discovery. I guess the modern flaneur is “flaning ” more efficiently!
Walking the streets now has a beautiful new meaning… “Flanering”.. gone are the days of the old routine walks in the street just to purely get to a destination…I now relish in taking to the street to admire and take in the beauty and vibes..
Amazing writing Jenna.
Belle Flaneur truly amazing x
Welcome JN4FB! Thank you for Belle Flaneur’s first commentary, you have described us well. Indeed Baudelaire’s flaneur strolls & takes in the urban landscape, much can be read about this urban flaneur. Alas this morning we engaged with the landscape on foot & walked a Thoreau-ian discovery in the ‘wilderness’- albeit 10 mins from the hub of the urbane. Jacaranda & Flame tree’s abloom & the local magpie families have hatched their 2011 chicks. Walking in wilderness enables us to cherish all that is around us including the wildness, inside us all. The simple act of taking a stroll in Nature- iphone free, creates another space to dwell. Yield to Nature it will lead you to places of self discovery & beauty to behold.
“I think that I cannot preserve my health and spirits, unless I spend four hours a day at least–and it is commonly more than that–sauntering through the woods and over the hills and fields, absolutely free from all worldly engagements.” Walking by Henry Thoreau
http://www.transcendentalists.com/walking.htm
Baudelaire derived the meaning of the word flaneur & just as interestingly others have written volumes about this act of wandering, sauntering, strolling, looking & seeing, feeling & being. To walk is beautiful!
such magical words. Loving it. ‘conceived cyber flânerie to promote people’s talent and share these ‘happenings’. ‘Happenings’ that we stumble upon daily and leave us mesmerized.’ just blew me away
The inimitable Samuel Johnson once remarked, “Curiosity is one of the permanent and certain characteristics of a vigorous intellect.” His maxim is at play here. It is invigorating to see someone depart so fully from the affected disinterestedness and intellectual complacency endemic to our times and luxuriate in an honest wonderment. Your ardor for ‘cyber flanerie’, expressed with verve and style, is well represented by an artful and eloquent prose. If you’re not already a writer or journalist, then I submit, you have a talent that deserves, perhaps demands, the full measure of exploration and fulfillment. Well done Ms. Newman.