Y Do I.
In his final film, Valentin Seuss documents the subculture that has formed around BMX bikes.
Film still from Valentin Seuss
Standbild aus «Y Do I» von Valentin Seuss
Standbild aus «Y Do I» von Valentin Seuss
Standbild aus «Y Do I» von Valentin Seuss
The “Do-It-Yourself” idea is deeply rooted in the skateboard and BMX scene . It is about finding individual and creative solutions to problems of various kinds. The passion to tackle and create things by oneself culminates worldwide again and again in the construction of DIY spots, self-built concrete skateparks with often temporary, more rarely permanent lifespan. It’s not just about the final product. The building process, with its efforts and challenges, holds vast amounts of potential for individual growth and experience of self-efficacy. It is as fulfilling for the stakeholders as the subsequent use of the site. Since potentially usable places are almost never released for this purpose by municipal or private authorities, motivated skaters and BMXers are often pushed into the illegality of unauthorized development. As part of a group of young adults, Valentin Seuss took the risks and documented the building process for his final project “Y Do I”, from the location search to joint skate and BMX sessions at his own DIY spot.
Valentin Seuss was born and raised in Nuremberg in 1994. For his 14th birthday he received a BMX as a gift and practices the sport to this day. Through subculture, he discovered his interest first in photography, and later in filming and editing. He began his studies in “Photojournalism and Documentary Photography” in 2015. Since then he has been freelancing in photography and video.
