Philipp PETIT France / USA High-wire artist, Artist-in-Residence at the Cathedral St. John the Divine, New York Introduction by Gottlieb Guntern Philippe Petit astonished the world in 1974 when he performed a quarter of a mile above the sidewalks of Manhattan on a cable illegally stretched between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center. Born in France, but surprisingly not of the circus, he discovered magic and juggling at an early age. At sixteen he took his first steps on the wire. Expelled from five different schools, Philippe learnt everything by himself. Amongst some eighty performances on the high wire spanning twenty-five years and five continents, his favourites remain: - Notre Dame de Paris (illegal) - Sydney Harbour Bridge (illegal) - Cathedral St. John the Divine in New York City - The Paris Operahouse - "A Bridge for Peace" linking the Jewish and Arab quarters in Jerusalem - "Tour et Fil" inclined walk to the Eiffel Tower for the Bicentennial of the French Revolution - "Historischer Hochseillauf," inclined walk to Frankfurt's Cathedral for the 1,200th anniversary of the city, viewed by 500,000 spectators. With more than one trick up his sleeve, this remarkable high wire artist writes, draws, performs close- up magic, practises lockpicking and eighteenth-century carpentry, plays chess, studies French wines and was recently spotted bullfighting in Peru. And he has been arrested more than 500 times... for street juggling. As a high wire artist, he is currently focusing on a formidable triptych: - Grand Canyon - Sydney Cove - Niagara Falls 1 Philippe has been living in New York City for twenty years as Artist-in-Residence at the Cathedral St. John the Divine. 2 .