Diving: Basque Country, 19 August 2018, unknown swimmers
Jumping: IJmuiden, 24 October 2018, Lisa
Diving from a high diving board is a visceral experience that is in many ways similar to jumping and falling. From an embodied perspective, diving involves a deliberate act of propulsion—a leap into the void that defies gravity and transcends earthly constraints. The sensation of leaving solid ground and entering into the fluid realm of water triggers a cascade of sensory experiences, heightening awareness and intensifying affect. Brian Massumi's affect theory becomes particularly relevant here, as the diver's body becomes a conduit for the transmission of intensity—a vessel through which affect flows and shapes subjective experience.
As the diver launches into the air, they enter a state of suspension—a liminal space between ascent and descent, where time seems to stand still. This moment of suspension is charged with affect, as the body registers the exhilaration of flight and the impending rush of impact.
The act of falling into the water represents a convergence of —a surrender to the forces of gravity that govern the body's trajectory. As the diver descends, they experience a sense of weightlessness—a liberation from the constraints of terrestrial existence. Yet, this freedom is tempered by the inevitability of impact, as the body hurtles towards the surface of the water with increasing velocity.
In this moment of impact, affect reaches its peak, as the body registers the full intensity of the plunge. The sensation of breaking the surface of the water—a moment of immersion and submersion—becomes a catalyst for transformation, as the diver is enveloped by the liquid medium.
Diving and jumping are akin to twin expressions of embodied freedom and exploration. Both acts evoke a sense of liberation, as the body opens up, arms outstretched to embrace the expanse of space, and chest forward in a gesture of forward momentum. Both bodies propel themselves into the space, reaching out and opening up to new potentials and intensities. Even though the diver in the right image opens up and expands their body even further, a similar movement is evident in the left image.