Philosophy
Here’s the philosophy at the heart of Agripp products
- Creativity and attention to detail
- Precision and innovation
- Ergonomic design
- Fluid and original shapes
- Optimal fine grain textures
- Skin friendly grips
- Variation
It all begins as raw clay, into which I work my creative spirit and climber sensibility, pinching the earthy matter into precision, giving form to a vision of climbing as continuous innovation and the search for new horizons. From this mass, the first contours emerge. Guided by my desire for aesthetics and perfection, I continue to shape, imagining the sheer joy that will be experienced by climbers upon first contact with the ergonomic formations I endeavour to create. My tools lie haphazard on the table ; I pick one up, then another, I model, hone, smooth, dreaming of a fluidity and an originality, of a fine grain texture just right for indoor climbing. Just as the planet gives us an astounding multitude of rock, textures and formations, I attempt to reproduce this variety of sublime natural grips. And as the day draws to a close, I stand back from the objects. My workshop has become a fleeting home for these holds, made to give you the largest variety of indoor climbing adventures imaginable.
I’ve been making climbing holds since 1994. From design to manufacture, I carry out every stage of the process. Making runs in the family : I work out of the same workshop as my grandfather and great-grandfather, both sculptors, and I’m enormously lucky to be surrounded by their creative heritage. Like my grandfather and great-grandfather, I’ve always worked by myself in the family workshop and this philosophy remains unchanged to this day. In the same spirit of climbing, and all that it involves (the places where it is practised and the people that are met there, not to mention the equipment required whether climbing outside or indoors), I consider Agripp to be an « artisanal business ». Retaining control is of the utmost importance and a source of pride to me. Every phase of the climbing hold lifecycle until delivery is truly the work of an independent sculpter/ climber..
Climbing to me means searching and developing, continuously discovering new places. It is a very personal combination of elements that inspire me to make climbing holds and define my unique style. It all comes down to precision and sensuality, embodied in each of my holds. Beyond these personal elements guiding my work, I also like to test new materials, keeping up-to-date with the latest discoveries regarding the tools that I use. In a nutshell, I like to push the boundaries surrounding formations and textures to make my climbing holds attractive in every possible way.
Sculpting each hold with my fingertips, it is vitally important to me to continue this manual artistry. This permanent contact enables me to focus my every attention, my fingers shaping the characteristics of each hold. Comfort, harmony and readability lie behind my philosophy of ergonomics and I see them as the most important elements in an intensive workout on my holds at an indoor climbing wall.
The manager of the Roc’house indoor climbing wall, I test my holds before selling them, gathering feedback from climbers on every aspect : shape, texture, grip, quality and range suitability. This in situ laboratory provides an authentic guarantee, watching climbers using the holds, listening to their comments and going back to the workshop to perfection the collection. And the ultimate test, seeing how the climbing holds perform over time…
Agripp history, ethics and spirit
I’m Philippe Ceulemans, the sculpter/maker behind Agripp. Born in 1969, I’ve been a climber since 1985 and Brussels is my home town. A sculptor of climbing holds, designer of artificial climbing walls, climber, boulderer, alpinist, amateur photographer, I also run the Roc’House indoor climbing wall. I’m passionate about climbing and mountaineering, and all that these two words conjure up. Travelling around the world for this sport is something that I love and, to me, it’s much more than a physical activity. It’s about ethics, outlook, spirit and their everyday practice.
My outlook : « Discovering and exploring legendary climbs around the world, sharing in the great outdoors with friends, immortalizing breathtaking shots and extreme action moves through photography. »
Climbing and mountaineering : « As a youngster, I already felt drawn to the world of climbing. I was fascinated by mountains, their soaring heights and their seeming inaccessibility. Mountaineering brings emotional satisfaction, enabling me to confront my fears, doubts and thoughts. As each climb leads to another, each more vertiginous than the previous, I feel even more alive, independent and liberated. As a climber, I never stop questioning myself, obeying my emotions and climbing aspirations. »
Climbing ethics : « Climbing ethics often feel more important to me than climbing itself. Essentially, it’s about always respecting nature, landscapes, flora and fauna on a climb. It’s about being humble when moving through a natural world that invites our admiration and which allows us to access places we wouldn’t have come to if it weren’t for climbing. In all, it’s about seeing ourselves as participating in nature’s world, and not the other way round. Respect, humbleness and transcending one’s own capabilities therefore seem to me essential values when practising this discpline that goes beyond being simply a sport. Taking on nature has taught me important lessons in decision-making and evaluating my own choices when faced with dangers.»
Performance : « I think it’s important to get away from the climbing grading system. As I see it, if a climber is solely guided by grades, then this means exposing him/herself to an inevitable pressure, which will have a knock on effect on climbing style and choice of routes, not to mention the objectives that the climber sets him/herself. Given the sheer diversity of climbing routes, difficulty is rather relative, yet this word continues to precondition climbers and give rise to competitiveness as soon as a route is rated « difficult ». I choose to keep a distance from all that. Achieving objectives in the heat of the climbing moment isn’t the most important factor, it’s human relationships and being in the great outdoors that mean the most to me, whether it’s bouldering with friends or a long crag route. »
Fear : « For me, fear is a very paradoxical…It’s a strong emotion which simultaneously encourages the climber and ignites action. But fear also has its rumblings in courage, it’s what sends courage soaring beyond the initial objective… »
« Courage is the compliment of fear. A man who is fearless cannot be courageous.» (Robert Anson Heinlein)