Antoine Predock:它如同我胳膊里的钢板
文_刘昕怡 图_受访者提供 特别鸣谢_Paul Fehlau
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Antoine Predock
1936年出生于美国密苏里州黎巴嫩。1985年被授予罗马奖(Rome Prize),2006年授颁美国建筑师学会金牌奖(AIA Gold Medal),2007年获得库伯休伊特国家设计博物馆(Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum)终身成就奖。他的代表作包括:加拿大人权博物馆、斯坦福大学国际研究所、新墨西哥斯宾塞表演艺术剧院、纳尔逊艺术中心等。http://www.predock.com
麓湖艺展中心
麓湖艺展中心充分利用原始坡地地形,耸立的高塔致敬四川的羌寨,弧线形主体呼应着湖湾,立面的红砂岩与绿色植被,使它充分融入当地的环境之中。设计者Antoine Predock形容它为“巨石爆裂到0.001秒的瞬间”。http://www.a4am.cn/basic/932/nid/931
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一个建筑师和它作品的十年,如同有机体一样,从大脑到土地。在他70岁那年,他决定在中国完成他职业生涯里最特别的一个作品。我们和他的三次对话,希望能展现这个建筑和它身处时代背景中的一个缩影——如何诠释当代的文化,建筑可以赋予的多元性,在中国城市拓展中被阻碍的……
创造,不总是一帆风顺。
2011年12月12日
《麓客》:是什么时候,你决定要成为一个建筑师?
安托:我当时学习工程专业,感到了不满足。后来遇到了一个建筑师,他的生活和工作激发了我。于是我转而开始学习建筑,并爱上了它。这之前,我已经学了3年工程。那年我21岁。
《麓客》:你的第一建筑项目是什么?
安托:是一个新社区建设,挺小,但它所处的位置很广阔,是一大块的土地。我要尊重这片土地,所以它也是我第一个以生态为基础的项目,那是1967年。我在同一年成立了自己的工作室。
《麓客》:你的早期项目都有某种相似性,比如从空旷的土地上突起的建筑,虽然后来建筑本身变得复杂,但依旧有一种“伏地式的宣言”。成都的地理环境不同,你怎样做有个人标签又有地域属性的作品,是通过创意点、建筑材料还是别的?
安托:人生就是一场进化。随着年龄的增长,你的内心在改变、阅历在拓展,你将越发深入地了解这个世界,并且多维度地调查和思考……如果我正在进行的是个一个城市建筑,这个建筑必须是有故事性的——这块土地、这片水域,它需要有某种表达,某种内在的关系。所以,无论是一个大的开放空间,还是城市里的建筑,我都能创造与这个地方有关的故事。
《麓客》:你喜欢户外运动,潜水、滑雪、摩托车……这些运动带给你了哪些不同的灵感和视角?
安托:你知道,建筑要解决关于实际功能的问题,这很容易。建筑也是关于身体穿过空间时的运动状态。所以我们要冒险,并且希望冒险是美妙的。这座建筑完成之后,我希望你有一种探索欲。如果一个地方你2分钟内便一览而尽,当然,那这个地方也没什么好探索的,对吧?对于一个建筑很重要的是,如何每次都能带来不同的体验感。建筑中的结构可以令人惊讶,如同在山中徒步旅行一样,发现不同的动物和森林。建筑中的变化是关乎于光,暗一点亮一点,你的感知都不同。
《麓客》:你关于经典建筑的标准是什么?
安托:有个词叫“永恒”(timeless)。一个伟大的大师在500年前创作了一幅美好的画作,这幅画在他的时代是具有意义的。当你在今天再看那幅画时,它是什么时候画的已经无关紧要,重要的是画作依然有一种力量驱使着你、改变着你。这就是永恒。建筑如同文学、电影等,建筑的风格在改变,但风格是短暂的,所以我对风格不感兴趣,我想要做的建筑是能具有永恒性的品质。当你在二三十年之后再看它时,你通过门把手感知它的修建年代,但是更大的感知来自于它如何驱动你、触动你的内心,并持久如此。这也是我希望我的作品也能做到的——永恒性。
《麓客》:在作品中,如何平衡客户的意愿和个人的作品表达?
安托:你是一个译者,进行语言之间的切换。我也是一个译者——客户告诉我他们的需求,我转换到建筑之中。我不会忽略他们的想法,并将其通过我这个“翻译器”转换出最适合的可能性,无惧时间考验的永恒性。
《麓客》:你自己的住所是自己设计的吗,是怎样的?
安托:我的房子修建于1973年,在里约格兰德(Rio Grande)的西南部,靠近河。因为地处沙漠,河流流经吸引了许多动物,比如说迁徙中的鸟类。这条河就是生命的源泉。从我家望去,能看到河流的完美景象,河背后就是起伏的高山……这里有一种特别的“山水”。山上有一座城市,灯光在山里闪烁,非常漂亮。当你从飞机上俯瞰时,你能看到城市之光,就在这条河流之上。人透过大自然、或是在摩托车上所观察到的景象对我而言很重要。
建筑必须与气候抗衡。在沙漠中,我的房子真的非常冷,比成都冷多了。即使春风刮得也很厉害,也许有些像北京周围戈壁吹来的风。风总是吹向一定的方向,建筑就得背对着风来的方向。我的家,用一面巨大的墙体来迎接卷着沙尘的春风,粗粝墙体的另一面,才是家温和的一面。
《麓客》:所以你也将建筑的这种双面性带入了麓湖的项目中?
安托:罗立平先生和他的团队构建一个绝好的“混杂功能”(mixture of uses),一个建筑集合了如此多元的功能,本身便具有实验性的。白天你来听一场演讲,晚上你来剧院看演出,你的生活随着空间功能性的白昼交替而延续。这不像你在办公楼上班,在黑暗中离开,这个空间自动地暂停了。功能的混杂是一个好的开始。
然后,中国有古老永恒的品质。我不知道你们想过没有,但是它就在你们的血液里,在你们的DNA中。当我第一次来到这里时,我意识到了尊重这个地方、尊重一方水土蕴藏的更层次的品质是一种义务。尊重大地自有的存在方式、呼吸状态,与周围万物的关联互动。客户能够理解,我能做的便是竭尽所能地尊重土地。我们尝试了很多方案确保最后能够完美呈现。建筑与土地紧密连接,是直观物理上的,就像是生活在地球上的一种动物,因为你是在安定的环境中创造了它。
还有一点很重要:太阳在哪儿?冬天的太阳很低,但你会想要有美好的日照空间;夏天太阳高而强烈,但你想要有个阴凉处。对特定元素的思考,使建筑设计变得具体,项目变得具体,如何完成它变得具体,而且最后取决于你是否真的想要完成它。这种思考并不常见,你只需要环顾四周,就会看到这家酒店和那栋大楼是如此相似,它可以存在于任何地方,毫无地域特色。这也是一种全球化。人人都有iPhone和iPod,全都一个样。美国建筑师来把美国的房子一模一样地建在中国……我们现在讨论的是品牌属性和真实性。
你知道,很多人只想要听废话(bullshit),没有感知也没有态度,也无所谓真实。
建筑的真实性与内在性相关联,场域和客户自有其内在品质。一个建筑师应该理解这种内在关联,通过知行合一投射于所要创造的项目中。
《麓客》:据说,你对麓湖艺展中心的屋顶进行了很特别的设计?
安托:我们今天在工地上看到很多红色切割的石块会用在这个项目中。还会有有玻璃,仿佛交错的水晶镶嵌其中。人可以走在上面,放心,它足以保护你。
2012年12月12日
《麓客》:收到那封邮件时,你的反应是什么?
安托:当我收到关于新路建设的通告时,我非常震惊。当你在创造一件艺术作品时——我将建筑视为一种艺术,而且就在即将完工的时候。然后……当你拿起一件作品,以随意的方式切割它,甚至不去考虑如何适当地进行切割……只是切一切,就这样。我非常地震惊,非常沮丧,它真地伤了我的心。我无法相信这是真的,我甚至无法想象这怎么会发生。我工作的时间如此之长,有50多年了,我不知道……我从来没有遇到过这样的事情。
《麓客》:所以这是第一次……
安托:从来没有!我曾今在全世界各个国家工作,欧洲、中东以及中国的其他项目,这样的事从来没有发生过!我非常地……我不知道,我觉得我不想要跟这个项目有任何关系了。我只是想要走开。
《麓客》:知道消息之后,你做了什么?
安托:第一天晚上我完全睡不着,然后我决定,我至少得回来看看,看看有没有什么可能。我能想到的是只能有两种方式——说“好吧”,然后接受它,它超出了我的能力;或者说“这事糟糕透顶了,但是有没有什么方法让建筑最精髓的部分可以保留那么一些”……但是,它永远无法成为它本该有的样子。
《麓客》:大家都非常地难过,不可抗力,无力挽回。
安托:山水的精神,是建立一种山水感,是阴阳之间的二元性。现在,它不再是自然界中的建筑了。从某种意义上来讲,没有山水了。尊重自然,周围得要有自然啊。没有了!也许还有部分残存,所以我们在努力……我要告诉你,我依然骑摩托车。有时,意外发生。自上次见你之后,我摔断了我的胳膊,现在这里植入了一块钢板。我不想只是抱怨,我是一个积极的人。我必须怀着积极的心态成功地治愈它。但是你也知道,它将永远不会像以前那样完美。永远会有一道伤痕,如同我的胳膊里的那块钢板。
《麓客》:当我们明确我们无力回天时,我们害怕告诉你。作为建筑大师,你做了很多成功的项目,得到业界的尊重,我们不希望你承受——以你的年纪,只有极少的项目可以同时兼顾。
安托:是的,我的年纪已经相当大了。我还多有少年可以搞建筑呢?而且,这原本是我最特别的项目之一。当我发现中国的深厚文化时,我从吐鲁番到乌鲁木齐在新疆游走,去云南的大理和丽江,去哈尔滨、桂林、西安,去敦煌的莫高窟,去上海北京……我不想成为又一个不尊重中国的典型老外,只是把他们在别地建造的东西生搬硬套地建在中国。我真的试图了解中国,去诠释时代下的中国精神——不只是一种怀旧和某种历史性,而是中国精神的延续性。
我觉得我的事业和工作是值得被尊重的。罗立平先生也很受伤,他不是典型的开发商,他做事很较真,他有信念和诚信,这是为什么我喜欢他,这是我为什么最初愿意做这个项目。我们第一次在洛杉矶见面,后来他来我的办公室好多次,从那时起,我们成为朋友并且彼此尊重。我知道他如我一样感受到了巨大的伤害。
《麓客》:你将怎样“治愈”这个项目?
安托:万华的团队有很多很棒的想法,我们正在头脑风暴如何“重来”。无论情况多么糟糕,我们只能充分利用当下,去治愈和拯救。这就像美国人的理想,走错了路,也要尽其所能地抵达。
昨天我们在工地现场,项目受到了严重的损害,三分之二消失了,我的心仿佛被掏空了。但是项目依然在生长,以顽强寂寥的方式。远远望去,湖面宁静,毫无疑问它依然会是很棒的项目,我们需要的,或许是时间。
2018年6月3日
《麓客》:怎么理解每个建筑项目当中存在的遗憾。
安托:当然很多项目当中有遗憾,有很多没有完成的事。这么多年当中我看到了诸多的变化,这个变化是突然发生的,作为设计师、建筑师,我必须要具有足够的适应里,要有韧性,这样才可以更好地去应对挑战,去解决各式各样的挑战。
比如有的人会问我觉得现在满意吗?因为这个地方已经是所有游客都愿意来的目的地,这是一个很有意思的地方,我也没有那么遗憾了。确实由于当时的打击造成了一些影响,我也很理解,原因就是这个好像是你自己的孩子,这对于我来说也像我的孩子,或者是我的孙子,因为我的年纪比较大。对于你的影响可能是比较严重的,我其实经常经历这样的情况,但这可能是最严重的一次。但是我们必须要去愈合这样的伤口。
现代的文化是很浅薄的,但它却有很深厚的历史,我们必须要去欣赏它,我们不应该复制文化,而应该去更新我们对于文化的感受。所以我们在建造那些有尖尖屋顶的仿古式建筑的时候,我觉得这对我们真实的古代寺庙其实是一种侮辱,因为我们不需要去复制它。
我从来不会说我设计出来的就是地标建筑。
我认为更重要的就是我们要更加的和客户合作,要变得更加务实,我们要做的就是尽职尽责完成我们和当地的设计,我们尽量可以保留当地的特色和精神,这就是我工作时的动力。
安托喜欢鲍勃迪伦的歌,有一句歌词,在82岁的他骑着摩托车上看到那个如同他体内钢钉一样的作品时,适时的浮现出来,“每条道路都很曲折,他们环聚在一起直到他们消失,我得承认我仍然听得到旷野的喊声”。
Dion McCarthy:建筑,由身体感知开始。
采访时间:2011年 撰文:刘昕怡 图片:Dan Sandoval
Dion McCarthy:麓湖蓝花屿别墅建筑设计师。DesignARC洛杉矶分部创始人,与Mark Kirkhart.同为建筑设计总监,他以DesignARC项目合伙人的身份获得了多项学术奖项。曾任教于美国南加州大学兼任设计专业讲师,并在包括南加州建筑学院、加州大学洛杉矶分校、欧特斯艺术与设计学院、艺术中心设计学院、亚利桑那州立大学等学校担任客座教授。
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“建筑是一种语言,就像诗歌和文学一样,有它的辞藻和韵律,但是渐渐的,你想要说好,说得更好,成为建筑语言体系里的专家。”
1989年,美国洛杉矶西部的Rancho Park,有一幢面积仅一百余平米的房子,被当地居民评为“区内最难看”,它狭长拥挤,充斥着中规中矩的传统风格且毫无吸引力。后来,房子迎来了一对年轻夫妇,他们将它焕然一新,成为这个街区最富现代浪漫主义的作品。这个房子的男主人公就是Dion McCarthy——一位建筑界以严谨和空间美学著称的建筑师。
虽然Dion只是希望将这所狭长拥挤的房子改造出“a lot of living area”(很多生活空间),但是他对现代建筑设计的敏锐和与生俱来的艺术审美,使这个梦想之家无处不显示出主人对艺术、建筑和闲适生活的热爱。
现在Dion一家人住在洛杉矶一幢四百余米的别墅里,依旧由Dion自己设计。院落四周环绕着一圈花圃,Dion的印度裔妻子Anji从母亲和祖母那里继承的艺术品古朴地成列在室内,充满着祥和的东方韵味。Dion还饶有兴致地将自己的房子制作成不足10厘米的铁铸模型,送给很多中国的朋友作为镇纸,这个银灰色、小小的、沉甸甸的模型,这就是Dion建筑风格的缩影:大气古朴中透着低调华贵。
Dion认为,无论建筑的构造如何,它都具有独特的灵性,人置身其中可以尽情融入,彼此安心存在。高个头的Dion虽然在建筑上有着一套缜密的逻辑判断,但在生活中,却是一个情感非常柔软细腻的人,他热爱自己的家庭胜过一切,每年都会挤出时间陪家人旅行,为了不错过儿女的生日,他会恳请甲方调整一下工作档期。这个视家庭为重要财富的男人,将对家的温馨感知画作一幅幅充满感染力的图纸,他体察着居住者的生活习惯、小孩子在不同成长期的特性、访客暂住时的舒适融入……他通过对空间和尺度的把控,渲染着家的彼此融合、浓浓祥和。
“如果你不那么在乎,那根本就不能去做。如果只按部就班,那也太无趣了。”
35年前,Mark Kirkhart在圣巴巴拉创立了DesignARC建筑事务所,13年后Dion在洛杉矶创立分部,两人共同管理公司。Dion偏现代的建筑风格与Mark的兼具商业气质的偏传统风格相映成彰,他们成为完美拍档,使这个规模不大的公司有着刮目相看的过人之处。
这是一个聚散离合的团队,他们的工作状态总是马不停蹄地“在路上”。他们可以在任何地方工作,从来没有停止工作,潜意识总在思量着设计上的事,只求那刹那间的灵光一现,并一直保持这样的思维状态。
每件案子,都会有很多的信息轰炸着大脑,甚至令人晕眩,但是极具诱惑的挑战刺激着神经,陈旧在革新,疲倦也无足重轻。Dion对自己身处的建筑行业有着博大责任心和的求知学精神,他的语调亲切却带有隐忍的严谨:“如果没有激情,我是无法在这样的强度下进行工作。如果你不那么在乎,那你根本就不能去做。”
麓湖的蓝花屿图纸被修改了N多次,目标总是不断地精益求精,每次修改都使它离目标更接近。在进行了“大尺度”的突破后,Dion的美国建筑思维让他对“小尺度”感到迷惑,在被万华邀请去参观了巴厘岛的顶级酒店和度假村后,Dion一下豁然开朗,哪怕小到如厨房、卫生间的尺度,都做到有精致和创意的突破,富于丰富的人性化体验。Dion非常在乎观点和视角的交换,他说:“如果只是按部就班,满足最基本地要求,那也太无趣了。但是有不少建筑师,就是这样工作的。”
“在美国,建筑师和设计师渐渐成为独立个体,习惯以自己的视角来工作,带有很强的观念,有时候我们需要弱化我们的观点,去感受不同的文化支点。”Dion微笑坦言,自己永远不会以太老、太自信、太固执为由抗拒独树一帜的新鲜思想,建筑是一个充满刺激性的领域,它需要有很强的观点,需要激情和热度去创造和开拓;但是不需要有固定的僵化思维,不需要糖衣炮弹。
【对话】
《麓客》:您很小就立志成为建筑师,这样的建筑启蒙对您的生活方式有怎样的影响?
Dion:对我而言,建筑是非常具有包容性的生活方式,这里有非常好的同步关系,当你认定某种特定的生活环境之后,会产生有“切身生活其中”的想法。当建筑并非被看过一件产品时,它就变得不同凡响,建筑师成为建筑庞大体系的一部分,与它同呼吸,同存在。
《麓客》:您将建筑形容为一种语言,如何理解这门语言并让更多的大众接受它,与之交流并产生共鸣?
Dion:建筑的结构如同阅读时的标点停顿,被分割为不同的章节,每个章节有不同的情感,组合在一起便有了兼容性的中心思想。所有的建筑,都是由人类的身体感知开始的,达芬奇就曾表达过这样的观点。
《麓客》:与万华团队的合作是您在中国的首例,不同的文化背景是否对建筑语言的交流带来不便?
Dion:我享受文化差异,与万华团队的合作给我们带来了机遇,在综合合作中给我们带来了额外的收获,我了解更多的中国知识。我们享受彼此带来的不同视野,让建筑本身具有国际化的语言,让更多的人看懂,这是麓湖项目的一个典型思想。
《麓客》:建筑语言体系也是建立在不同的文化环境纸上的,有过怎样别有生动的文化体验?
Dion:文化的差异真的是很有意思的事。20年前,Adam到中国工作,那时候中国正处于巨大的变革转折时期,美国商人想要进口中国布料和衣服卖给美国的高档时装店,却不知如何出手,中国供应商茫茫然不知道客户的需求,于是他们有了一个文化对话的好时机。在建筑上,也运用了观念交叉的方式,建造了一个中国的常规形式——一面红色的喷漆墙,表达对中国文化中象征幸福和成功的一种致敬。同时,区域内也创造了美国特征,比如在等候间的咖啡桌上,摆放了一束肯塔基州干草。干草从集装箱转运而来,被当地人传成了漫天的嘲笑:“那些愚蠢的美国人,居然花2500美元用来买一束干草,我们只需要两毛钱就可以在路面要上买上一大把。”后来很多外国人留在中国做文化投资,中国的商贩也将产品卖到了美国,这在1989年是非常cool的一件事。文化意识形态最自然的流露,也能显示出不同的建筑逻辑。
《麓客》:您的作品有非常强烈的几何视觉,大小部分看似简单组合,却像谜一样,倘若拆掉某个部分,又不可再拼凑为一体,甚至像Jenga(积木层层叠)一样瞬间坍塌掉。
Dion:我关注建筑由内向外的空间感,当一个人置身于全新的“世界”,会对空间产生最初的个人感知,我们让这个想法渗入建筑理念,通过形象化的方式重新解决外装,使得整个氛围协调。我个人不是很偏好太疯狂、太偏离轨道、让人焦灼不安的设计感。
《麓客》:蓝花屿的建筑风格很现代、很时尚,跟中国常规的建筑风格截然不同,作为“外来”建筑,从设计理念到最后的执行,会不会存在同样的“水土不服”?
Dion:为什么雇佣不同文化的人来做一个特定区域的建筑?20世纪50年代的美国纽约,Ian Paye先生为当时的建筑景象带来了特殊的东方色彩,这至关重要的先例成为六七十年代的一种趋势,这在他现在所做的北京香山别墅项目上也有体现。人们对事物的了解和判断标准,很大程度依赖于所理解的文化形态,作为一个设计师,将一个文化转移到另外一个新的事物上时,必然激发新的文化载体,这种“新”也会就成为文化的一部分。
《麓客》:做中国项目之前,您是否对中国的建筑文化有过很深入的研究?
Dion:仍然在不断的学习中,包括中国的传统经典建筑和城市规划方面。比如,之所以成为贸易都市是因为近河,还是临山。中国的文化博大精深,建筑的前提是需要明晰传统精髓和陈腐思想的界定,经典文化是什么,城市形成的自然环境和社会背景是什么,等等。环境的差异带来了不一样的文化生活状态,对理解建筑有决定性作用。我总是试图多来成都,观察光线,了解植物的生长情况、它的气味花期、交通情况、市民文明程度……这些细微之处在设计中非常重要。
《麓客》:很多国际大师都在中国作出了很有既具中国特色有很有个人风范的作品,关于两者的兼顾,您在蓝花屿上的设计上遇到了哪些问题?
Dion:在某些方面,它有很多严格极端的限制,而某些方面完全任由建筑师发挥,毫无禁忌,这是令人生畏的挑战。早些时候我在同Adam聊(Adam Dolle,DesignARC内装设计总监),何时收,稳住多久,何时放,怎么放手,这很难,考验着建筑师收放自如的技巧。特别是像中国这样的环境之下,有真实存在的强大地域能量和对新事物的渴望,在短时间内重塑自己的文化,非常考验外来的建筑师们。
《麓客》:这些“考验”和“限制”是否会阻碍设计的完整诠释,哪些方面的调整能使之平衡不失特性?
Dion:其实,我们很享受这些限制,得以在项目中被自主地牵引。在我看来,最糟糕的情况是“随便你怎么做”,那样最无趣。有很多开发商可以支付比现在高一两倍的报酬,却只要求我们做到现在一半那么好就已足够。我对我们工作室说,这不是“有利可图”的项目,这会丧失灵魂,趋向灭亡。我们总是可以避免这种情况的发生,我们深知与优秀团队的合作,才能让工作变得更有价值。
《麓客》:面对不同的文化冲击,中国的建筑师们怎样才能在“享受新文化冲突”中,将建筑做出特色?
Dion:教育。显而易见,像中国这样发展的民族,最终也会有高水准的建筑教育水平。50年代起,我曾就读的密歇根大学有就有相当一大批的中国留学生,来这里读书立志成为工程师,他们改变了中国半个世纪的进程。但是当时的他们大多从事的还是修建而不是创造性的项目,完善教育系统成为中国快速发展十分迫切的事。
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李永开:侠义赤胆刀剑客
采访时间:2013年 撰文:刘昕怡 图片:赖许竹
李永开:民俗学者、观念艺术家、收藏家、广告人。长期致力于刀剑甲胄、藏传密宗法器、漆器、民族服饰等传统技艺的研究和复兴工作。2011年与龚剑创立成都见地民艺传习研究院,他们力图建立一个中国古代刀剑甲胄的资料库,建立中国传统工艺的谱系。
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李永开,快人快语,行事果决,让人想起马帮帮主,爽朗直接,不羁彪悍,性情中人。
他说,百年后的人们或因当下的影视小说作品揣测历史曾经,而那些张冠李戴的刀枪剑戟,令人失语;他说,现实是过去的未来,他渴望复刻一个冷兵器时代的风雨兴衰;他说,藏而不用视为恋物癖,建立中国传统工艺的标准识别系统,是他的使命。
天下大事舞剑识
自古以来对刀剑兵器的记载寥寥,出土文物中,也只有在夏商周时期、春秋战国时期有所见闻。这大概源于中国传统文化对于兵器的禁忌,不允许民间私藏兵器盔甲,明清时代更是有轻则“杖五十流三千里”、重则灭门的惩罚。而无论时代如何更迭,在李永开眼中,人类的进化史就是战争史——猿猴学会制作工具,才标志着“变成人类”,制作工具的目的就是为了战争——获取更多的实物,保障生存。“国之大事,在祀于戎”,“戎”是冷兵器时代国家最重要的军事手段,历如同我们当下航天科技、原子弹等。兵戎不仅体现国家国力,兵器的质量好坏、华美程度、实用性杀伤力,承载着科学、美学和民族文化的艺术体现。
从李永开潜心复刻而成的刀光剑影中,想象在那遥远的冷兵器时代,那不言而喻的光辉和峥嵘岁月。战场上,人与兵器合体,似兄弟,视生命。如同象形字“胄”——“月”代表血肉之躯,“胄”指的就是一个人戴着头盔、英冠或者羽毛。当社会的体系结构发生变化,传统文化失去了生存的土壤,变得分崩离析。我们执意要维系、恢复过去的状态,是不可能的。李永开理性地看待传统在当下的尴尬境遇:“如果你真的去体验传统生活,估计过上三个月你就要落荒而逃。我们很多传统是无法跟生活产生直接联系的,尤其是刀剑甲胄、金银器,它成本过高、不实用。我们现在接触最多的刀不过是水果刀和菜刀了。”
“毫无疑问,我现在做的都是无用之物。”李永凯自嘲道:“价值观和生活方式的改变,有些东西必然从这块土地上永远地消失。不仅是中国,全世界企图现代化的任何一个地方,结局都是一样的。不同的是,西方很多国家已经开始做这样的历史梳理。”李永开对刀剑甲胄之爱实属大爱,他痛心于那个回不去的年代,没有更多的资料文献留于世,整理收集时渺若尘埃;他疾首于当下“重利轻义”的文化体系——当我们谈起这块土地的文化时,没有完整的架构和记录,道听途说,错误参考。
“我们的皮肤血统,正如我们长期食用的东方稻米一样,是在特殊的语境和特有的文化氛围内,必然而然形成的。如果丧失传统,人便失去了根基,失去了身份认知,便无法追溯前世今生,”这是基于某种危机感和使命感,悉心研究中国民俗文化几十年的李永开,在2011年正式开始开展铸剑计划前,天南地北做了很多深入的研究,也私人收藏了很多价值不菲的老器物。有人觉得这是“收藏”,是在“玩”,李永开却不敢做得草率:“传统民艺的消亡是一种宿命,在这个死亡过程中,我希望它是有尊严、体面地死去。”李永开如是说,那沉浑的声调有着令人禁哑然的悲壮。
刀光剑影诉阶层
手握凤鸟纹汉环刀的青衣男子,面孔英俊,一撮精神的小胡子,头顶一个菩头,翩翩折袖,刀鞘在腰际隐约可见。李永开复刻的每一把刀剑,背后都蕴藏着一个阶层的故事:“在中国当下的语境中,传统文化中的一些修养与价值观是根植于那些受到过高等教育的知识分子的内心深处的,比如儒家思想、道家思想等,他们有相应的精神需求。”
自古以来审美都是至上而下的体系。古人之所以选择某种生活方式,持有某种风格的器物,是有一个指导思想。李永开娓娓道来:“一个浸润儒家文化的书生,对人文主义对士大夫文化有所情结,可能会对丝竹产生浓厚兴趣。而南宋之后士大夫基本消失,明清时期对知识分子的严酷到了不堪入目的程度,宫廷党政尔虞我诈,腥风血雨。”士族审美的逐渐丧失,社会必然形成一种新的“耍法”——江南地区瞬间致富的巨贾。他们在有钱又得闲之时,开始“把玩”生活,他们偏爱精巧之美——在象牙片上刻字三千或在核桃上刻精致小人,穷其工本的细腻除却精湛的记忆,缺乏精神张力。
在汉朝冶铁技术突飞猛进时期,四川最著名的“钢铁老板”——司马相如的老丈人卓王孙,在四川大邑邛崃开山伐木,冶炼钢铁,搞得当地乌烟瘴气,乌云满布,惹得百姓连连上访告状。对钢铁的迫切,标志着铜器时代向铁器时代的快速过度和发展,那段可谓“奇迹”的探索期,让冶铁技术空前鼎盛。铁器的普及,依旧是从农具发展而来,而后才作为利器“如何杀人更快捷”不断升级。铁作为可制作刀剑弓弩的原料,也因此受到了严格的管制,同战国晚期大量铜器入库的命运如出一辙,铁器也成为民间的稀有物。
刀剑可以映射出一个时代的政治经济、文化审美,以及人们当时的精神状态。李永开馆中一把复刻的“唐洒金朱漆龙缳首仪刀”,由两种铁制造而成。刃口所用铁含碳量少,软绵;刀口锋利坚硬,由高碳钢插入背脊软钢中,两者用软钢将其锻造为一体,非常科学有力。而清朝的“清朝地字一号太阿腰刀”装饰奢华精细,却在刀剑实用性的锻造工艺上大不如从前,从刀的宽窄即可看出其衰落的迹象。
天命使然论进化
一把刀剑的诞生,并非只是物理组合化学作用。这背后有精益求精的研究探索论证,运用精相学研究,对成分含量进行判定。不同时代的刀剑,使用功能不同,锻造、萃火、表面打磨等工序不尽相同。李永开以谨慎、谦卑、崇敬至诚惶诚恐的心情,每个环节都认真严谨,他希望自己更像一名学者——“没有创造,只是严格的恢复和复制,还原历史”。又岂能全然地“没有创造”,埋没于苍苍历史的刀剑甲胄,需要大量的资料文献、民俗佐证、各种民艺的融会贯通,在时光隧道中寻找到那些破碎的线索。
盛放干果的元朝纯银小碟,放在被子或袖笼里的香囊,贴着金片银片地铜镜,夹经书的朱漆木板……那些被复刻出来的精巧之物,让人看到古代体面人的精致生活。古代人的生活并不是我们以为的那么不堪,反而很有品质。比起随处可见的爱马仕和LV,他们艺术融入生活的东西比我们多。这是一个最好的时代,也是一个最坏的时代。“适用于当今的科学生活手段很先进,但是却没有支持这种手段的先进思想和哲学思想来支持它,我们当今面临的最大问题是价值的丧失。”李永开说自己是个悲观进化论者:“科学改善我们的生活方式,我们可以吃得更好,但却不足以让我们活得更好。活法有很多种,不仅仅是吃喝拉撒的问题,还有精神需求、个人价值、对民族、对自由的思考。”
在崇尚物尽天择的进化论发展中,漫漫的刀剑史梳理过程中,李永开努力做一个客观的中立者,理性地看待人的利益和价值,他说:“任何信仰都必然影响我的价值观。”向善向恶都会背“记录”之道而驰。文明若有高下之分,在李永开心中,便是“文明之于人,之于人性的尊重”。
“我们每个人都将死去,在这个过程中,填饱肚子是低级而原始的动物标准,锦衣玉食也不过是物化的产物。人变得有价值是在于我们最终在这个世界上发出了怎样的声音,我们以什么姿态活着,我们做出了什么有意思的事情。”
链接
- 汉刀、唐刀、日本刀的区别
汉刀简洁实用,设计感强。唐刀源于汉刀,风格大气,有杀伤力。日本刀严格承袭了汉唐刀的形式,日本的皇室不曾像中国那样“改朝换代”,铸造工艺一直有所传承,渐渐彻底发展定性为如今所见的样子。唐刀以直为特点,仔细看来,有一个向下的小弯,在砍切时会有一个微妙的弧形,用力方便,杀伤力强。汉刀下弯弧度略大,日本刀从中间向上翘。
- 日本东大寺正仓院
日本奈良东大寺内的正仓院,日本圣武天皇建于公元八世纪中期的奈良时代,是用来保管寺内财宝的仓库。收藏有服饰、家具、乐器、玩具、兵器等各式各样的宝物,总数约九千件之多,其中一半以上来自中国、朝鲜等国,最远有来自波斯的宝物。有一种说法甚至认为,“正仓院是丝绸之路的终点”。每到秋高气爽的十月,东大寺正仓院会有一次“晒宝”,选择部分传世之宝对开展出。日本是世界收藏唐朝传世文物最多的国家。
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马勇的马,马勇的勇
采访时间:2013年 撰文_刘昕怡 图片_赖许竹 拍摄场地_新加坡成都和境马术俱乐部 特别鸣谢_赵翼川
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一张口,就晓得马勇是土生土长的成都人,几听几听就晓得他从小就是个费头子。马勇,曾经是个“马疯子”,现在依旧是个热血马痴。十多年,马圈待久了,好马撇马都骑过,马背上绊狠过;十多年,一向牙尖嘴厉的他多了几分稳重把细,对马儿曾经奔腾式的狂热变成润物无声的大爱。不过,当你看到他的国画时,依旧会惊叹:如此跳攒的一个人肯定有多重人格,居然可以用那轻盈的墨笔把那花鸟虫鱼画得自有生趣。
缘启,也算青梅竹马了
马勇一出生就跟马结缘,这不仅因为他老汉儿(父亲)姓马,老汉儿爱画马,还因他外婆那阵子管着可以骑溜溜马的人民公园。从人民公园到望江公园,再从都江堰河滩到银厂沟景区,不管是初见时那匹瘦精精的矮马,还是公园长道上小快步奔跑的白马,或是景区里代步之用的工具马,幼儿园到初中,马勇童年和少年的美好时光,就是在这些出生黯淡、没啥品种的马背上乐颠乐颠地度过的。
上个世纪九十年代初,温江开始赛马了,可把十七八岁的少年马勇激动得。当时赛马场的马大多属于单位或社会名流,普通百姓是“没资格”骑的。尽管如此,单是看马儿放肆奔跑的场景,足以让马勇的心火痒痒的了。狂热的爱马之情,便是从那个时候开始肆无忌惮地生长。大概两年后,就不准赛马了,可那些马、那些因为马场而存在的人怎么办?马场开始转型,变成租赁制,这也迎来了马勇正儿八经骑马的日子。二十元骑一圈,四百块骑一天,马勇就在那个时候骑着马儿去到了青白江、大邑、崇州、新津、青城山等周边地区。
“当时有谁专门训练你们?”问话还没说完,马勇放下手中的普洱茶壶,鼓瞪着眼大喇喇地插话:“教练,就是帮你牵下马的,跟你说下最最基本的东西,比如说‘起浪快步’,意思就是屁股和腰要随着马的起伏节奏去变化,才不会被腾到(弄疼)。当时年轻,胆子大,骑着骑着就会了。”虽然租马有诸多缺点,但是胜过眼巴巴的“望梅止渴”。这期间,马勇骑过各种马,性子急的、性子皮的,步伐大的、步伐小的,步子灵活的、步子笨拙的,嘴软的、嘴硬的……“但是还是不满足。”马勇的语气像一个嗜辣如命的人,嫌弃四川火锅的汤料还不够足。
在马勇二十多岁的时候,温江的马场出现了从新疆、昭苏等地引进的国产马,这些马的到来开启了人与马之间的新关系——寄养。两万至四万买一匹马,每月花六百块将它寄养在马场里(后来寄养管理费涨到一千五)。几年后,“骑、挂骑、跑、跳”等各种耍法(玩法)都被马勇耍尽(尝试过)了,当马勇他和他那帮马友实在找不到耍法,幼稚到拿着棒棒(杆子)在马背上互追互打时,纯血马进入中国,完全让这群“没见过市面”的马疯子惊呆了。
说到这,马勇停顿了一下,话锋一转:“骑马这么多年,我是我们这帮人摔得最轻,受伤最少的,现在也是胆子最小的。这些年,发生了太多事了。”几句话的起承转合间,不免有几分历经风雨不得不承认命的感觉,要知道,胆子不是一般大的马勇,也是真真实实在马背上感受过生死一线的“两茫茫”。
五圈,差点死在马背上
那天,二十多个朋友跟马勇一起在温江马场上,准备见识一下这批从香港赛马会退役后的纯血马,在艳羡好奇的众目下马勇骑上了自己的第一匹纯血马。一上马,马勇便察觉出这匹马的不同,他普及了当时自己并不知晓的一个常识:“我们当时是田园式的骑法,脚蹬放得比较长,腿可以自然下垂,要站起来或咋样都很方便。这匹马曾是竞技赛马,脚蹬很短,上马后脚是跪着的,身体得往前倾。”上马之后,马勇曲着脚正在想要不要把脚蹬放下来,周围的朋友也在好奇这个差异时,随行一位对这匹马略有知晓的人大喝了一声“GO”,马就激情澎湃地飞窜了出去。
“马一出去就加速了,当时我的状态也很兴奋,也没有制止它,我也想跑呀,而且我觉得我驾驭马的能力很强。拐过第二个弯道上直道时,我就晓得它速度有好快了,70码的样子。这种感觉,你可以把车开到七八十码,然后打开车门,将脑壳(头)撑(伸)出去试一哈(下)。马上下颠簸,第一圈还没得啥子,反正觉得很不适应。当我再骑到我朋友那里时,二十多个人一起高呼了他们才学会的一个词‘GO’,马又加速,一火色(一下子)就冲出去了,而那个时候我已经明显感受到我体力不支了:速度快到眼睛睁不开,我又戴了隐形眼镜,没戴风镜,没戴头盔,耳边全是风,他们好像在对我喊,我都听不到,只有风声。”
回忆起当时的场景,马勇绘声绘色的描述只能用“万马奔腾”来形容,视觉上不仅很具场景感,地道的成都口音加上他独特的句式,感同身受地再现马儿奔腾时“踏踏踏”的力度和耳边“轰隆隆”的风声。
用缰绳拉停对这匹烈马而言丝毫没用,与一般的马减速相反,这匹马伸长着脖子越跑越快。“就像明明踩的是刹车,却踩到了油门样。”马勇说:“再强壮的人,都不能与马相比,连续四五次,我的手就没力了,丁点儿(力)都发不出来。”因为脚跪着,马勇只能用腰将自己稳稳地控制在马上,当他一拐弯,看到朋友手拉手一排站在跑道上企图将马给拦住时,在马背上不知所措的马勇内心“还是感到比较高兴”。“结果那马还有至少五十米远的时候,狗日的,全部给我跑了。”马勇一边愤愤然,一边也特别理解:“他们再拦一下,可能有效果,可是如果马急停,我肯定飞出去。”
第三圈,跳马已经是唯一可以想到的选择。“我左右一看,都不敢跳,右边是酒杯那么大(尺寸确定)的钢管,马巴着(贴着)钢管在跑,左边一看,那个速度太快了。绊下去简直无法想象,断哪儿都有可能,说不定还有更可怕的事。”就在犹豫和判断中,第三圈就这么过去了。在接近五公里的第四圈,马勇发现了在当时看来有些奇怪的微妙现象:“它哗哗哗冲过去,每个弯道都会换腿,这就是专业运动员。我们跟刘翔都会跳障碍,但是刘翔的跑法和跳法跟我们一定是不一样的。以前骑的马是用本能在跑,这匹马可是香港经受过特殊训练的,背高一米七二的英纯血。”体力已近耗尽的马勇,很清楚自己再坚持一圈就只能听天由命了,他一边忍着身体的疼痛和乏力,脑中逃生的意识在不清晰地闪烁,他决定,即使跳马是唯一的选择,也得先将要腿解放出来。
“马也跑得累了,速度稍微慢点儿了,我找到一个点,撑着马的前鞍站起来,努力了好几次,我一哈(下)子就站起来了。我一站起来,马就停了。”
在速度赛马里面,为了0.1秒去冲锋,而这0.1秒背后代表着几百万上千万的巨额奖金,驯马师只会驯马冲,一旦冲过终点线,骑师一站起来,马就停了。“所以说,这匹马的刹车,不在缰绳那里。”每每想起这次经历,马勇都不禁后怕,他也因此学会了英国谚语:“人和马在一起发生事故,永远都是人的错。”
“我爱你,不等于我不打你。”
“后来跟老外学骑马,狗日的才发现啥子都不懂,以前没受过专业指导,纯粹是一个野人在骑,之后再也不那么也野气了。现在,对马的热恋实际上也过去了。”马勇骑马,渐渐到达了一个分水岭,2007年至今,他很少骑快马,却依旧参加相对更加剧烈的马球运动。这样的变化,不仅跟前后马背上的三次惊险奇遇有关,还因为自己纯血爱马“Tango(探戈)”的死亡。
“两年都在医治这匹马,我身边的朋友都跟我开玩笑:骑师都变成兽医了嗦(嗦,四川人常用的调侃语气词)。”几年再谈起此事,马勇的眼中依旧有难平的思念和感伤:“纯血马,大自然造物是没有这个品种的,两百多年的杂交它的基因已经很稳定,优缺点却十分明显:高大、结构好、速度奇快;性格敏感,身体某方面有缺陷,容易受伤。”
饲养纯血马是一种挑战,曾经说过不买马的马勇,在见到“威风”时,依旧心动了。这匹同他黄金时代一样桀骜不驯的英国纯血马,却有咬人的毛病,甚至在自己主人面前,也会做出后退一步要咬的动作。“‘威风’被骟之前,是不敢将它与其他马圈在一起的,见马打马,只有隔离起来单独养,‘威风’也因此很自闭。”马勇说:“打马也看主人,马场的人知道是我的马,莫得一个人敢动它!”
偶然的一次,荷兰弗里斯兰省来了一位受政府委派而来的驯马师,也就是那次,新加坡和境马场最“歪”(凶)的“威风”被狠狠地收拾了。“‘威风’一看到就要去咬,老外‘啪’就是一耳屎(耳光),打在嘴软的嘴巴上,‘威风’还要咬,‘啪’又是一耳屎(耳光),两三下就把它驯住了。”马勇喃喃地说,如同说起自己心爱的孩子:“那天我就下决定,‘威风’一定要这样(被训),不能再乱来了。”
“包括我的狗,一样是要打的,适度的。这并不等于你不爱它。”马勇爱动物,他爱得理性又热忱,他说:“人你不能去打,不管男人女人,我们是平等的,这是基本素质。但是动物不一样,你不能因为爱它,它就变成人了,很多,它不懂。”
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版权所有,禁止转载。合作请与作者联系。
高宁,山巅舞蹈的老顽童
采访时间:2013年 撰文_刘昕怡 图片_赖许竹
赛尔热·高宁 Serge Koenig
(时任)法国驻成都总领事馆副领事,阿尔卑斯—四川山地旅游开发合作处法方总代表。曾担任了十七年的法国国立滑雪登山学校教练,并在位于巴黎的法国国家体育部担任了长达五年的顾问。现将毕生精力用于全球分享他在山地领域的知识和技能。
这个年过半百的法国男人,身材高挑,精神矍铄。他全身心享受着“不接地”的生活,在高山上飞檐走壁,在空中御风而行,在向上攀登的“never fall”和高空跳伞的“just fall”之间,将自己交付给大自然,自始自终自由、热情、创新、挑战。他说:“Take the nature as guide and you will never take the wrong road.”(循着大自然的指引,你便永远不会迷失。)
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山在那里,美丽不可抗拒
小区门口“严禁攀爬”的牌子专为高宁而设,可他依旧匍匐在凹凸不平的岩壁上。他的眼在冷静地寻找,他的手在敏捷地探索,他踮着脚尖,他腰间蓄着力量,他身轻如燕。危险和担心?那是因为旁人对高处的未知、对尝试的恐惧、对束缚的屈服,他像个孩子般自信地笑着:“它是拦不住我的。”
1972年,14岁的高宁与伙伴一同攀登了家附近的一座山脉,对山难以名状的热情让他越来越痴迷这项不仅与重力对抗、更与精神较量的运动。高宁有8本厚厚的暗红色登山笔记,封面贴着他不同时期在路上的照片。随意翻开一页,工整的笔迹,图文并茂。从第一次登高到成为法国驻成都总领事馆的副领事,31年过去了,高宁数不清攀登过多少悬崖峭壁,透明胶布蒙上的照片也已经发黄,但穿越时光的一页页书笔绘画,呈现出一个山痴的精彩、执着、甚至有些常人不可理喻的生活轨迹。
那还是在少年高宁刚开始迷上攀登的时候,有一天,他的父亲很兴奋地对他说:“我给你找到工作了。”父亲的欣喜换来高宁坚定的拒绝:“不,我要登山。”
“为什么?”
“只因为那些山在那里,美丽且不可抗拒。”
如果不攀登,高宁或许会是一个画家,或许会效力于NGO,或许成为户外用品设计师。“但是攀岩给我的热情和满足是最令我着迷的。大山有时会以恢弘的气势来探问我们对世间法则的认识,它教人学会谦恭和明智。”少年高宁拒绝父亲介绍的工作,或者更早时,他灵魂里寄居的骄傲山鹰便已然苏醒。他的心紧紧贴着大地的脉搏,他呼吸着高海报上稀薄的氧气,感受山的神圣、敬仰,他一步一步欣喜地靠近,再一步步平静地归去。
极限两端,我的原生态生存
高宁“玩”得很“野”,仿佛只要跟“极限”相关的运动,他都涉足过,山地攀登、皮划艇漂流、俯冲、滑翔伞、滑雪、高空跳伞……图片中全副武装的他看起来总是那么小小的一点,一个侧面,一个背影,高宁就像那微小的一粒尘,任凭自己在自然的壮美中遨游。他并非为了征服这些运动,而是透过这些方式,去靠近、去触碰,去感知人类复杂的生活空间,去了解它们的强大和脆弱,去学会在原生态的环境中,生存的意义。
如果说攀登让高宁学会坚持和沉稳,那么高空跳伞让他懂得了释然和感恩。“在山壁上,我必须谨慎每一步,我不断告诉自己‘不要掉下去不要掉下去’跳伞则是一个无限坠落的过程。”在高宁形容这两项运动时,窗外恰好透来一缕阳光落在他的脸上,他淡淡的蓝灰色眼睛在熠熠闪光:“我便是在不断攀登和下坠的过程中,找到了与自己对话的方式。”
高宁对事对人清晰分明,不喜欢伪善,喜欢纯粹。当年在与法国政府合作时,他用减少一半薪水的条件换取了只做项目的单纯,他狡黠一笑:“我只做登山相关的项目,我不写政府报告。我们的合作一直很愉快。”当高宁形容自己的性格,除了写下“热情”外,还写了一个矛盾晦涩的词组——“慷慨和吝啬”。如果说做人像是端着一杯水,他认为要慷慨给予需要水的人,也不能浪费杯中的任何一滴。不禁想起李敖在《北京法源寺》中,借谭嗣同之口说出的一句话:“你不能全选全得,你有所取有所不取,有所不取就该坦然面对有所失,有所失就有所惜。”
高宁在成都的家,摆放着一些中国老什物,不太值钱,却让这个稍显陌生的环境多了几分温馨。对大山的浓浓热情,让高宁注定选择一条“大爱为先”的生命旅途。他每天都会跟女儿Pétra电话或短信,如小溪潺潺的温情就这么浸润在大山深处。高宁也宁愿做盘旋山巅的苍鹰,让灵魂始终保持着如赤子般的洁净和欢喜。
【对话】
《麓客》:第一次来中国是什么时候?
高宁:1981年我第一次来中国和成都。我们乘坐一架旧式的螺旋桨飞机飞往拉萨,这架飞机起飞时摇晃得很厉害,首次在中国的游历唤醒了我真正意义上的冒险。
《麓客》:法国的山地旅游是一个怎样的状况?
高宁:山地旅游早在17世纪就已经在法国勃朗峰开始了。当今,欧洲经常来往山地的人数已多到难以置信。被命名为“世界山地运动之都”的霞慕尼山地变成了国际大都会,超过40个国籍的人曾选择在这里生活工作,每年接待450万游客,其中有250万会在这里短住。在任何季节,只要天气好,山谷每天都可以看到1万人步行,他们中有相当一部分人是去爬山。
《麓客》:您觉得四川的山地旅游同法国的霞慕尼山相比,有什么差距和不同?
高宁:普罗旺斯-阿尔卑斯-蓝色海岸和罗纳-阿尔卑斯两个法国大区,在过去50年只是两个乡村大区,而今变成了法国最富足的大区中之一,它们也是全法数一数二的旅游目的地。四川有4条河流从大山流下,无疑是中国最具备潜力发展山区大规模观光旅游的地方之一。少数民族在山区生活,属于他们的传统和文化流传至今,这些传统是这片土地的灵魂、精神、历史的一部分。
《麓客》:攀岩看起来危险技术很高,在法国这项运动的普及率是怎样的?
高宁:在欧洲,我们无处不攀登,在悬崖岩壁、在户外或室内,在上学或者放假时的大桥上,甚至房子建筑面上。攀登是人类自然的天性,只要是孩子,都会攀墙、爬树、爬椅子……为什么我们不会想到要攀登珠穆朗玛峰呢?中国古人喜欢游历名山,为亲近大自然和为宗教信仰,攀岩同样可以成为“远足”的一种。
《麓客》:如何让更多的人接触攀岩,理解这项运动?
高宁:这就像我所在小区专门竖起“严禁攀爬”的牌子一样,击破脑海中对“危险”的设限是不容易的事。为什么危险,是因为不够了解。尝试体会这个冒险,尝试感受岩石缝隙间的脉动,是理解这项运动的第一步。体验型的良好口碑总是推广活动的最好方式。也因此,完善的技术和设备、保险设施、有职业监督者陪同且是激励大众去尝试的主要条件之一。
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陈秋林:如果世界上必须取缔一个“家”,那就是艺术家
采访时间:2019年 撰文:刘昕怡 图片:Dan Sandoval
2009年盛夏至秋初,千高原艺术空间。有这么一组白里泛黄混着细碎杂物看似粗砺的纸雕。它们或是脱离地心引力轻盈慵懒地“悬浮”,展示着某种令人捉摸不透的生命状态;或是将“我的三十年”中随时光更迭的七张脸直接赤裸地呈现,交织着总结式的诀别感和生活在别处的游离感。那日,参观的人不多,却少有的长久停伫,揣摩着这从汶川地震废墟中掏出来的破烂课本,是怎样避开现实的拘谨,蜕变成残存温度和记忆的艺术小人儿,生猛地撞击内心。
2011年惊蛰前夕,桐梓林德玛咖啡馆。一个戴着fedora风格小皮帽的瘦小女人站在门口,暗色调的朱砂红小西服上套着绒状微漾的黑色马甲,她的眼神穿过没有镜片的黑框大眼镜平和地望着街角。她站得很端正,两条很细的腿打得很直,踏上阶梯时才发现她很精神地踩着足有10厘米的高跟鞋。她就是陈秋林,2009年<<物之屏>>展览上那组轰动美国纸浆雕塑作品的创作者,3月19日A4当代艺术中心《欲——病理与凝视》展览中,唯一一位入展的女性艺术工作者。她前卫的潮人形象迅速替代了<<化装>>里的过分严肃和绚丽,<<溺水日记>>中的倔强和不安,网上照片的淡雅清爽以及视频采访中的少女式羞涩,甚至笔者有关TVB郭羡妮几分神似的笃自臆想。
我们在露台坐下,递给她从附近红旗超市里买的中南海5号,她随意地抽出一支,燃上。我提到她作品中与韩国导演金基德的某些相似性,城市间隔与内心隐喻的重叠、庞大历史流逝附着于卑微小人物身上的扭曲和抽离、浓郁的色彩与压抑背景冲撞出的诡谲视觉……城市变迁瞬息万变悄无声息地萌生,通过内心折射镜艺术手法的诠释,发出掷地有声的巨大声响。陈秋林如同孩童般一字一顿认真地说:“他(金基德)很会做故事,我经常做不出来故事。他的长镜头很慢,我的很快,也很难慢下来。”与金基德男人本性的残酷冷峻边缘相比,女性本源的柔软敏感,使陈秋林的作品表达显得更为随意和自我,这又让我想起了墨西哥女画家弗里达。
叫我艺术家像是在骂人
相比早期的作品,近几年陈秋林显得有些“清心寡欲”,多了几分用心斟酌的细腻。国外的市场日趋稳定,中国的市场也火热蓬勃发展,陈秋林却感到很害怕,怕作品太乱,怕自己太冲动。她说自己遇到了瓶颈,其实这是需要下定一个决心。
从学校学习的苏派美术转向在中国起步不久的当代艺术,创作初期也承袭了形式和观念上对西方当代艺术的盲目崇拜和很表面的借鉴。可是渐渐地,这种大同小异的“拿来主义”无法满足陈秋林对创作的本源追求,她对躁动的艺术氛围产生了质疑:“艺术不是一个idea,不是把一种东西局限在一个平面架上,不只是一个形式上的表达。”在地震废墟上捡起学生旧课本的那一刻起,她开始放慢脚步,她开始思考:“我是不是要做这个?”
这些年,陈秋林辗转各个城市,在国内外参展演讲。她如同突然窜起的华丽烟花,一只奔跑地过于激烈的豹子,在慢慢减速,她渴望变作一只优雅狡黠的野猫,她开始认真审视环绕身边的名利和诱惑,寻找游离与艺术间的契点,一个可以让她坚定走一辈子的契点。
发现、尝试和深思,寻得一种适己的方式去诠释。这便是她的创作逻辑。她十分清醒地意识到艺术的华丽高帽子之下,藏着怎样诚惶诚恐的尴尬现状。“艺术这行当,不是说一个作品做得多好多厉害,你就是一个艺术家。”她的目光里透着谨慎和坦率:“我从来不相信一件作品会怎样,我所喜欢的是一种,在很老很老的时候,被人说起,所有东西会连成一条线,形成一个概念。能坚持自己一辈子并产生这样强大力量的,才是艺术家。我挺害怕被人叫做艺术家,像是在骂人。我就是这么一个边缘的人,我做的都是我喜欢的事情。你会写字,你会种地,可我不会,我也只是在做人而已。”
如果世界上必须取缔一个“家”,那就是艺术家
陈秋林一直以一个谦卑的艺术实践者而自居,她一贯且永恒地关注着城市变迁。在快速的城市化进程中,骨子里带有的传统与现实的冲突,突如其来的境况和人的生活状态本身,总能引燃内心,激发她的表达欲和创作欲。以前拍片,径自萌发的第一感觉是直觉,很感性,有时候,完全是一种愤怒和怀念。可真正开始拍这些片子,带着很多情绪持续地做一件事情,拍过这些片子之后,陈秋林慢慢变得理智。
她恍然:艺术家不是一个能解决问题的人。
她甚至略显苍白地说:“我一直觉得艺术家在这个世界上,在整个社会分工中起到的作用是最小的。所谓做艺术和做文化的群体也真的太小了。这个世界上,不能少了经济学家、农业学家、科学家,太多太多的家,可是真的,这个世界上必须要取缔一个的话,那真的是艺术家。”
那我们不成了只有蛋清的鸡蛋,少了精神的内核?陈秋林的眼睛扑闪着冷静的光,化作看透红尘遁入空门的老者,毫不客气地给艺术判下了一个或许有救的终生监禁,还缓刑。一个好的演员、一个好作家,可以通过一部电影、一本书,从广泛大众更易接受的层面,影响到更多的人。可是倘若果真如此,世界上没有了达芬奇的蒙娜丽莎、梵高的向日葵、齐白石的花鸟虫鱼……我们的精神世界少了块多么有力的多棱镜,本就迟钝的感知将如同陨石撞向地球的最后三秒前,急躁不安心灰意冷的惨淡。
即便如此微不足道,艺术也像一根纤细的银针,看似漫不经心,一旦触碰神经,痛感贯遍周身。“如此而言,我们这个社会,艺术家确实应该有,还应更具意义和责任。”这本该慷慨激扬的言辞轻描淡写地从陈秋林单薄的身体迸出时,没有一丝口号式的虚张声势,而像一壶炖了很久的中药,熬出令人久违的舒心苦香。
艺术置于城市的各种躁
2010年12月4日北京798长征空间举办台湾艺术家陈界仁先生在大陆的首个个展,作品《帝国边界Ⅰ&Ⅱ》。陈秋林给予了这位长辈兼友人很高的评价:台湾最好的艺术家。万众瞩目被人们臆想得光怪陆离的台湾艺术圈让陈秋林感到很意外,她喃喃式自语:“好奇怪,台湾不是这样的,却会出(像陈界仁)这样的艺术家。”
听得莫名其妙,陈秋林纠正了笔者关于“台湾的艺术空间开放些”的错觉。她言简意赅道:“恰恰是更窄,更紧。”台湾是简单的,地方小,整体上比大陆稳定,技术好,但是出于意识和地域文化等各种原因,台湾艺术家真的没办法跟大陆的相比,很多拘谨。大陆有很多优秀的艺术家,他们的艺术质量、概念等等做得非常好,这是真的。
当下,北京太燥,空气燥,人燥,心情燥,什么都燥。重庆也躁,跟北京不一样的躁。
国内目前的现象和市场,跟三十年前的台湾一模一样。那种躁,那种暴,是突然有了市场之后的躁。像一款手摇式爆米花机,轰隆隆地,整个袋子都极速膨胀起来。充斥的这些乱,慢慢会好起来,需要一个过程。这也是当代艺术进程的一种必然,一定得先出来,然后再慢慢收,慢慢调,慢慢理。
不少人总是虎视眈眈地打望着西方当代艺术的趋势和风向,伸长脖子等候着端倪露出的蛛丝马迹,风一吹草一动便若那憋气太久的潜水者,趋之若鹜地猛扑过去。陈秋林坦言,我们与国外的东西永远没办法像天线那样对接。我们观察到的是某个单项作品,没办法真正深刻了解其中文化的产生过程,经历了怎样关键的阶段和背后的故事。中国文化的断层固然很强烈,因为每次革命都是革文化的命,但正因为存在于中国这样的一个历史条件下,它有它的好,永远都那么新鲜。
作品是内心的慢性解药
春节前夕,陈秋林从台湾回来,鲁明君同她说起这个叫《眼与心》的展览,关于精神和意识。在鲁明君详细陈述之前,陈秋林道出了一直囤在心里的一个结:能不能帮我找一个心理医生,帮我做一个心理分析。
“其实每个人都有一定小毛病的,或许在某一方面。”陈秋林自顾自地说。
“你的想法跟我的主题真的很贴。”鲁明君自顾自地答。
就这么看似风马牛不相及的两句话,让陈秋林的自我设疑与鲁明君的策展主题不谋而合。后来,陈秋林与心理医生秦伟做了一次面对面的专业剖析,结果并非陈秋林所意料,却很有趣,她再次恍然:人跟人之间,不管怎么权威的专家,都没办法在第一时间了解到,甚至很微小的一部分。
“我发现我更像一个倾诉者,而我其实不是一个很喜欢说话的人。”眼前的陈秋林,头发似乎很短,开始甚至我惊异地以为帽子下是一颗低调而华丽的光头,直至从帽沿边晃见一小截干净精悍的发端,才猜想她是将头发高高束起。却还是使人想起《笑傲江湖》里令狐冲那个剃了光头的怡玲小师妹,特别的纯净和直率。她的眼里有说不出的淡定和透彻,似乎什么都看得很平和。可是源于矛盾的性格,她的作品总有萦绕不去的隐忍躁动,其实陈秋林本身便是敏感而不安的,以前是,现在是,一直都是。艺术与现实,工作与生活,内心与表达,她都努力追寻这一种平衡。很多时候她觉得自己不像是在做作品,所有的东西,都像是与生俱来的,只是在适当的时候,找到了适当的表达,就是在做自己。
将内心堆积的某些相似性极强的东西倒出来。艺术于陈秋林,如同很多人写博客、种花、自拍什么的一样,是某种情绪的载体、储蓄地。每当这种磁场极烈的感知在内心满溢之后,就小心翼翼地转移,进行一种实验性的控制,一旦落地便潜心酝酿着容器的新储蓄。
为了平衡生活与工作相对独立的纯净空间,陈秋林一开始便同算得上半个同行的男友说好:不要跟我谈工作,我们就实实在在地过日子。对她而言,生活更重要,而另外一部分,是一场内心与现实对峙的独角戏,是她自己的,可以肆意霸占夸张演绎任性决断缓慢处理……各种各类飘忽不定的意志和愿望就从这里开始。
难得的是,陈秋林内心自愈的慢性解药,通过艺术表达呈现出一种坚韧而温吞的社会共性。这些高度“加工”的现象,大家不一定能接受,却给予了最坚实的回应:质疑、理解和尊重。
双重否定的兔子会咬人
采访中陈秋林的语调始终有些散漫,像一台老式的宝丽来即显胶片相机,得候上一两秒,影像才逐渐清晰。虽然交谈尚为轻松,虽然陈秋林在内心与作品上更似一个倾诉者,她却自曝自己其实是个寡言少语的人,不可以没有障碍地跟人谈话,属于广场恐惧症和幽闭恐惧症的综合体。一个人待在小黑屋子会害怕(并不是怕鬼,陈秋林相信另一空间的存在,对未知事物产生害怕和好奇,但不认为那是鬼),与很多人共处一室,置身于很大的“场”中也会胆怯和不安。这个时候,她就会找个地方躲起来,关掉耳朵,不说话。所以很多时候你不会在展览开幕式上看到陈秋林,即使是她的个展。她乐呵呵地说:“要让别人找不到你其实也挺容易的。”那神情语调瞬即又像小捣蛋那般洋洋自得,让人又爱又恨。
叛逆是陈秋林的惯性轨迹,小时候便是“臭名昭著”的“匪头子”(调皮捣蛋)。长着一副极具欺骗性的柔弱安静的脸,怎么也学不会将锡箔纸做成耳环和项链来“装小姐”,一说到捉鱼捉鸟,小辫子便在撒野瞎跑中翘得老高。如同孙悟空有个紧箍咒一样,陈秋林有个毕业于中文系的严父,特别是放假,以免伤及无辜破坏其他小朋友及其家长的安宁,严父采取了“非暴力不合作”的强硬手段,将小秋林关在家。反正闲着也是闲着,闭关修炼的小秋林翻起了屋子里堆积如山的厚厚书本,似懂非懂地读起来。
曾经朋友推荐了一个说是很厉害的星座专家,报过生辰之后,星座专家直接说这一辈子有两个时间她不算,陈秋林的就是其中一个。变数太大。陈秋林体内有一条完美的黄金分割线,特立独行与安分怀旧在体内互不干扰地静静发酵,酿就了她独特的矛盾性格。骨子里,她喜欢小国寡民,喜欢自然安静的生活,可又不可免俗地憧憬着高科技带来的新时代。她在纽约待的时间比较长,遇到在各自领域很顶尖的人,看到很炫很好的生活状态,她会由衷地感到“其实这样真好”。末了,她也会清醒地自嘲:人呐,真的很容易羡慕被人的生活,即使对别人的生活一无所知,看到的只是一张华丽的外衣。
北京上海成都重庆这样的大城市又有几个?可是中国有成千上万的县城,那里有最平实朴拙的老百姓,那种才是真正的中国生活。2003年起,每年陈秋林都会跟这一群人,城乡发展交界边缘化的群体,并非一家一户,而是一个区域一群人。陈秋林花很长的时间泡在那里,如赤子亲近黄土地那般去靠近他们,去融入他们,去记录一种生命状态。今年她会同中国国家地理合作一个项目,依旧做县城。
回归很闲又可以做事的成都,并以此为创作基地,是性格使然,让陈秋林很安心。是的,陈秋林就是一只亦动亦静的兔子,但,是野养的,急了就会咬人。连她自己都笑嘻嘻地打趣说自己的朋友大都被她实打实地咬过一口。
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“忍者”潜剑的武道术 Robert Worth, Ninja’s Martial Arts
采访时间:2017年10月11日 Interview Date: October 11, 2017
Robert Worth,常被唤作Robbie,中文名“潜剑”,来自美国俄亥俄州。六岁开始学武,曾学过跆拳道、体术(Taijutsu)以及多个国家的各门派武术,目前在武神馆(Bujinkan)武道体术中达黑带六段。2006年初次来蓉,2012年起常居于此。
Robert Worth, aka Robbie, comes from Ohio, USA, and gave himself the Chinese name “Qian Jian.” When he was six years old, he started to learn Taekwondo, Taijutsu and all kinds of international martial arts. He is a 6th Dan Black Belt in Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu. Following his first visit to Chengdu in 2006, he decided to make a move to this city in 2012.
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我知道门外有人,但我静坐不出,是为忍者。
I know that there is someone outside, yet I make no move, for I am a ninja.
你真的是忍者吗?
Are you a real ninja?
九月,成都一所国际学校做了以“泼水节”为主题的校庆,现场热闹非凡,斑斓的水气球飞窜,大人与小孩共欢。但见人群中有个外国男子,一身素黑宽袍、腰上系带、脑后留辫,驮着个鼓鼓的大黑塑料袋,步子轻快地穿过人群。他也备了许多水球,用来玩Water Ninja(水球忍者)的游戏。玩法嘛,顾名思义,即结合一些武道术的招数玩水球。围成一圈的二三十来人,基本上是毫无功夫底子的“路人”,最终呈现不过是花拳绣腿,仅供娱乐。然而,武术对Robbie来说,可是一辈子严肃对待的事。
In September, a founding anniversary themed “Water-sprinkling Festival” kicked off at a Chengdu international school. Crowds of children played joyfully with their parents, hurtling water balloons with dazzling colors in all directions. Suddenly a foreign man comes amidst the crowds. He, in a plain black belted robe and his hair in braids, pushes his way through crowds with springy steps, a big fatty black plastic bag on his back. He prepared many water balloons for the game Water Ninja, which is what its name suggests, combining martial arts with water play. There were twenty or thirty players in a circle, most of whom were absolute beginners in martial arts. To them, martial arts is just for fun, with some showy elements and nothing practical. For Robbie, however, martial arts are his life’s pursuit.
我不禁好奇:“你真的是忍者吗?” Robbie笑而不语。
“算是吗?” 我追问道。
Out of curiosity, I blurted out, “Are you a real ninja?” Robbie replied with just a smile.
“Do you consider yourself as a Ninja?” I had another try.
“忍者很流行,人们喜欢这个概念。但是人们并不了解。忍者更多的是潜藏而非暴露,是关于生存而非战斗。” Robbie的回答,让我意识到我的追问分明是对“天呐,我认识了一个真的忍者”侥幸的假想。是因影视、漫画、坊间传闻等艺术演绎,“忍者”和“忍术”总是带有隐秘离奇的光环。
“Ninja is popular among people. They don’t really understand what it is. Ninja is more about hiding than displaying, and more about survival than fighting.” Hearing his, I felt that my incessant questioning was clearly driven by a desire to yell out “Oh my! I know a real ninja!” Films, cartoons, books and other embellishments have attached a mystic shroud to the terms “ninja” and “ninjutsu.”
“现代忍者”的修行
Cultivation of the “Modern Ninja”
Robbie六岁时,父亲带他去了唐手道道场,开启了他的习武生涯。起初练武,也因为母亲希望运动让他别那么害羞、更擅社交。“10岁时,我很胖,不健康,怪脾气。此后,武术先是改变了我的身体,让我知道与障碍间的距离、如何攻克,而后因为攻克渐渐有了自信。” 高中时代的Robbie沉浸在各类武术书籍的阅读中,也因此知晓了李小龙的咏春和截拳道,并备受鼓舞。此后他学习过多个国家不同门派的武术。2006年首次来华时,他还在成都打听过练咏春的老师。
When Robbie was six years old, his father took him to Tang Soo Do classes, which opened up a world of martial arts for little Robbie. His mother sent him to learn martial arts originally in the hope that martial arts would make him more sociable. “When I was ten years old, I was very fat, unhealthy and weird. Martial arts changed my body first, teaching me how to overcome obstacles, and my mind and confidence gradually strengthened as well.” In high school, Robbie became obsessed with all kinds of books on martial arts and also came to learn about Bruce Lee’s Wing Chung and Jeet Kune Do, which inspired him a lot. Later, he learned the martial arts of the different disciplines of many countries. During his first visit to China in 2006, he came to Chengdu to look for masters in Wing Chung.
Robbie形容当时的自己是“典型的美国中西部少年”,青春期骚动的心使他对武术的关注和理解仅停留在生理层面,如何攻击、出拳、踢,如何使出更酷炫的招数……直到大学里的一次偶遇。那天,Robbie和朋友在公园训练,对面一群黑衣人也正在训练,顿时烟雾弥漫。“我知道这是所谓的烟雾弹,把石灰放在鸡蛋壳里,投掷向你的敌人。忍者们正是用这招来逃生的。” 训练结束后,Robbie专门去问那位老师:“这是忍术吗?” “这是体术。” 其后,Robbie跟着这位老师学习体术,所学体术之中,包括三种忍术。
Robbie describes himself then as “a typical Midwest U.S. youth”. Subject to turbulent emotions during puberty, only wanted to know how to attack, punch and kick and look cool, only understanding the physiological component of martial arts until a chance encounter in college.One day, while Robbie and his friends were at a park working out, they saw another group of people in black also practicing. Within a foggy second, they were out of sight. “I knew this was a smoke shell which was eggshell stuffed with limestone and can be used to hurl at your enemy. That was how ninjas escape.” Seeing that they had finished their workout, Robbie came up to ask that master, “Is this ninjutsu?” “This is Taijutsu.” replied the master. Since that fateful day, Robbie has studied Taijutsu from this master, including three kinds of ninjutsu.
“体术,即身体之道,并没有什么玄妙,就是练习身体的技艺。” Robbie解释后问我:“何以为人?” 而后他在本子上写出了“生理”、“心理”和“精神”三个词,再接着说:“武术,是关于自我的修行。”
“Taijutsu, namely the way of body, is nothing mysterious, and is just a technique to build your body.” After his explanation of Taijutsu, Robbie asked me, “What makes you a person?” He writes three words on his notebook, “physical,” “Mental,” and “spiritual,” And then he continued, “Martial arts are about self-cultivation.”
隐秘的身体艺术
Mysterious Body Art
跟着Robbie上过一堂课,训练的第一个对抗动作是两人面对面而立,对方用右手擒住我的左手腕,我最简单实用的反击是右手握拳,掌指关节形成的突起使劲摁压在对手右手,很痛。如此简单的巧击,比蛮力有效多了。练习之前,Robbie就格外强调:“不要因为手被控制住了就慌了,然后所有的注意力放在被束住的这只手上,要记得你还有整个身体。” 同理,可运用在人们面对生活的各种问题上。
I took one of Robbie’s classes. The first combat exercise of our workout involved two people standing face to face. When the opponent grabbed my left wrist with his right hand, I was taught to make a fist with my right hand and press heavily on his right hand with my knuckles, which was the simple, practical, and also really painful. Such a simple but smart counterattack was much better than brute force. Before the workout, Robbie told me to “Keep calm when your hands are controlled by your enemy and don’t just focus on the trapped hand. Remember that you still own your whole body.” This advice seems to be applicable when it comes to all kinds of problems that people face in life.
在近距离对抗中,一招一式的空间距离的把控,引导着人的反应,也十足微妙。“你的身体要离对手近一点,他才会想要挥拳打你,远一点,他就换招数了。” 或许因为没了古时浪迹天涯的江湖,人对自己身体的力量、平衡感、协调性、敏锐度等本能失去了深切感知,思维也少了多元的顿悟之路。忍术的特别之一,恰是在实战中以小胜大,不受规则束缚。
During close-range combat, the ebb and flow of space and distance between every movement lead you to decide how to fight back, all of which is very subtle. “When your body is near enough to the enemy, he would be seduced to punch you. If not, he would change his fighting techniques.” Perhaps without the pressures of fighting for survival, as our ancestors faced, people have become strangers toward their body strength, balance, coordination, and acuity, which were originally instinctual. In addition, we have lost an acute and diversified mind. In actual combat, ninjutsu, free from any rules, helps the weak excel in defeating stronger foes, giving it a special distinction.
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Natooke Chengdu,用单车的速度,做一个城市梦 Achieve a Slower Pace of Urban Life by Cycling
采访时间:2013年5月29日 Interview Date: May 29, 2013
Larry Adamson,中文名安博远,来自美国纽约州。从事生物学和免疫学研究,参加过12次马拉松跑,喜欢长距离远骑。希望更多的人感受自行车的乐趣,慢下脚步感受朝夕相处的城市。
Larry Adamson, whose Chinese name is An Boyuan, comes from the U.S. state of New York. He devotes much of his time to biology and immunology. He has taken part in 12 marathons, and he advocates cycling because he hopes that more people will take it up as a way getting from here to there and to better appreciate the city they live in.
Jacob Klink,中文名林高高。来自美国阿尔伯克基,玩自行车十年有余,无论是普通路上骑行,颠簸,爬山,无论死飞,单速还是变速,他都能游刃有余,自行车马球打得风生水起。
Jacob Klink, whose Chinese name is Lin Gaogao, is from the city of Albuquerque, in the U.S. state of New Mexico. He has been cycling for over 10 years, and he is skilled on all types of terrain. Jacob is an expert at riding fixed-gear, single-speed, and variable-speed bikes as well. His talent does not end there, as he also excels at bike polo.
http://www.natooke.com/about/natooke-chengdu/
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作为“自行车王国”,当下的中国显然是不称职的。大街上的汽车你挤我蹭,此起彼伏的喇叭声显然是难以唤醒还在酣畅沉浸的汽车梦。然而,在成都老巷依旧的小天南街附近,有两个胆子特大、中文说得特溜的老外——安博远和林高高,他们开着一家在名为Natooke的固定齿轮自行车店,企图“拖”下城市慌张前行的“后退”,让成都可以回归“慢”的步调。
Judging from the current situation, China is nowhere near being the “Kingdom of Bicycles” that it once was. In spite of streets crowded with cars and their cacophonous horns, people remain crazy about cars. Still, Adamson and Klink (who speak fluent Chinese) jointly opened their fixed-gear bike shop, Natooke, on Xiaotiannan Street, a back street of Chengdu. Their aim is to show people how great and fun a life by bicycle in Chengdu can be.
骑车的人,爱做梦
Cycling-lovers Dream Big
Natooke源于非洲语言,寓意“绿色”。在北京,一个叫伊泉的德国女孩以此名开了中国第一家死飞自行车店兼俱乐部。热爱自行车的安博远和林高高便是因伊泉组织的骑行活动而相识,两人骑行实力相当,对死飞精神的理解不谋而合。怀着对城市自行的热爱和梦想,他们在成都开起了自己的自行车店。
The word, Natooke, means “green” in an African language. Ines Brunn, a German woman, opened her fixed-gear bike shop & club, the first of its kind in China, in Beijing under the same name. Adamson and Klink got to know each other through the cycling activities organized by Ines’s shop. They are equals in terms of their cycling skills, and they echo each other’s passion for fixed-gear bikes. Their common dream of promoting cycling in cities led them to start their fixed-gear shop in Chengdu.
成都,从他们的11个候选城市中脱颖而出,除了成都正正吸引着越来越多的外来投资方,还因为“宜居城市”的美誉。从成都到北京,沿着108国道,三千多公里,骑三周——2009年,安博远和林高高,便在这样旅行中,领略到了小城镇、小村庄的乐趣。“他们很好奇,很友好,”回忆起骑行的经历,安博远开心地说:“虽然有时不会讲普通话,对我们而言,这是练习中文再好不过的机会了。”
Back in 2009, Adamson and Klink spent three weeks searching for the proper location for their bike shop, covering 3,000 km along the China National Highway 108 from Beijing to Chengdu. They really enjoyed themselves in discovering some obscure towns and villages. As Adamson said with a smile on his face, “[People] were very curious about us and were friendly to us. Although sometimes it was beyond us to speak in perfect Chinese, it was a golden opportunity for us to practice it.” Thanks to the growing amount of capital poured into Chengdu, and to its reputation as a livable city, Chengdu stood out among 11 candidate cities for the shop.
说到骑行,不得不想起近百年前的夏天(1930年),一位名叫潘德明的22岁青年,抱着“雪东亚病夫耻”、“以谋世界上之容光”的信念,徒步走出了国门。次年元旦,他在越南购买了一辆英制“兰翎牌”自行车,开始了骑游旅行。他这一走,耗时8年,先后到达40多个国家,会见20多个国家元首和名人;他这一走,将自己走成了一张“中国名片”,走成了英雄旅行家,走成了“世界徒步单车环游第一人”。
It is not possible to talk cycling without mentioning Pan Deming, who traveled out of China at the age of 22. He started his journey in the summer of 1930, with the conviction to bring glory to his nation and to break stereotypes held by foreigners about Chinese people being the “sick man of east Asia.” On New Year’s Day of 1931, he bought a British-made Raleigh bike in Vietnam and kicked-off his journey. He spent eight years traveling through over 40 nations, and met with more than 20 heads of state and celebrities. His feats represent the spirit of China and made him a heroic traveler, as well as the first bicyclist to pedal around the world.
潘德明还自制了一本重达4公斤的《名人留墨集》,扉页上他工整地写下“旅行世界自叙”,其中这段,在如今看来既遥远煽情,又令人感慨惭愧:“以世界为我之大学校,以天然与人事为我之教科书,以耳闻目见直接接触为我之读书方法,以风雪雨霜、炎荒烈日、晨星夜月为我之奖励金。德明坚决地一往无前,表现我中国国民性于世界,使知我中国是向前的,以谋世界上之荣光。”
Pan also wrote the book Words from Celebrities (or Min “Ren Liu Mo Ji”in Chinese). On the first page, he neatly wrote the inspiring words, “Everything I see through my travel around the world teaches me how to behave. I am grateful for all elements and humbled by beautiful moments. Deming will press on, come hell or high water, to bring glory to China and to let all people know that China is making progress.”
“希望全世界的路都印着你脚车的轮迹。” 新加坡华侨巨商胡文虎给潘德明留下墨宝,他是《名人留墨集》上的第一位题词人。如今,骑行已经成为很多人探索世界和内心的生活方式。在北京时,安博远和林高高喜欢同朋友一起,在北京火车站随意买张终点站离京城400公里的陌生小城镇,周五晚上坐过去,再用周末两天的时间乐颠乐颠地骑回来。安博远说:“骑车让你看到在巴士、飞机、地铁等交通工具完全不一样的风景。”
Aw Boon Haw, an overseas Chinese merchant residing in Singapore and the first celebrity who gave his words for Words from Celebrities,wrote: “I hope that you will leave your tire tracks on the world.” Nowadays, cycling has become a sort of lifestyle through which many people learn more about the world and their true selves. When Adamson and Klink were in Beijing, they and two of their friends often bought train tickets that would take them to a strange town located 400 km away from Beijing. They would go to the town Friday evening, and then spend the next two days riding back to Beijing. As Adamson said, “cycling enables you to see a totally different landscape than you can see by bus, airplane, or metro.”
慢下来,城市骑车文化
Slow Down and Enjoy Urban Cycling Culture
在西方很多国家,人们开始厌倦四个轮子的束缚和禁锢,想要去掉框框回归自然,即使是不差钱购置豪车的成功人士,也甘愿享受起自行车上的慢慢自由。中国人虽然还在私密空间和舒适体验上向往着汽车,但是,城市建设中,政府和开发商在道路规划时,已经开始为自行车做出考虑,预留空间。
In many western countries, people have had enough of the constraints of cars. They are longing to return to nature because even the rich have begun to ride bikes and appreciate the slow pace of life. Although Chinese people still prefer cars because of the private space and comfort that they provide, government and developers have reserved more space on the road for bikes.
何以深爱自行车,有生物研究背景的安博远绘声绘色地说道:“自行车是最具效率和自主性的交通工具,乘客即是发动机。骑死飞自行车更是将这种体验扩大化,你能感知到自行车成为身体的一部分,你们是相联的,当自行车运转时,也能感知到它的所有。”
When Adamson was asked why he loves bikes so much, he talked from a biological perspective, “A bike is the most efficient and independent vehicle because the rider is the engine. Fixed-gear bikes can make you feel this intimately. You will feel that the bike is part of your body and you are linked to it. As the bike is running, you can feel every part of it.”
“我们生活在一个故意被弄复杂的世界。”台湾漫画家朱德庸在一次采访中如此提到。他说:“时速100 公里的车和时速10 公里的车相比,你以为你走了很远,但其实什么也没有看到。人本来就应该在地上走,任何交通工具都阻隔了我与城市的接触。在所有的交通工具里,我唯一能接受的就是自行车。越慢的工具与人性越接近,从擦肩而过的人身上感受到气息和讯号,能帮助我了解这个城市。”
Zhu Deyong, a Taiwan cartoonist, said in an interview, “We are living in an artificially complicated world…A 100 km/hr car will help you go further than a 10 km/hr bike, but you will see nothing on your way. Human beings are supposed to walk on the ground. Any transportation vehicle will stand in the way of the connection between the city and me. Among all transportation vehicles, the bicycle is the only one I can accept. The slower a vehicle is, the better I can know people. I can learn more about this city because of the information obtained from people passing by me”.
从2012年9月开业以来,Natooke组织和支持了很多活动,不仅有自行车迷们喜欢一起闹腾的城市夜骑、自行车马球、野猫赛……每周星期日他们还骑着三轮车,拉着音响和投影仪,在居民区中随便找一处墙,放起了怀旧的坝坝电影,连路过的城管也会停下来,友好地望几眼。他们选择这样这种复古的“慢动作”来亲近成都,他们还选择了另一项四川特色来拓展创意——竹子。从天台山运回的竹子,被他们捣鼓成“拉风”的车架,第一辆车已经优哉游哉地在城市行了300多公里。“绿色原料+绿色出行”,对于Natooke而言,不仅是在自行车产业的中尝试,更是希望推动一种接着成都浓厚底蕴的单车文化。
Since Natooke was set up in September 2012, it has organized and sponsored many events such as urban night cycling, bike polo and alley cat races. Each Sunday, Natooke fans gather to follow a tricycle loaded with stereos and projectors to screen a movie with the aid of a wall in a residential community. The movies even command the attention and interest of urban management officers (or Chengguanin Chinese). Adamson and Klink are trying to better engage with Chengdu by bringing people back to the slower pace of life in an earlier era. They also innovate by using bamboo from Tiantai Mountain to create beautiful, eye-catching, custom bike frames. Their first bike with a bamboo frame has covered over 300 km in the city. For Natooke, using bamboo is part of an effort to promote green raw materials, green travel, and a bicycleculture that is linked to Chengdu’s culture.
链接LINK
Natooke成都实体店于2017年11月停止营业。
The store of Natooke Chengdu was closed in November, 2017.
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Breannah Yeh,空中绳行 Slacklining in the Air
采访时间:2017年12月8日 Interview Date: December 8, 2017
Breannah Yeh,华文名葉嘉韻(繁)。1997年她出生于美国加州,2017年夏天开始,通过USCA计划在西南民族大学进行为期四个月的留学交换生学习。她13岁时开始练习扁带,渐以运动选手身份在世界各地参加扁带比赛。
Breannah Yeh, a.k.a. Ye Jiayun in Chinese, is a 21-year-old girl hailing from California. In the summer of 2017, she began the four-month study abroad program as an international student at the Southwest Minzu University under USAC. At the age of 13, she started practicing slacklining. With time, she made a name for herself as an athlete in slackline contests worldwide.
instagram:yehslacks
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离开地球表面,在一条宽26mm的尼龙绳索上,她稳妥地站立、行走,轻盈地旋转、跳跃,像欢腾的鸟儿。 她一个转身落地,脸上挂着大大的笑。
On a 26mm-wide nylon slackline above the ground, Breannah Yeh stood on her feet, stepped forward with calmness, twirled and jumped swiftly like a dancingbird. With an almost effortless spin, she landed on the ground, wearing a grin.
扁带森林
Chengdu Slackforest
我不是第一个被他们吸引的人。四川大学的一片小树林前,早已围站了好些人,他们正端着手机或拍或录一男一女两人切换着在绳索上跳来转去、蹦蹦哒哒。 “吃瓜群众”里有声音在说:“哎哟,这两个人还凶哟,都不怕绊(摔)到痛。” 这条尼龙绳索叫扁带,两位练习者是四川小伙子康钶和以交换生身份留学成都的美籍华裔Breannah Yeh。
I was not the only one attracted to them. In front of Sichuan University, there was a grove which had been swarmed by spectators. They were taking photos or videoing when a man and a woman were alternating jumping to and fro on a slackline. “Oh! They are so cool and not afraid of falling.” exclaimed one of the spectators. The nylon line was a slackline, and the two players were Kang Ke, a boy from Sichuan and Breannah Yeh, an American exchange student with Chinese origin.
两人看上去很熟络,实则两个月前Breannah才在深圳的一场比赛中认识康钶的朋友。 走扁带是一项新兴运动,除了运动本身足够特别,Breannah最爱的是因运动的小众所建立的社群——几乎可以认识全世界志同道合的专业级玩家。 “当我们一起设置扁带时,我们之间的信任和默契瞬间建立。”Breannah很开心在成都停留的短暂期间里,能认识成都玩家中的佼佼者康钶。
As familiar as they were to each other, actually Breannah met Ke’s friend at a Shenzhen-based contest two months ago. As an emerging sport, slacklining is very special in and of itself. For people that carry the same enthusiasm for the sport, the slacklining community has created a world very close to Breannah’s heart. In the slacklining community, she can make friends with like-minded athletes all over the world. “When we together set up the slackline, trust and tacit understanding are cultivated between us.” For Breannah, it was such a delight to make friends with Kang Ke during her short stay, who was a second-to-none slackline player in Chengdu.
走扁带在练习时对场地的要求并不高,最简单的是有两棵结实的树。Breannah喜欢离自然和空旷更近一点的地方,所以除了成都市区,两人还搭伴带着扁带装备去过郫都区某处废旧的游乐园。他们置身半空中,用不一样的视角和脚步丈量成都。
Slacklining does not have high requirements for practicingvenues; Itsimply entails two strong trees. Breannah preferred spacious fields close to nature, outside of the Chengdu urban area. Spots like a dilapidated amusement park in Pidu District, was frequented by them who carried along their slackline equipment Hanging in the air and exploring this city, they were endowed with a unique perspective ofChengdu.
Breannah把期间的一些经历的视频上传到Youtube上,名字就叫:成都扁带森林(Chengdu Slackforest)。
Breannah has uploaded some videos about her practicing experience to Youtube and named the video Chengdu Slackforest.
空中冥想
Meditation beyond the earth
13岁时,Breannah在攀岩馆偶遇Alex Mason在扁带上做技巧训练,一时的好奇促成了她8年的坚持和热爱。第一根扁带很低很短,她甚至没办法站上去,后来才开始渐渐地摇晃向前,像婴儿学步。四五个月后,她参加了第一场比赛。
When Breannah was 13 years old, she happened to see Alex Mason training on a slackline in a climbing gym. Since that moment, curiosity has started her eight year journey of perseverance and devotion to slacklining. Even though she started with a very short slackline hung very low in the air, she could hardly stand on her feet. Little by little, she was able to wobble ahead step by step like a toddler. After four or five months, she attended her first contest.
“我从不因为动作没做到而气恼,我知道通过练习我终究会做到的。”这种坚信是源于对自己天赋的认知? “天赋呀,有人这么说,但我觉得任何人都可以做到,只需要练习。” 她说,“很多人认为我是平衡力很好才开始做这个运动,其实是这项运动让我的平衡变得很好。”高中时,每到周末,Breannah 都会乘一个半小时的地铁,去离旧金山较近的埃尔塞里托进行两天的训练。她不觉得辛苦,反而乐在其中。“当我在空中的时候,我能够如我预想那般恰如其分地控制我的身体动作。有趣的是,这时候的我最开心了。”
“Even if I fail to do well in some footwork actions, I have never been seized by anger, for I know I will eventually make it.” Was this firm belief rooted in the full awareness of her talent? “Some people said so. But, from my perspective, it is continuous practice rather than talent that makes one get the hang of slacklining.” “In the eyes of many people, my good balance initially drove me into the sport. However, the fact is just the opposite. Thanks to the sport, I have grown better in keeping my balance.”In high school on weekends, Breannah used to take an hour and a half subway ride to El Cerrito, near San Francisco, for the two-day training. Instead of tiredness, she found great pleasure from that. “When I am in the air, I am able to control my body movements precisely to how I imagine. It’s interesting that this is the moment in which I am the happiest .”
旁人看高空行走或花式技巧时,既刮目相看又心中一紧,其实Breannah 脑中一丝杂念都没有,只享受美景中的那个瞬间。“人们觉得这很危险很疯狂,其实那一刻我沉静、专注并且享受,像是一种冥想。” 高空扁带的玩家在练习和比赛时都会系上救命索。“如果我很紧张,就会掉下去,感受下坠。 这让我知道,其实掉下去没什么大不了的。”
While spectators are watching highlining or slacklining with tricks, their hearts are filled with surprise and nervousness. However, for Breannah, free from any worry, she just takes the moment to enjoy the uniquely beautiful scenery. “People think it is dangerousand crazy. But, for me, at the moment,I am just calm and absorbed, it likes a kind of meditation. I enjoy it a lot.” High slackline (Highlining) athletes are tied in with safety rope during walks. “If I feel nervous, I resign myself to falling from the slack line, savoring the sensation of falling. And it dawns on me that falling from the line is not a big deal at all.”
绳行世界
The World of Slacklining
体格偏小的Breannah本很容易淹没在机场的人来人往中,但她背着装有扁带器具的巨大背包总是引来注目。比赛+旅行的生活常态在她13岁时开启,最初去陌生城市她也会胆怯忐忑,但想到那儿有玩扁带的朋友,一下子就心安了。这种信任变成了一种习惯,走扁带早已从一项特别的运动变成了一种生活方式。因着扁带,她的足迹从加州走向美国各地,并走向海外。当她不在旅行的时,她在圣路易斯-奥比斯波(San Luis Obispo)的大学城玩扁带。
With a small figure, Breannah was able to slip out of sight in the stream of peoplein the airport. However, a large backpack loaded with slackline equipment always made her stand out easily. Since she was 13 years old, she has lived a regular life of contest and travel. At the beginning, she was also timid and worried when she went to a strange city. But when she thought about other like-minded athletes there, she would feel greatly relieved. As this kind of trust gradually developed into a habit, slacklining has taken root in her heart as a lifestyle, no longer a special sport. Driven by enthusiasm for slacklining, she has expanded her footprint across California, as well as many other parts of the United States. When she is not traveling she is slacklining in her college town of San Luis Obispo.
四个月的居蓉生活,远不止一次旅行。除了爱上了火锅,成都成为她了解中国文化和亚洲扁带社群的临时大本营。Breannah带着她去中国香港的狮子山走扁带,在泰国的甲米府攀岩、划皮划艇、悬崖跳,以及少不了的玩扁带。在离开成都回美国之前,她还去广州进行了为期两周的训练,与在中国旅行时结实的朋友们一起。
Her four-month stay in Chengdu was not merely just for travel. Here, she got a taste for spicy hotpot; here, she established temporary headquarters to learn about her Chinese culture and the Asian slacklining community. Driven by enthusiasm for slacklining, she hiked and highlined over Lion Mountain of Hong Kong and climbed, kayaked, cliff jumped, and of course slacklined in Krabi Province of Thailand. Before leaving Chengdu to return to the United States, she went to Guangzhou for two-weeks of training with friends that she has met in her China travels.
她希望此生永远也不要停下旅行的脚步,就像户外摄影师Chris Burkard 那样。
She hopes that she will never stop traveling in her life, just like how outdoor photographer Chris Burkarddoes.
链接 LINK
USAC:大学国外研究同盟,University Study Abroad Consortium的缩写。
USAC: USAC is the abbreviation of University Study Abroad Consortium.
走扁带,又叫走绳,行走于固定于两点之间的扁带上,扁带一般使用26毫米宽、3毫米厚的尼龙扁绳索,因而在行走过程中极不稳定。 玩家可不甘于只是脱离地面走一走,于是越走越高,便是“高空扁带”;若是技巧百出,则是“花式扁带”。 它挑战体能、平衡力,还有心理素质。与走绳索(rope walking)这种有着上千年历史的运动不同,当代走扁带运动追溯于1979年。 最初,走扁带是作为提高攀岩者平衡力的训练项目。
Slacklining, is a sport about walking on a line fixed between two spots. Generally, the slackline is a flat nylon line, 26 mm wide and 3 mm thick. Therefore, walking on this line can be very unstable and very challenging. Reluctant to just walk above the ground, some slackline athletes go higher and higher and longer and longer. Subsequently, “highlining” comes into being; with a dazzling display of fancy footwork, “trickslacklining” emerges. This sport is not only a challenge to physical and balance ability but also a mental challenge. Unlike the rope walking steeped in a history of over one thousand years, modern slacklining only dates back to 1979. Inits infancy, slackliningwas just a project to train the balance ability of rock-climbers.
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柯扬,在荒郊野岭种一颗梦 Jan Karlach, Cultivating a Dream in the Wilderness
采访时间:2013年7月 Interview Date: July, 2013
柯扬:1983年前出生于捷克共和国布拉格。2006年第一次以背包客的角色来中国,2007年放弃IT专业,在布拉格查理大学东亚系学习汉学,同年第一次来成都旅行。2009年—2011年,在四川大学学习中文,并对凉山的彝族和周边的摩梭族产生浓厚的兴趣并深入研究,2012年7月,出版第一本书 Střípky z jižního Podnebesí(捷克语)。他希望从汉文化主宰的文化意识形态中,寻找到拾回传统的中国梦。
Jan Karlach: whose Chinese name is Ke Yang, was born in Prague, Czech Republic, 1983. He came to China for the first time in 2006 as a backpacker; in 2007, as a student at Charles University in Prague, he changed his major from IT to sinology of Department of East Asia and came to Chengdu for the first time. From 2009 to 2011, he studied Chinese at Sichuan University, during which he started to pay much attention to the Yi nationality in Liangshan and Mosuo nationality in its surrounding areas and deeply researched them; in July 2012, he published his first book Střípky z jižního Podnebesí in Czech. He hopes to rediscover traditional Chinese dream that lies in a cultural ideology dominated by the Han people’s culture.
https://www.karosh.net/
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边缘产物是文化核心的一面镜子
Marginaloutcome is a mirror for cultural core.
与其做梦,柯扬更喜欢探索和尝试。这促使他的兴趣爱好涉猎很广,从古生物、地理学、音乐到旅行、人类学、当代文学、摄影等等,善于跨学科思考的他喜欢回归自然,他说:“在富有生趣的自然和人文景观的乡间漫步,所来带的开心是世界上任何其他事都不能等同的。”凭借这种“乡村痴汉”情结,2009-2011年在四川大学学习汉学期间,柯扬行走至中国西南部很多“荒郊野岭”。当喜欢探索“非主流”文化和边缘产物的柯扬,发现被汉文化包围影响的彝族和摩梭族,依旧努力按自己的方式生活时,他被这种坚持和固执所着迷。
Jan Karlach prefers discovery and trial to dreaming, so he shows interest in many fields – paleontology, geography, music, traveling, anthropology, contemporary literature, photography, etc. He is good at interdisciplinary thinking and likes nature. He said: “when walking in countryside with vital nature and cultural landscape, I can feel a joy that cannot be brought by any other thing in the world.” With such a complex of “passion for countryside”, during his study of Chinese at Sichuan University from 2009 to 2011, Jan Karlach walked to the “wilderness” in southwestern China. When Jan Karlach, a young man who loves to explore “non-mainstream” culture and marginal outcome, found the Yi people and the Mosuo Nationality who are surrounded by Han culture leading life in their own way, he was attracted by such an adherence.
“像凉山这样的少数民族地区对中国历史而言,与文明社会的文化核心居于同样重要的地位。边界和偏远地区的产物实际上是文化核心的一面镜子。”柯扬认为:“边界通常是各种有趣事物的繁荣之处,它会自主生成一个大熔炉,无论是文化、地理还是民俗,将思想、概念、精神在交汇和碰撞中变化成长。纳西族和藏文化的共存,摩挲族与彝族的相互影响,皆是如此。”
“Throughout Chinese history, minority areas such as Liangshan played an equally important role as that of cultural core of the civilization. The outcomes in boundary and remote areas actually are a mirror for the cultural core.” According to Jan Karlach, “Usually, boundary is home to interesting things and will autonomously become a melting pot, where thought, concept, and spirit develop together through communication and crash no matter in terms of culture, geography, or folk customs, which can be evidenced by the coexistence of the Naxi nationality and Tibetan culture and the interaction between the Mosuo nationality and the Yi nationality.”
城市化进程需要承上启下
The urbanization requires succession and creation.
柯扬举例说:“捷克人喜欢喝捷克啤酒,就像四川人喜欢喝茶打麻将,但是大部分人对自己的传统知之甚少。这个时代非常具有侵略性,它让传统文化退居其次。”他曾经去到四川自贡的牛佛古镇,被古老的茶馆和旧建筑所吸引,而当他与当地人交谈时,他们大多对此“落后”、“破旧”和“迷信”的建筑感到羞愧,而横跨于小镇上面新建的混凝土桥被视作“美丽”的象征。
Jan Karlach said, “Czechs loves Czech beer just like Sichuan people enjoy tea and play Mahjong. But most people know little about their own tradtion. The era is obviously marked with aggressiveness and tradition is forced to take the second place.” He oncewent to Niufo Ancient Town, Zigong, Sichuan and was attracted by the old tea houses and architectures there. When talking with locals, he found that most of them thought that the “backward”, “shabby”, and “superstitious” architectures are a shame and the concrete bridge over the small township a symbol of “beauty.”
这类现象在柯扬看来,是中国当下的一种对传统认知的缺失,而中国的“文化认同危机”(cultural identity crisis)迟早会被越来越多的人谈起。全球皆被快节奏的消费社会所侵蚀时,捷克的情况并非好于中国,只是令柯扬感慨的是:“捷克国人关心历史和文化遗产,为此感到骄傲,并珍惜它。”进行跨学科研究的柯扬理解文化“同化”的自然属性,他说:“这是人类历史中持续发生的状态,只是现代化的进程需要与传统文化手牵手,需要更多的承上启下。”
In Jan Karlach’s opinion, such a phenomenon embodies poor understanding of tradition in today’s China and China’s “cultural identity crisis” will be mentioned by an increasing number of people sooner or later. The whole world is being eroded by fast-paced consumer social culture and the condition in Czech Republic is not better than China, but Jan Karlach also sighed: “Czechs care about history and cultural relics, and feel proud of and cherish them.” Jan Karlach’s inter disciplinary research helps him understand that “assimilation” is the natural quality of culture. He said: “It continuously happens in the history of human beings, but modernization needs tradition and more succession and creation.”
“在我来中国之前,大家告诉我亚洲人的情感表达是温和有节制的,可我所见到的中国人非常有情感,愿意为梦想奋斗。保护文化唯一的方法是文化携带者拥有强大的意志力。”柯扬说起在《Vice》杂志上看到的关于崔健的一个采访,崔健说:“国很大,有非常好的文化。儒家教育人们如何与他人为善,却没有告诉人们如何善待自己。我们在寻找自我的路上迷失了,这是文化中很糟糕的部分。”而后,一直严肃的柯扬打趣地说:在中国传统文化的传承中,至今保持丰富鲜活的、或许永远不会消失的,当属中国美食。
“Before coming to China, I was told that Asian people expressed their feelings in a mild and restrained way. But the Chinese people I have met are very sentient and willing to strive for their dreams. The only solution for protecting culture is the strong will of cultural carriers.” Jan Karlach mentioned an interview with Cui Jian on Vice, Cui Jian said: China is big and it has really a beautiful culture. Confucius teaches people, how to be nice to other people, but doesn’t teach people, how to be nice to themselves.We have totally lost the direction about searching ourselves. This is the bad part of the culture. And then, Jan Karlach abandoned his serious expression and had the funny viewpoint: Food is the only Chinese tradition that is still plentiful and alive and may exist forever.
链接LINK
崔健在采访中的原话如下:“中国很大,有非常好的文化。儒家彻底摧毁了中国文化,这是中国最坏的部分。儒家教育人们如何与他人为善,却没有告诉人们如何善待自己。我们在寻找自我的路上迷失了,这是文化中很糟糕的部分。大家不要听他的,他是一个古人,出生在两千年以前,在他的那个时代,他说得对,但是不适合于当下。”
Cui Jian said on Vice:“China is big and it has really a beautiful culture. Confucius has totally destroyed the culture of China. It’s the worst part of China. Confucius teach people, how to be nice to other people, but doesn’t teach people, how to be nice to themselves… We have totally lost the direction about searching ourselves. This is the bad part of the culture. People, don’t listen to him! He is an old guy, born 2000 years ago. For his age, his teachings were OK, but not for now.”
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Jef Vreys,成都小众音乐在变脸 Chengdu Underground Music is Unveiling New Faces
采访时间:2016年8月4日 Interview Date: August 4, 2016
Jef Vreys:比利时人,毕业于中国历史专业,曾在四川大学进修中文,2007年起开始居蓉生活。2009年,创办独立音乐厂牌NewNoise,为小而特别的中外乐队搭建海外演出平台,将诸多国外大牌乐队带来中国演出,尤其是成都。
Jef Vreys: Belgian, a Chinese history major graduate. He once studied Chinese in Sichuan University and has been living in Chengdu since 2007. In 2009 He founded his indie music brand NewNoise, which offered overseas performance platforms for small yet distinctive bands that are either from China or from other countries. He has brought many big foreign bands to China to perform, especially to Chengdu.
http://newnoise.cn/
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如果说“地下音乐”,大众难免会有先入为主的误解——黑暗、非主流、反动等等,然而,地下音乐的特性更准确的近乎是:独立小众传播、与商业音乐对抗、具有先锋意味。
Underground music may strike one as being dark, non-mainstream and rebellion. However, a more precise definition would be the music that circulates in small groups, rebels against commercial music and acts as a pioneer.
独立音乐,灵魂在相互寻找
Independent Music Searches for its Soulmate
2007年,比利时小伙Jef来华留学,在北京大学、清华大学和四川大学之间选择了有着许多旅游景点的后者,也因为他想避开2008年北京奥运会涌动的外籍大潮,感受新旧交融的中国人文。学习期间,Jef就喜欢去小酒馆看演出,他回忆道:“那时候最火的也就属小酒馆了。”
In 2007, a Belgian guy Jef came to study in China. He chose Sichuan University situated in Sichuan, which is home to many tourist attractions over Peking University and Tsinghua University – on one hand, he wanted to avoid the foreign visitors that flooded into Beijing for the Olympic Games in 2008 and on the other hand, he thought that he could experience Chinese culture featuring the blend of the old and the new. During the study, Jef used to watch performance in small taverns. “Small taverns were the people’s favorite,” recalled Jef.
8岁那年,Jef随父亲看了第一场地下音乐演出,开启了对音乐不一样的偏好和感知。15岁时他在乐队The Maple Room担任贝斯手,并策划了人生第一场演出。Jef的音乐志趣与中国市场的发展潜力促使他成立了自己的独立音乐厂牌NewNosie,其名出自Refused乐队的一曲歌名,代表着一种鲜明的音乐态度——主流的电视广播和商业化使音乐趋同,我们应该创造不一样的音乐,新的声音。
At the age of eight, Jef’s father took him to see an underground music performance, which was the first time he had ever seen anything like this. Ever since then, he began to develop his unique preference and perception of music. At the age of fifteen, he was the bass player in a band called The Maple Room and planned his very first concert. Jef’s music interest and the development potential in the Chinese market urged him to found his indie music brand NewNoise, which got its name from the song of a band called Refused. It represents a distinct music attitude: instead of being assimilated by mainstream TV broadcast and commercial music, we need to create different music and new voices.
Jef成为游走中外地下音乐界的乐队经纪人,将国外乐队带来中国,比如MONO、冰岛的Múm乐队;将成都乐队带去欧洲,比如惘闻。相似的灵魂总是在寻找着相遇的契机,多元的音乐吸引着彼此的交流和碰撞。Jef说:“地下音乐更像是一种运动,它更加独立小众,正在被越来越多的人理解和接受,它依旧有别于普罗大众喜欢的主流音乐。”
Jef became a band agent who shuttled through Chinese and foreign underground music circles and brought foreign bands to China, such as MONO and Iceland-based band Múm. He also brought Chengdu bands to Europe, such as Wang Wen. Similar souls are always looking for opportunities to collide and diversified music trigger mutual communication and exchanges. “Underground music is more of a movement. As much as it reaches only a small crowd, it is now being accepted and understood by more people. Yet it still distinguishes itself from more popular mainstream music,” said Jef.
如期所料,这确实并非易事,第一次带比利时的一支乐队来中国演出,Jef花了半年的时间进行前期联络。即使发展至今,业界小有名气的Jef在给乐队发出第一封联络邮件时,除了介绍自己、公司、合作过的乐队,更多的内容是关于中国和成都。毕竟,中国,尤其是西南城市成都,对于很多国外乐队而言,依旧是一个遥远、陌生的神秘名字。
As it turns out, it is not a piece of cake. The first time Jef brought a Belgian band to China for performance, it took him half a year to make it happen. Even now, Jef, a minor celebrity in the industry, introduced more about China and Chengdu other than himself, his company or partner bands in the first mail he sent to the bands. After all, China, especially Chengdu, a city located in Southwest China, is still a mystery in the eyes of many foreign bands.
成都制造,暗涌的音乐热潮
Made in Chengdu – The Music Trend on the Rise
2009年居成都至今,Jef全触角体会到了成都地下音乐市场的变化。“成都的音乐氛围很好,乐队之间互相捧场帮忙,是个有爱的大家庭。这些年来,阿修罗、声音玩具等老乐队还依旧在演出,秘密行动、荷尔蒙小姐这样的新一代音乐力量也在蓬勃生长。新乐队大多有专业的音乐学习背景,他们的出现让老乐队更加努力,竞争氛围也很好。”如今,成都地下音乐的风格从新金属到电音、Indie等更加多元,演出场所也不再局限于酒吧,城市里有了更多的新空间。2007年之后成都有了音乐节,热波、大爱、草莓……听众对“地下”的认知在更新,越来越多的人喜欢上这种“小众”。
Since he settled in Chengdu in 2009, Jef has completely experienced the changes in Chengdu’s underground music market. “Chengdu has a good music vibe; bands show up and root for each other, which together make a harmonious family. In the past few years, old bands, such as Asura and Sound Toy still did gigs while new generation bands like Stolen and The Hormones were booming. Most of the new bands have professional music background, whose development drives old bands to work harder,” said Jef. Now, Chengdu’s underground music diversified – from new metal to electronics, Indie and many other genres. Performance venues are no longer confined to pubs; the artists begin to perform in various urban places. In 2007, Zebra, Big Love and Strawberry and many other music festivals came to Chengdu. The public got to learn more about “underground music” and grew to love this type of “minority” music.
三年前(2013年),Jef和搭档策划了“成都制造”室内音乐节,集合了成都大小名气的各种本土乐队。两年间,每场音乐节参与观众超过两千人。
Three years ago (year of 2013), Jef and his partners planned an indoor music festival called “Made in Chengdu”. It gathers Chengdu’s local bands, whether their fame is big or small. In the past two years, each music festival attracted more than 2,000 audiences.
在成都做外国乐队演出之难,既是地理问题,也是钱的问题。Jef说:“外籍乐队来中国内地的机票比到香港贵很多,但票价会比香港便宜很多,知名乐队想要做大型演出,对设备和空间的要求就高,成都目前还不够成熟……”
It is difficult to get foreign bands to perform in Chengdu not only because of geological problem, but also due to the matter of money. “Foreign bands have to pay more expensive air tickets to come to mainland China, compared with Hong Kong. However, they earn less from ticket income. In addition, in terms of large-scale performance, renowned bands often raise higher demands for equipment and space, but Chengdu is not yet mature enough to meet such demands,” said Jef.
那么,如何吸引外国乐队?Jef 说:“我会告诉他们这将是一次全新的体验!”无论是演出本身、市场前景,或者是川菜入嘴那一口的辣,对外籍乐手都是与截然不同的经历。而且喜欢研究中国历史的Jef,还时常扮演导游的角色,给乐队介绍北京的紫禁城、成都武侯祠的三国文化等,也让乐队对中国的理解稍微深一点儿。
Then, how did he attract foreign bands to come? “I would tell them that it would be a brand new experience!” said Jef. Indeed, the performance, the market prospect and the spicy Sichuan food are unprecedented in their previous experiences. Moreover, Jef, who likes to study Chinese history, often acts as a guide to introduce Beijing’s Forbidden City and Three-Kingdom culture of Chengdu’s Wuhou Temple to these bands, who thus get to know more about China.
Jef对比了一个有趣的现象:“比利时的乐队如果在国内出名了,他们会尝试走出国门。但是中国多的大多数乐队没有这个意识,觉得‘没人知道我们,所以我们不去’,其实思维应该恰好相反——不知道,所以要去。”Jef也很清醒地知道,这背后有截然不同的生活习惯和文化差异。社会在发展,会有越来越多的人关注生活品质、文化历史,而包容的成都每天都变幻出崭新的面孔。
Jef also talked about an interesting phenomenon. “If a Belgian band becomes famous in their own country, they will seek to expand foreign markets. Their Chinese counterparts, however, don’t see things this way. They believe that they couldn’t go there since no one knows them yet. In fact, it should be the other way around.” Jef also knows clearly that strikingly different life habits and culture underlie this phenomenon. As the society keeps developing, people will focus more on life quality, culture and history. Chengdu, this inclusive city, keeps unveiling its many new faces on a daily basis.
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秦思源X声音博物馆 Colin Siyuan Chinnery X Sound Museum
采访时间:2017年6月14日 Interview Date: June 14, 2017
秦思源(Colin Siyuan Chinnery),艺术家,中英混血。8岁学功夫,12岁返英读书,上世纪90年代担任北京“穴位乐队”主唱。先后做过大英图书馆管理员、中国国家图书馆国际敦煌学项目主任、英国大使馆文化教育处艺术项目总监、尤伦斯当代艺术中心副馆长、上海博览会国际当代艺术展总监。
Colin Siyuan Chinnery is an artist of mixed Chinese-British heritage. He learned Chinese Kung Fu at the age of eight and went back to the UK for school at the age of twelve. In the 1990s, Chinnery was the singer for the band “Xuewei” in Bejing. Later, he served as a researcher at the British Library, Head of the International Dunhuang Project of the National Library of China, Arts Manager for the British Council in Beijing, Deputy Director and Chief Curator of Ullens Center for Contemporary Art (UCCA) and Director of ShContemporary art fair in Shanghai.
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秦思源好几次采访都提到,北京的鸽子不一样,它们背上拴着哨,飞翔的风中传来独一无二的北京声场。在他看来,每段历史,每个城市,都有其专属声场,那是生活在时下的人所演绎的声音历史。
In previous interviews, Chinnery has said several times that pigeons in Beijing are different to other places, for there is the tradition of attaching whistles to their backs which generate a unique sound while they are flying. From his perspective, every city boasts its own sound properties. It is a sound history created by the people who are living at each moment.
记录一座城市的声场史
Recording the History of a City through sound
秦思源出生于文化世家,其父是英国汉学家秦乃瑞(John Chinnery,1924-2010),其母陈小莹是陈源(笔名陈西滢)与凌叔华之女。外祖母与林徽因、冰心齐名为“民国三大才女”,外祖父曾是鲁迅文学上的主要论敌。
Chinnery’s family has a rich background in culture. His father John Chinnery (1924-2010) was a British sinologist, and his mother Hsiaoying Chinnery is the daughter of Chen Yuan (also known as Chen Xiying under the pen name) and Ling Shuhua. His grandmother Ling Shuhua, together with Lin Huiyin and Xie Wanying (Bing Xin), are acclaimed as the “Three Talented Women of the Republic of China,” and his grandfather Chen Yuan was a major literary opponent to Lu Xun, one of the greatest writers in contemporary Chinese history.
他的外祖父母曾居住的北京史家胡同,于2012年在英国查尔斯王储基金会资助下,改为博物馆。作为视角独特的艺术家及院落居住者的后代,秦思源成为博物馆的顾问,受2004年《都市发声》策展经历启发,秦思源建议体现老北京的声音文化。
His grandparents once lived in Beijing’s Shijia Hutong, which was transformed into a museum in 2012 with funding from The Prince’s Charities Foundation. As a descendant of the house’s old owner and an artist with a unique perspective, Chinnery was selected as the consultant of the museum. Inspired by his curating experience for Sound and the City, Chinnery put forward the idea of presenting the unique sound culture of old Beijing.
一隅不过五六平方米的小屋子,“装”了上百种声音。清晨卖烧饼的吆喝、磨刀人的板拍铁、缝纫机的“嗒嗒”、女孩儿跳绳时哼的歌、有轨电车的售票员的报站声……这些已经消失或正在消失的声音正是我们历史的一部分。秦思源说:“声音和气味是一种直觉的记忆。通过声音的记录,让客观的历史变成个人的历史。”
In a room less than five square meters, there are hundreds of different sounds: the yelling of Shaobing hawkers in the early morning, clangs of grinders, the clatter of sewing machines, songs of girls skipping rubber bands and station broadcasting of ticket sellers in trams. Those sounds that have disappeared or are disappearing are parts of Beijing’s history. Chinnery said: “Both sounds and smells are intuitive memories. And records in sounds can transform an objective history into our own personal histories.”
用耳朵观察世界
Discovering the World with Our Ears
三年前史家胡同博物馆里的这个声音项目拓展成一个声音博物馆的想法,可是因为资金有限,秦思源不得不暂停收集新声音。他说,很多朋友乐意帮忙,但这种方式持续性不够。直到今年,声音博物馆再启向前,秦思源的项目具象为两个方面,一是以主题和时间节点为线索,整理记录北京上个世纪30-90年代的声音历史,以录音师、IT人士、历史学家等专业合作为主,与北京的古玩收藏以及各行各业的声音见证者合作。此外,他还有一个名为“Embodied Sound”的国际当代艺术项目,对全世界的公众开放,希望普通人去记录当下身边的声音,用耳朵观察世界。
Constrained by a lack of funds, Chinnery had to stop collecting more sounds three years ago. He explained that many friends were willing to help, but this wasn’t a sustainable way to develop the project. However, his idea had developed into a conceptual sound museum, which he has started to develop in earnest this year. His new project can be considered as two parts. Part one is to collect and record sounds of Beijing in 1930s-1990s under different of themes and timelines. This part will be guided by a professional team consisting of sound engineers, IT engineers, and historians, and will be joined in by antique collectors of Beijing and sound recorders from all sectors. The other part is an international contemporary art project called “Embodied Sound”, a project open to all people across the world. Chinnery hopes that the public can join in the art project to record sounds around them and to discover the world with their ears.
“最早,手机是用来听的,现在都是看。拍照片、录视频发朋友圈分享,而后眼前这个被拍物我们就不在乎了,而是关心谁给我点了赞。”秦思源说:“这是社会的变革,也是我们在慢慢退化,丧失对世界的第一手接触。假如脱离日常惯性,用耳朵来接触世界,可能会遇到一些惊喜,发现意想不到的周围。”
“The phone was used for listening but now is for taking photos and videos. After sharing those photos and videos in WeChat, people forget them and then only care about those Likes,” said Chinnery, “this is the symptom of the times and is also a demonstration of losing our first-hand experience of the world. If we put aside those daily routines and use our ears to interact with the world, we may find something exciting and unexpected.”
声音构建的时间隧道
Time Tunnel of Sound
北京以前的出租车打表器会播放一段小旋律,声音一响起,就把秦思源拉回了21世纪初的背景中。“回忆得非常直观,整个身体都回去了。”他思索着,若是复制更多别的声音,别人也能有怀念有共鸣,也能进入过去的音域中。对声音的复制,其实是个时间隧道。
Years ago in Beijing, the taxi meter would play a jingle for the passengers. Every time the music starts, it would take Chinnery back to the beginning of the 21st century. “The memory is easily perceived and my whole body is taken back to the time of that sound.” He wondered that if more duplicated sounds could be made, will they arouse other people with the same resonance? Will those sounds bring people into the past time as well? Actually, Chinnery understands that the reproduction of sounds is the weaving of a time tunnel.
1857年,法国发明家里昂·史考特(Leon Scott)发明了Phonoautograph声波振记器,这机器也只能记下声波形状而已。可见,声音记录史不足两百年,声音作为珍贵的载体,对世界影响甚远。秦思源说:“我只能回溯到民国时期,必须有活人来考证。如果有人记得溥仪小时候在皇宫说话的样子,他得有100多岁了。”
Although Frenchman Leon Scott invented the Phonautograph in 1857, it only transcribes sound waves as undulations or other deviations in a line. It indicates that the history of the sound recording is not as long as 200 years. However, sounds as precious carriers have a far-reaching effect on the world. Chinnery said: “I am only able to find sounds dating back to the Republic of China. But these sounds still need the input and feedback of people still alive. If somebody could remember the voice of the child Puyi (the last Emperor of China) in the Forbidden City, he/she must be well over 100 years old by now.”
是否有声音是不需要存在的?比如说噪音。对于这个问题,秦思源快速回说“没有”,并强调:“声音不是独立存在的,总有一个发声物,你可以说汽车鸣笛可以不存在,可你能说汽车不需要存在吗?”之所以有Embodied Sound这样社会参与的项目,也可以让我们在不断改造我们的世界的时候,有一种意识——我们还可以有更多好声音。
Regarding the question whether there are such sounds that do not need recording, like noises. Chinnery answered without hesitation “No.” He stressed that “Sounds cannot exist without sound sources. We can say that a car horn does not need to exist, but can you say that the car does not need to exist?” That is why social engagement projects like Embodied Sound are launched. By taking part in those projects, people can have the consciousness that while the world is changing, there are still more good sounds need to be recorded.
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何伟:在小城消失,像影子一样记录 Peter Hessler, Fading away in the town, recording like a shadow.
采访日期:2016年9月13日 Interview Date:September 13, 2016
Peter Hessler(彼得·海斯勒),中文名何伟,阿拉伯名字Boutros,美国作家与记者。被《华尔街日报》赞为“关注现代中国的最具思想性的西方作家之一”。毕业于普林斯顿大学及牛津大学,曾为《华尔街日报》、《国家地理》等刊物自由撰稿,“当代中国三部曲”《江城》、《寻路中国:从乡村到工厂的自驾之旅》、《甲骨文》是其代表书作。2000-2007年,他出任《纽约客》驻北京记者;2011年秋天至2016年夏天,移居埃及,任《纽约客》中东记者。
Peter Hessler, with a Chinese name “He Wei” and an Arabian name “Boutros”, is an American writer and journalist. He is crowned as “one of the most insightful western writers with interest in modern China.” Graduating from Princeton University and Oxford University, he has contributed numerous articles to Wall Street Journal and National Geographic, among other publications. His representative works include River Town, Country Driving: A Journey from Farm to Factory and Oracle Bones, which are called “the trilogy of contemporary China”. From 2000 to 2007, he served as journalist of The New Yorkersin Beijing. From the autumn of 2011 to the summer of 2016, he migrated to Egypt and served as journalist of The New Yorkers in the Middle East.
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对于中国的海外报道中常出现的严声批判,不少中国人爱拿“这些外国人不懂我们中国”作为置之不理或义愤填膺的挡箭牌。美国作家及记者何伟(Peter Hessler,中文文稿用其中文名)的当代中国三部曲,让不少中国读者深感:他甚至比很多中国人都更了解中国。
As for the criticism frequently occurring in overseas coverage of China, many Chinese people use “These foreigners know nothing about China” as an excuse to turn a cold shoulder to the coverage. Peter Hessler, an American writer and journalist, impresses many Chinese readers with his trilogy of contemporary China. Many readers feel that he has got a better understanding of China than many Chinese people.
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2016年,成都秋夜,一场关于“20年后重返中国”(Coming back China after 20 years)的讲座上,何伟在今年夏天结束五年的埃及生活,久别来华。现场座无虚席,中外读者齐聚,对他们而言,能见到何伟确是一件激动人心的事情。
On an autumn evening in Chengdu in 2016, a lecture themed by “Coming Back China after 20 Years” was held. Peter Hessler came back to China after bringing his 5-year life in Egypt to a close this summer. With all seats occupied, the lecture attracted readers from home and abroad. It was so exciting for them to see Peter Hessler.
从90年代的中国“冒险”开始
The Story Begins with the “China adventure” in 1990s
1996年至1998年,何伟以美国和平队志愿者的身份派往重庆涪陵师范学校(今长江师范学院)任教,与大多数前来中国的志愿者一样,他不曾想到会与中国产生长久的关联。他说:“90年代的中国不是什么大角色(big deal),不足以吸引有雄心壮志的美国年轻人,那时候,很少人有独到的视野,能预想到中国会变成今天这样。”何伟说自己来中国也并非因为视野,而是因为通过志愿者这种便宜而独特的方式。
From 1996 to 1998, Peter Hessler was sent to Chongqing Fuling Normal School (now it is named as Yangtze Normal University) as a American Peace Corps volunteer. Just like most foreign volunteers in China, never has he thought about any long-term connection with China. He said, “China was not a big deal in the 1990s. It was not attracting the young and ambitious American. At that time, only a few people were insightful enough to preconceive that China would transform like this.” Peter Hessler said that the reason for him to come to China was not due to insightfulness, but because of the fact that being a volunteer was quite an economical and unique way of an exploration.
于是,当他的美国友人在为事业打拼,进行财富和地位累积时,何伟正在毫不知名的中国小城“消失两年”,他不认为这是一种牺牲,反而是甘心选择的一场未知冒险。他也不曾预料到,涪陵两年,会产生《江城》这本书,也并不知道这本书一经推出即获得“Kiriyama环太平洋图书奖”,奠定了他的职业和人生道路。
Therefore, when his American friends were making a living, accumulating wealth and striving for social status, Peter Hessler had dwelled in a nameless Chinese town for two years. He never considered it as a kind of sacrifice, but an unknown adventurous trip made of his own accord. He had never imagined that he would publish River Town during his two-year stay in Fuling, part of a gigantic Chongqingmunicipality.Similarly, he had neverimagined that the book would be awarded “Kiriyama Prize (Pacific Rim)” upon being published, and then be the cornerstone for his career and life.
上世纪90年代,外教在中国还是一个新鲜的概念。但也因为身处在这样一个没有DVD、邮件、通讯不发达,大哥大全城都只有两部的1996年,使何伟有机会与身边的本地人产生亲密联系(close contact),他也得以感受到在特定年代下中国人带着温存的生活气息。
In 1990s, foreign teacher was a novel concept in China. Nevertheless, it was in 1996, when DVD was unavailable, email and communication were underdeveloped with only two cellular phones in the city, that Peter’s close contact with local people was facilitated. Thanks to that, he was able to experience the special flavor of Chinese life in a specific era.
至今,何伟与教过的大概百来位学生依然保持联系,从信件、电话到邮件。表达关心的同时,这些学生也成为何伟观察中国的一个窗口。每年,何伟发送有针对性的问题给学生。前几年是关于经济,何伟希望通过他们了解中等收入人群(Medium Income)的情况。何伟说:“1998年毕业后的大部分学生当了老师,那时平均年收入大概是500美元,前两年,大部分学生如今的收入超过16000美元/年,平均年收入大概是20000美元/年,这是一个巨大的飞跃。当我问学生如何看待自己的社会地位(Social Class)时,70%的学生回答是‘下层阶级’(Lower Class)或者是‘贫穷’(Poor),甚至不少学生说自己是无产阶级(Proletariat),但是无论从任何定义而言,他们都可以说是中产阶级。其中一个学生的年收入50000美元,他的孩子读私立学校,他有三套房子、有车,且没有任何负债,但是他依然说自己是‘下层阶级’。”
So far, Peter Hessler has kept in touch with over 100 students, through letters, phone calls and e-mails.While caring for them, the contact with the students has been a window for Peter to observe China. Every year, Peter sent targeted questions to students. Several years ago, the questions were about economy. Peter wanted to get a better understanding of medium income group. He said, “Most of the graduates in 1998 became teachers, with an average annual income of about 500 USD. In recent years, most students’ annual income has reached over 16,000 USD, and the average annual income has been 20,000 USD. What an impressive leap! When my students were asked how they describe their own social class, 70% of them answered “lower class” or “poor”, and many of them even called themselves “Proletariat”. Nevertheless, by all definitions, they can be labeled as a middle class group. One of my students, without any debt, has an annual income of 50,000 USD, with a car, three houses and a child studying at private school. But he still asserted that he was among the lower class group.
“生活已经改变了,但是人们大脑层面的设定需要时间来调整(Mind set takes time to readjust)。”何伟如是说。
“Life has changed, but mindset takes time to readjust,” said Peter Hessler.
链接LINK
根据瑞士信贷银行发布的《全球财富报告2015》,中国中产阶级人数达到1.09亿人,虽然只占全国成年人口的11%,但却超越美国的9200万人,成为全球中产阶级人数最多的国家。
According to the Global Wealth Report 2015 released by Credit Suisse, the number of Chinese middle class reached 109 million. Although the number only accounted for 11% of national adult population, it outnumbered that of America, and China became the county with largest middle class population in the world.
疏离下的视野,以小见大的洞察
Seeing from High Above, Observing in Specific Details
离开涪陵的六个月前,在导师约翰·迈克菲的鼓励下,何伟才开始动笔写《江城》。虽然高中时他便有了作家梦,但他清楚写作是一个长期的过程,即便是知名的作家,20岁时也有写得很糟糕的。经历使写作更丰盈,更成熟。
Six months before leavingFuling, receiving an encouragementfromhis tutor John McAfee, Peter started to write River Town. Although he had dreamed of being an author when he was a senior high school student, he knew quite well that writing was a long journey. Even for famous writers, poor performance in writing was nothing new at their age of 20. It is one of the experiencesthat makes writing more full-fledged.
何伟的第四部书作《奇石——来自东西方的报道》收录了他曾在《纽约客》上发表的专栏文章,从这些精彩报道中,恰好可以一探何伟的创作视角——无论身在东方还是西方,他从不打算融入社会,而是保持疏离感,以小见大记录普通人的故事。
The articles published on the columns of The New Yorker are included in Strange Stones: Dispatches from East and West, the fourth book of Peter Hessler. Peter’s creative angle of view can be seen from the wonderful coverage: He never intends to integrate himself into society, no matter where he is. Instead, he keeps aloof from society, records the stories of ordinary people and digs out inspiration from every single detail.
“所有重要的政治事件,在小城凡人背后若隐若现。”何伟敏锐冷静,保持陌生,“潜入”不同政治制度、经济文化下活生生的人与事。由此,他记录了许多普通人的故事,画家、警察、出租车司机、体育运动员、学生艾米莉、多恩医生……却让中西读者都能通过这些人物得到共鸣,或窥见世界。何伟学习中文、阿拉伯语是为了借由语言更好地了解所观察的社会,为了“异地书写而能深入其境”,而非融入异国他乡,他说:“写作者寻求同理心的联系(Empathy connection),如果拥有语言技巧,会容易得多。”即便精通中文,他依旧适时运用“创造性口吃”以便于自己的观察和记录。
“All the important political events are hidden behind ordinary people’s stories in the small town.” Staying perspicacious, calm and aloof, Peter Hessler dives into different political systems, economy and culture. He has recorded stories of many ordinary people, including painter, policeman, taxi driver, athlete, student Emily and doctor Donne. The figures can strike a responsive chord for Chinese and western readers, and bring them closer to the world. Peter studied Chinese and Arabicto acquirea better understanding of the society that he observes, rather than to integrate into a foreign country. According to him, by virtue of language, he can write out of hometown with incisive perspective. He said, “It will be much easier for writers with language skills to seek empathy connection.” Even though he’s proficient in Chinese, he still utilizes “creative stammer” from time to time, in a bid to facilitate his observation and record.
作为纪实记者,何伟并没有全然运用新闻提倡的中立身份,他既把“我”的角色带入语境,加入自己的视角,又在行文时与人事保持疏离感。他说:“表达观点意见是很微妙的事情。我尽量抑制自己不去妄下定论。”何伟的非虚构写作,行文中几近白描,慎用修辞。他说:“非虚构写作不能编故事,它逼着作者不得不卖力地发掘事实,搜集信息,非虚构写作的创造性正蕴含在此间。”
As an on-the-spot journalist, Peter Hessler does not completely take a neutral stance promoted in news. He brings “I” into the context with individual perspective, and keeps distantfrom the events and figures. He said, “It is rather subtle to express opinions, and I try my best to refrain from jumping to conclusions.” Peter’s non-fiction writing features simple delineation and cautiously used rhetoric. “Non-fiction writers cannot make up stories. We have to dig out facts and collect information, and that’s the reason why non-fiction writing is so creative.”
“有人跟我说,希望拥有我的经历,希望也身在那个特定的年代,说‘你有素材可以记录,我已经没有了’。但其实中国依旧魅力不减,总是有不可思议的素材,中国不会缺少故事。”
“Some people told me that they wish they could have been there and had that experience. They said ‘You have something to write but I don’t have anynow.’ As a matter of fact, China has always been an amazing land, full of incredible materials.”
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“大黄鸭之父”霍夫曼:大男孩和他的大伙伴们 Hofman, “Father of Rubber Duck”, A Big Boy and His Big Friends
采访时间:2013年7月 Interview Date: July, 2013
弗洛伦泰因·霍夫曼
荷兰概念艺术家。曾在大尺幅画布上画了10年油画,后以荷兰鹿特丹为基地,开始从事在公共空间创作巨大造型物的艺术项目。大型艺术已经成为他的“签名”,“胖猴子”(The Fat Monkey 2010年在巴西圣保罗展出)、“大黄兔”(The Big Yellow Rabbit 2011年在瑞典厄勒布鲁展出)等等,最出名的是今年在香港和即将在北京展出的“大黄鸭”(Rubber Duck),也因此,他被称为“大黄鸭之父”。
Florentijn Hofman is a Dutch conceptual artist. He made oil paintings on large canvases for 10 years. Thereafter, based in Rotterdam, Netherlands, he began to work on giant models in public spaces. Large art works such as “The Fat Monkey” (exhibited inSao Paulo, Brazil in 2010) and “The Big Yellow Rabbit”(exhibitedin Orebro, Sweden in 2011) have become his signature works, among which “Rubber Duck”, which was exhibited in Hong Kong and scheduled to be exhibited in Beijing, is the most famous. That’s why he is popularly known as the “Father of Rubber Duck.”
https://www.florentijnhofman.nl
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2013年于霍夫曼而言,是重要的一年,已过而立之年的他,和他的“大伙伴”们终于在中国国土上“站”了起来。尤其是前身与中国有不解之缘的“大黄鸭”,在距设计概念萌生的13年后,浮上了香港维多利亚港湾。
For Hofman, who is in his thirties, 2013 is an important year when he and his large creations finally gained recognition in the land of China. This was particularly so for “Rubber Duck”, whose conception was indelibly linked with China. It finally appeared in Victoria harbor in Hong Kong, 13 years after the design was conceived.
此前,大黄鸭也漂流过许多国家,但对大多数国人而言,它不过是人们“澡盆戏水”的童年回忆,而且在中国,“大”可不是什么了不起的事,尤其是在公共空间,尤其是充气装置。比如,很多中国商家都喜好在店门前矗立两个甚至多个十多米的充气柱子,天空还放飞五彩的氢气球,喜迎开业。而那些看似热闹的充气装置,无疑与艺术相差甚远,更像有气无力的金箍棒,仅有扯人眼球的功力而已。于是,当2013年7月,霍夫曼来到了拥有全球最大单体建筑——环球中心的成都,他和他的“大伙伴”们,一边受到的是热烈的欢迎,一边也备受争议。
Prior to China, Rubber Duck had toured many countries, but for some, the work merely represented an oversized bathtub toy. Particularly in China, large inflatable devices are commonplace in public places. To celebrate retail store openings, for example, large inflatable pillarsare a common sight amid a rising sea of colorful balloons. These contraptions attract attention, but have doubtlessly little affiliation with art. Therefore, when Hofman arrived at the world’s largest stand-alone building – the Global Center in Chengdu, in July 2013, he generated both warm welcome and controversy.
高1米93的霍夫曼崇尚“不婚主义”,身为三个小孩的老爹,却依旧像个大男孩。他喜欢搜罗世界各地的玩具,喜欢将艺术与公共空间发生联系。于是他将这些玩具扩大无数倍,并以横七竖八的形式放置于公共空间,倒地的巨型兔(The Big Yellow Rabbit )、过街的鼻涕虫(Slow Slugs)、拖鞋做的大猴子(The Fat Monkey),甚至在葡萄牙将弗朗西斯科·德阿尔梅达(Francisco De Almeida,约公元前1450至1510年,葡萄牙贵族、军人和首任印度总督)的雕像贴满了彩色的橡皮泥。
Hofman, who is 1.93-meter tall, advocates a “non-marriage doctrine. ” A father of three, he has the air of a big boy himself. He likes collecting toys from all over the world and connecting art with public spaces. This inspired him to create hugely magnified replicas of those toys, and displaying them unconventionally in public. His works include The Big Yellow Rabbit, which lay on its back in a town square, Slow Slugs which ascended steps towards a church, and The Fat Monkey, made from slippers. In Portugal, he even stuck colorful plasticine to the statue of Francisco de Almeida (1450 to 1510 BC, Portuguese nobleman, soldier and first Governor General of India).
这些创作手法,在拥有“全世界人均身高最高国度”之称、拥有开放艺术空间的荷兰,可谓意料之举。可当这些原本熟悉亲切的玩具,以庞然姿态出现时,难掩一种陌生,而这种似是而非的感觉便是艺术的魅力。霍夫曼说:“也许艺术家不是一个好词,但它代表发现世界的心。”
By some studies, the Dutch populace is statistically the tallest in the world. This fact, combined with the abundance of open art spaces in Holland, may shed some light on the creative impulses of Hofman. By displaying familiar toys in unfamiliar sizes the artist arouses a sense of awe from mundane objects. “Perhaps artist is not a good word, but it represents a heart that discovers the world”, Hofman says.
对话霍夫曼:公共空间,以大见小
Q:为什么艺术品的尺寸对你而言非常重要?
霍夫曼:大,首先就会抓住人们的视线,而且使人绕着这个作品走一圈,全面地观看。大型艺术作品不仅让公共空间变小了,而且让观看的人也变小了。我并不是将东西做大,而是把世界变小。
Q: Why is the size of artworksvery important to you?
Hofman: A large artwork will draw people’s attention at first sight and make them walk around the work and take an overall look of it. Large-scale artworks make not only public space, but also the viewer smaller. I’m not making things big, but making the world smaller.
Q:在城市建设进程中,越来越多的艺术作品介入公共空间,对两者的交融你有怎样的看法?
霍夫曼:荷兰的公共艺术非常蓬勃,政府资助艺术家探索、发展和创造。比如,建造一所房屋需要三四百万,那么1%的资金会投入到艺术创作当中。有时候我觉得荷兰丰富的文化环境发展太过了,有些作品很糟糕。这种1%的政策对中国艺术发展倒是挺不错的,而且在建设初期就可以将艺术家、舞蹈家、音乐家的想法融入创意和规划中。
Q: In the process of city construction, more and more works of art get placed in public spaces, what do you think of their combination?
Hofman: Public art is booming in the Netherlands where artists’ exploration, development, and creation are supported by the government. For example, if building a house costs three to four million Euros, then 1% of the cost will be used for artistic creation. Sometimes I think the rich cultural environment in the Netherlands is overdeveloped, and some works are awful. But this 1% policy is good for the development of Chinese art, and in the initial stageof construction, ideas of artists, dancers, and musicians can be integrated into creation and planning.
Q:你的好奇心很旺盛,在成都的短暂旅途中,你说得最多的词就是“why”,请问“Mr.Why”对成都的城市有怎样的感想?
霍夫曼:当车驶过天府大道时,我被两旁高大且奇形怪状的建筑震惊了。我感叹这个城市的发展是多么迅速,当我们面临这些建筑时,自己是多么渺小,人类是多么渺小。我刚才提到的“1%的政策”也并不适用于永久性的艺术。当代艺术是短暂的,充满不断变化的新鲜感的。我希望公共空间是大家的空间,是大人们的游乐园,是让大人也有孩子那样发现的眼睛。
Q: You are full of curiosity, in the short journeyin Chengdu, what you say the most is the word “why”. So “Mr. Why”, how do you like this city?
Hofman: When the car passed by Tianfu Avenue, I was impressed by those grand and fantastic buildings on both sides. I think this city develops so fast, when facing these buildings, we feel we are so small, and human-beings are so small. The “1% policy” I mentioned just now is not appropriatefor permanent art. Contemporary art is transient, and is full of changes and freshness. I hope that public space belongs to everyone and is an amusement parkfor grown-ups, in where they may discover cheerful things like children.
Q:你和你的作品去过很多国家和地方,甚至有些作品是因地制宜、落地而生,你的作品在哪个国家最具影响力?
霍夫曼:不同的国家有不同的工作方式,在巴西,人们会让你等上三天,在日本,等了一分钟便开始催促你了。我每天都像生活在梦里一样,我的工作就是跟很多人一起玩耍,我是一个玩耍的大孩子。最有影响力的国度,应该叫做网络,那是我的作品被见到、去到过最多的领域。很多人意外在网上看到我的作品图便以为了解它了,其实不然,这也是我为什么不停在世界奔波,让更多人可以真实地感知我的作品。
Q: You and your works have been to many countries and regions, and some of your works are even based on and created for those places; so, on which country do your works have the most influence?
Hofman: Different countries have different ways of working. In Brazil, people will keep you waiting for three days, while in Japan, people will urge you after waiting for one minute. Every day of my life is like living in a dream, and my job is to play with a lot of people, I am a big kid who is having fun. The country in which my works have the most influence on should be called the Internet, where my works are watched and displayed the most number of times. Many people see my works on the Internet and think they have understood them, but in fact, they have not. That’s why I keep travelling around the world to make people truly understand my works.
Q:其实你有很多作品都有特色,可在唯独“大黄鸭”在中国火了,大家还称你为“鸭爸爸”。你觉得“大黄鸭”在中国受到追捧,是它所传递的爱被大家了解,还是一个从众的心态?
霍夫曼:我认为两者都有,更多是作品自身的原因。我会偷偷跑到作品现场,听听大家的意见,我听到了非常多不同的声音,大黄鸭是一个充满异议的作品。
Q: In fact, many of your works are distinctive, but only the “Rubber Duck” is popular in China, and you are called “Daddy Duck.” Do you think the popularity of “Rubber Duck” is because of everyone understanding the love it conveys, or just out of a herd mentality?
Hofman: Both are factors, but I think it is more because of the work itself. When I sneak to the places where my works are displayed and hear people’s opinions, I hear many different voices, and Rubber Duck is one of my controversial works.
Q:有人质疑你的作品不过是“小黄鸭”的再放大,甚至觉得是一种侵权。你是怎样看待这个问题?
霍夫曼:作为一个艺术家,必须秉承坦诚和开放的态度。我的工作室有我从世界各地搜集的玩具,我受它们启发,将他们扩大,并改变它们的外貌和材料,这是完全不一样的艺术,我强调公共空间的体积和就地取材。我不是第一个做“放大”的艺术家,但是我是第一个放大小黄鸭的艺术家。小黄鸭的形象早已存在了几百甚至上千年了,当我想要做“大黄鸭”项目时,我找到几百只鸭子的形象,后来找到了“香港制造”的这一只。
Q: Some people question that your work is just the re-amplification of “Little Rubber Duck” and they even think it is a tort. What do you think of this issue?
Hofman: As an artist, I must be frank and open. There are toys collected from all over the world in my studio. I was inspired by them so I amplify them and change their appearance and materials. This is a completely different art in which I emphasize volume of public space and use of local materials. I’m not the first “amplifying” artist, but I am the first artist to amplify Little Rubber Duck. The image of little ducks has existed for hundreds or even thousands of years. When I decided to make the “Rubber Duck”, I found hundreds of images of ducks until I found the one “Made in HK”.
链接LINK
1992年,一艘装有2.9万浴盆玩具、且大部分为黄色橡皮鸭的货轮从中国出发,计划穿越太平洋抵达美国华盛顿州的塔科马港,途中遇上海上风暴,货柜坠入大海并破裂。经过15年的漂流和洋流作用,黄色橡皮鸭在美国和英国海岸登陆。
In 1992, a cargo shiploaded with 29,000 bathtub toys, most of which were yellow rubber ducks, set out from China, planning to cross the Pacific to reach Port of Tacoma in Washington State, USA. On the way, the ship encountered a storm, and the containers fell into the sea and ruptured. After fifteen years of drifting with the currents, those rubber ducks finally reached the shores of the U.S. and the UK.
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