A lesson on looking | Amy Herman

Translator: Nelson Simfukwe Reviewer: Doris Mangalu

Take a look at this work of art.

Tazama usanifu huu.

What is it that you see?

Ni kipi ambacho unaona?

At first glance, it looks to be a grandfather clock

Kwa mtazamo wa kwanza, inaonekana kuwa ni saa ya babu

with a sheet thrown over it

ikiwa na karatasi lililotupiwa juu

and a rope tied around the center.

na kamba iliyozunguka katikati.

But a first look always warrants a second.

Ila mtazamo wa kwanza mara zote huruhusu wa pili.

Look again.

Angalia tena.

What do you see now?

Unaona nini sasa?

If you look more closely,

Ukiangalia kwa karibu zaidi,

you'll realize that this entire work of art

utatambua kwamba usanifu huu mzima

is made from one piece of sculpture.

umetengenezwa na kipande kimoja cha sanamu.

There is no clock,

Hakuna saa.

there is no rope,

Hakuna kamba,

and there is no sheet.

na hakuna karatasi.

It is one piece of bleached Honduras mahogany.

Ni kipande kimoja cha mkangazi wa Honduras uliong'arishwa.

Now let me be clear:

Sasa ngoja nieleze kwa ufasaha:

this exercise was not about looking at sculpture.

zoezi hili halikuwa kuhusu kuangalia sanamu.

It's about looking

Ni kuhusu kutazama

and understanding that looking closely can save a life,

na kuelewa kwamba kuangalia kwa ukaribu huokoa maisha,

change your company

kubadili kampuni yako

and even help you understand why your children behave the way they do.

na hata kuelewa kwanini watoto wako wanafanya tabia fulani.

It's a skill that I call visual intelligence,

Ni ujuzi ambao nauita maarifa ya uono,

and I use works of art to teach everybody,

na natumia kazi za sanaa kufundisha kila mtu,

from everyday people to those for whom looking is the job,

kutoka watu wa kila siku hadi wale ambao kutazama ni ajira kwao,

like Navy SEALs and homicide detectives and trauma nurses.

kama wanamaji wa SEAL na wapelelezi wa mauaji na wauguzi wa majeraha.

The fact is that no matter how skilled you might be at looking,

Ukweli ni kwamba haijalishi ni ujuzi gani ulionao katika kutazama,

you still have so much to learn about seeing.

bado una mambo mengi ya kujifunza kuhusu kuona.

Because we all think we get it in a first glance and a sudden flash,

Kwa sababu huwa tunadhani tunaelewa katika mtazamo wa kwanza na ule wa kushtukiza,

but the real skill is in understanding how to look slowly

lakini ujuzi halisi ni katika kuelewa namna ya kuangalia taratibu

and how to look more carefully.

na kuangalia kwa umakini zaidi.

The talent is in remembering --

Kipaji ni katika kukumbuka --

in the crush of the daily urgencies that demand our attention --

katika mambo tukutananayo kila siku yanayohitaji umakini wetu --

to step back and look through those lenses to help us see

kurudi nyuma na kuangalia kupitia lenzi kutusaidia kuona

what we've been missing all along.

ni yapi tuliyoyakosa muda wote.

So how can looking at painting and sculpture help?

Sasa namna gani kuangalia mchoro na sanamu husaidia?

Because art is a powerful tool.

Kwa sababu sanaa ni nyenzo yenye nguvu.

It's a powerful tool that engages both sight and insight

Ni nyenzo yenye nguvu ambayo inahusisha uoni na maarifa

and reframes our understanding of where we are and what we see.

na kutengeneza uelewa wetu wa wapi tulipo na kipi tunachoona.

Here's an example of a work of art

Huu ni mfano wa kazi ya sanaa

that reminded me that visual intelligence --

ambao umenikumbusha kwamba maarifa ya uono --

it's an ongoing learning process

ni mchakato endelevu

and one that really is never mastered.

na ambao hauwezi fikiwa tamati kamwe.

I came across this quiet, seemingly abstract painting,

Nilikutana na hii sanaa ya kufikirika ambayo ni tulivu,

and I had to step up to it twice,

na ilibidi nisogee kwa ukaribu mara mbili,

even three times,

hata mara tatu,

to understand why it resonated so deeply.

kuelewa kwanini inavuma kwa undani sana.

Now, I've seen the Washington Monument in person thousands of times,

Sasa, binafsi nimeona mnara wa Washington mara elfu moja,

well aware of the change in the color of marble a third of the way up,

ninatambua vizuri badiliko la rangi ya marumaru kwa theluthi kwenda juu,

but I had never really looked at it out of context

lakini sijawahi angalia katika nje ya muktadha

or truly as a work of art.

katika uhalisia wa kazi ya sanaa.

And here, Georgia O'Keeffe's painting of this architectural icon made me realize

Na hapa, mchoro wa Georgia O'Keefe's wa huu usanifu maarufu umenifanya kutambua

that if we put our mind to it,

kwamba kama tukiweka akili zetu hapo,

it's possible to see everyday things

inawezekana kuona vitu vya kila siku

in a wholly new and eye-opening perspective.

katika muonekano mpya unaofungua macho.

Now, there are some skeptics that believe that art just belongs in an art museum.

Sasa, kuna wabishi wanaoamini kua sanaa inatakiwa kuwepo tu katika jumba la sanaa.

They believe that it has no practical use beyond its aesthetic value.

Wanaamini kwamba haina matumizi halisia zaidi ya thamani ya urembo wake.

I know who they are in every audience I teach.

Najua ni kina nani katika kila umati ambao nafundisha.

Their arms are crossed, their legs are crossed,

Mikono yao wamekunja, miguu yao wamekunja,

their body language is saying,

lugha ya miili yao inasema,

"What am I going to learn from this lady who talks fast

"Nitajifunza nini kwa huyu mwanamke anayeongea haraka

about painting and sculpture?"

kuhusu michoro na sanaa?"

So how do I make it relevant for them?

Hivyo nafanyaje ili kufanya iendane nao?

I ask them to look at this work of art,

Nawaambia kuangalia hii sanaa,

like this portrait by Kumi Yamashita.

kama hii picha na Kumi Yamashita.

And I ask them to step in close,

Nawauliza kusogea karibu,

and even closer still,

na karibu zaidi,

and while they're looking at the work of art,

na wakati wakiangalia kazi ya sanaa,

they need to be asking questions about what they see.

wanahitaji kuuliza maswali kuhusu wanachoona.

And if they ask the right questions,

Na kama watauliza swali sahihi,

like, "What is this work of art?

kama, "Hii ni kazi gani ya sanaa?

Is it a painting? Is it a sculpture?

Ni mchoro? Ni sanamu?

What is it made of?" ...

Imetengenezwa na nini?" ...

they will find out that this entire work of art

watatambua kwamba hii kazi nzima ya sanaa

is made of a wooden board,

imetengenezwa na ubao wa mbao,

10,000 nails

misumari 10,000

and one unbroken piece of sewing thread.

na kipande kizima cha kamba ya kushonea.

Now that might be interesting to some of you,

Sasa hii inaweza vutia baadhi yenu,

but what does it have to do with the work that these people do?

lakini inahusiana nini na kazi wanayofanya watu hawa?

And the answer is everything.

na jibu ni kila kitu.

Because we all interact with people multiple times on a daily basis,

Kwamba tunakutana na watu mara kadhaa katika maisha ya kila siku,

and we need to get better at asking questions

na tunahitaji kuwa bora katika kuuliza maswali

about what it is that we see.

kuhusu ni kitu gani tunachoona.

Learning to frame the question in such a way

Kujifunza kutengeneza swali katika namna hiyo

as to elicit the information that we need to do our jobs,

katika kusisimua taarifa tunazohitaji kufanya kazi zetu,

is a critical life skill.

ni ujuzi wa maisha ambao muhimu sana.

Like the radiologist who told me

Kama mtaalamu wa mionzi ambaye aliniambia

that looking at the negative spaces in a painting

kwamba kuangalia nafasi hasi katika mchoro

helped her discern more discreet abnormalities in an MRI.

kulimsaidia kutambua hali zisizo za kawaida katika MRI.

Or the police officer who said that understanding the emotional dynamic

Au afisa polisi aliyesema kwamba kuelewa mabadiliko ya hisia

between people in a painting

kati ya watu katika mchoro

helped him to read body language at a domestic violence crime scene,

kulimsaidia kutambua lugha ya mwili katika palipotendeka unyanyasaji wa nyumbani,

and it enabled him to think twice before drawing and firing his weapon.

na ilimsaidia kuwaza mara mbili kabla ya kutoa na kufyatua bunduki yake.

And even parents can look to see absences of color in paintings

Na hata wazazi wanaweza angalia kuona utupu wa rangi katika mchoro

to understand that what their children say to them

kuelewa kwamba kile watoto wanachowaambia

is as important as what they don't say.

ni muhimu kama kile wasichosema.

So how do I --

Kwa hiyo namna gani --

how do I train to be more visually intelligent?

Najifunzaje kuwa na maarifa ya uono?

It comes down to four As.

Inaelezewa na kama nne.

Every new situation, every new problem --

Kila hali mpya, kila tatizo jipya --

we practice four As.

huwa tunafanyia kazi kama nne.

First, we assess our situation.

Kwanza, tunatathmini hali yetu.

We ask, "What do we have in front of us?"

Tunauliza, " Ni kipi tulichonacho mbele yetu?"

Then, we analyze it.

Kisha, tunakichambua.

We say, "What's important?

Tunasema, "Kipi ni muhimu?

What do I need? What don't I need?"

Nahitaji nini? Kipi sihitaji?"

Then, we articulate it in a conversation, in a memo, in a text, in an email.

Kisha, tunakiunda katika maongezi, katika kumbukumbu, maandishi, barua pepe.

And then, we act: we make a decision.

Na kisha, tunatenda: tunafanya maamuzi.

We all do this multiple times a day,

Wote tunafanya hili mara kadhaa kwa siku,

but we don't realize what a role seeing and looking plays

lakini hatutambui jukumu la kutazama na kuona linavyofanya kazi

in all of those actions,

katika matendo yote,

and how visual intelligence can really improve everything.

na namna gani maarifa ya uono yanavyoweza kuboresha kila kitu.

So recently, I had a group of counterterrorism officials

Karibuni, nilipata kundi la wataalamu wa kupinga ugaidi

at a museum in front of this painting.

katika makumbusho mbele ya huu mchoro.

El Greco's painting, "The Purification of the Temple,"

mchoro wa El Greco, "Utakasaji wa Hekalu,"

in which Christ, in the center, in a sweeping and violent gesture,

ambapo Kristo, katikati, katika ishara ya kupangusa na yenye vurugu,

is expelling the sinners from the temple of prayer.

anawafukuza watenda dhambi kutoka katika hekalu la maombi.

The group of counterterrorism officials had five minutes with that painting,

Kundi la wapambana na ugaidi walikuwa na dakika tano katika mchoro ule,

and in that short amount of time, they had to assess the situation,

na katika muda huo mfupi, walitakiwa kuichambua hali ile

analyze the details,

kutambua taarifa,

articulate what, if anything,

kuchanganua kwamba, kama chochote

they would do if they were in that painting.

wangefanya kama wangekuwepo katika mchoro ule.

As you can imagine, observations and insights differed.

Unavyoweza kuwaza, mtazamo na ufahamu ulitofautiana.

Who would they talk to?

Nani wangeongea nae?

Who would be the best witness?

Nani angekuwa shuhuda mzuri?

Who was a good potential witness?

Nani ni shahidi mzuri wa muhimu?

Who was lurking?

Nani alikuwa anavizia?

Who had the most information?

Nani alikuwa na taarifa zaidi?

But my favorite comment came from a seasoned cop

Lakini moja ya maoni nililopenda lilitoka kwa polisi wa msimu

who looked at the central figure and said,

aliyeangalia mtu wa katikati na kusema,

"You see that guy in the pink?" --

"Unaona jamaa mwenye pinki?" --

referring to Christ --

akimaanisha Kristo --

he said, "I'd collar him, he's causing all the trouble."

alisema, "Ningemkaba, ndie anayesababisha vurugu yote."

(Laughter)

(Kicheko)

So looking at art gives us a perfect vehicle to rethink how we solve problems

Hivyo kuangalia sanaa kunatupa nyenzo bora ya kuwaza tena jinsi tunatatua matatizo

without the aid of technology.

bila msaada wa teknolojia.

Looking at the work of Felix Gonzalez-Torres,

Ukiangalia kazi ya Felix Gonzalez-Torres,

you see two clocks in perfect synchronicity.

unaona saa mbili zinazoenda sambamba kabisa.

The hour, minute and second hand perfectly aligned.

Saa, dakika na mshale wa sekunde vinafanana sawa sawa.

They are installed side by side and they're touching,

Vimewekwa upande kwa upande na zinagusana,

and they are entitled "'Untitled' (Perfect Lovers)."

na zimepewa jina "'Isiyo na jina'(Wapenzi Kamilifu)."

But closer analysis makes you realize

Lakini mtazamo wa karibu unafanya utambue

that these are two battery-operated clocks,

kwamba hizi ni saa mbili zitumiazo betri,

which in turn makes you understand --

ambapo inakufanya kuelewa --

"Hey, wait a minute ...

"Hebu, subiri kidogo ...

One of those batteries is going to stop before the other.

Moja ya betri itasimama kabla ya nyenzake.

One of those clocks is going to slow down and die before the other

Moja ya hizi saa itakuja kupunguza mwendo na kufa kabla ya nyingine

and it's going to alter the symmetry of the artwork."

na itaenda kuongeza usawa wa kazi hii ya sanaa."

Just articulating that thought process

Vile tu unavyoliwaza hilo jambo

includes the necessity of a contingency plan.

hujumuisha uhitaji wa mpango wa dharura.

You need to have contingencies for the unforeseen,

Unahitaji kuwa na dharura kwa yale yasiyoonekana,

the unexpected and the unknown,

yasiyotegemewa na yasiyojulikana,

whenever and however they may happen.

muda yanapotokea na namna yanavyotokea.

Now, using art to increase our visual intelligence

Sasa, kwa kutumia sanaa kuongeza maarifa ya uono

involves planning for contingencies,

hujumuisha kupanga kwa dharura,

understanding the big picture and the small details

kuelewa picha kubwa na taarifa ndogo

and noticing what's not there.

na kugundua kipi kinachokosekana.

So in this painting by Magritte,

Hivyo mchoro huu uliochorwa na Magritte,

noticing that there are no tracks under the train,

kugundua kwamba hakuna reli chini ya treni,

there is no fire in the fireplace

hakuna moto katika sehemu ya moto

and there are no candles in the candlesticks

na hakuna mishumaa ndani ya vinara

actually more accurately describes the painting

kiuhalisia inaelezea mchoro

than if you were to say, "Well, there's a train coming out of a fireplace,

zaidi ya ungesema, "Sasa, kuna treni inayotokea sehemu palipo na moto,

and there are candlesticks on the mantle."

na kuna vinara katika pazia

It may sound counterintuitive to say what isn't there,

Itaonekana kisicho cha kawaida kusema kisichokuwepo,

but it's really a very valuable tool.

lakini ni nyenzo yenye thamani.

When a detective who had learned about visual intelligence

Pale mpelezi aliyejifunza kuhusu uono wa maarifa

in North Carolina

huko Carolina Kaskazini

was called to the crime scene,

aliitwa katika eneo la tukio,

it was a boating fatality,

ilikuwa mashua yenye majeruhi,

and the eyewitness told this detective that the boat had flipped over

na shuhuda alimwambia huyu mpelelezi kwamba mashua ilipinduka

and the occupant had drowned underneath.

na aliyekuwepo alizama chini.

Now, instinctively, crime scene investigators look for what is apparent,

Sasa, kwa haraka, wapelelezi wa uhalifu huangalia kile kinachoonekana,

but this detective did something different.

lakini mpelelezi huyu alifanya kitu tofauti.

He looked for what wasn't there, which is harder to do.

Aliangalia ambacho hakipo, ambapo ni ngumu kufanya.

And he raised the question:

Na aliuliza swali:

if the boat had really tipped flipped over --

kama kweli mashua ilipinduka --

as the eyewitness said that it did --

kama mashuhuda wanavyosema --

how come the papers that were kept at one end of the boat

inakuwaje makaratasi yaliyowekwa mwisho mmoja wa mashua

were completely dry?

yapo makavu kabisa?

Based on that one small but critical observation,

Kulingana na mtazamo huo mdogo lakini muhimu,

the investigation shifted from accidental death to homicide.

upelelezi ulihama kutoka katika kifo mpaka mauaji.

Now, equally important to saying what isn't there

Sasa, muhimu kusema kipi kisichokuwepo pale

is the ability to find visual connections where they may not be apparent.

ni uwezo wa kutafuta muunganiko wa uono ambapo vitu havionekani.

Like Marie Watt's totem pole of blankets.

Kama tambiko la Marie Watt la nguzo ya matandiko.

It illustrates that finding hidden connections in everyday objects

Inaelezea kwamba kutafuta muunganiko uliojificha katika vitu vya kila siku

can resonate so deeply.

unaweza sisimua kiundani sana.

The artist collected blankets from all different people

Msanii alikusanya matandiko kutoka kwa watu mbalimbali

in her community,

katika jamii yake,

and she had the owners of the blankets write, on a tag,

na aliwaambia wamiliki wa matandiko hayo kuandika, katika nembo,

the significance of the blanket to the family.

umuhimu wa kitandiko hicho kwa familia.

Some of the blankets had been used for baby blankets,

Baadhi ya matandiko yametumika kwa ajili ya watoto,

some of them had been used as picnic blankets,

baadhi yametumika kama matandiko ya mandari,

some of them had been used for the dog.

baadhi yalikuwa yakitumika kwa ajili ya mbwa.

We all have blankets in our homes

Wote tuna matandiko majumbani mwetu

and understand the significance that they play.

na tunaelewa umuhimu yaliyonao.

But similarly, I instruct new doctors:

Lakini kwa usawa, nawaelekeza matabibu wapya:

when they walk into a patient's room,

wanapokwenda katika chumba cha mgonjwa,

before they pick up that medical chart,

kabla ya kuchukua chati ya mgonjwa,

just look around the room.

jaribu kutazama katika kile chumba.

Are there balloons or cards,

Kuna mapulizo au kadi,

or that special blanket on the bed?

au kile kitandiko mahususi katika kitanda?

That tells the doctor there's a connection to the outside world.

Hiyo inamueleza daktari kuna uhusiano na dunia ya nje.

If that patient has someone in the outside world

Kama mgonjwa huyo ana mtu katika dunia ya nje

to assist them and help them,

wa kuwaongoza na kuwasaidia,

the doctor can implement the best care with that connection in mind.

daktari anaweza pendekeza matunzo bora akiwa na uelewa na yale mahusiano akilini.

In medicine, people are connected as humans

Katika utabibu, watu wanaunganika kama wanadamu

before they're identified as doctor and patient.

kabla hawajatambulika kama daktari na mgonjwa.

But this method of enhancing perception --

Lakini njia hii ya kuongeza utambuzi --

it need not be disruptive,

haitakiwi kuwa haribifu,

and it doesn't necessitate an overhaul in looking.

na haina mahitaji ya kukarabati namna ya kutazama.

Like Jorge Méndez Blake's sculpture of building a brick wall

Kama sanamu ya Jorge Méndez ya kujenga ukuta wa matofali

above Kafka's book "El Castillo"

juu ya kitabu cha Kafka "El Castillo"

shows that more astute observation can be subtle and yet invaluable.

inaonyesha utazamaji wa kistaarabu unaweza kuwa kiuerevu lakini ulio na thamani.

You can discern the book,

Unaweza tambua kitabu,

and you can see how it disrupted the symmetry

na unaweza kuona namna gani umeharibu msawazo

of the bricks directly above it,

wa matofali juu yake,

but by the time you get to the end of the sculpture,

lakini muda ambao unafika mwisho wa sanamu,

you can no longer see the book.

huwezi kuona kitabu.

But looking at the work of art in its entirety,

Lakini kuangalia kazi ya sanaa katika ukamilifu wake,

you see that the impact of the work's disruption on the bricks

unaona kwamba matokeo ya uharibifu katika matofali

is nuanced and unmistakable.

ni wa dhahiri na usiokoswea.

One thought,

Wazo moja,

one idea,

jambo moja,

one innovation can alter an approach,

ubunifu mmoja unaweza ongeza namna,

change a process

kubadili mchakato

and even save lives.

na hata kuokoa maisha.

I've been teaching visual intelligence for over 15 years,

Nimekuwa nikifundisha maarifa ya uono kwa miaka zaidi ya 15,

and to my great amazement and astonishment --

na kwa mshangao wangu mkubwa na ustaajabu --

to my never-ending astonishment and amazement,

kwa mshangao na ustaajabu usiokoma,

I have seen that looking at art with a critical eye

Nimeona kwamba kuangalia kazi ya sanaa na jicho la ukaribu

can help to anchor us in our world of uncharted waters,

kunaweza kutusaidia katika dunia yetu ya maji yasiyopimwa,

whether you are a paramilitary trooper,

kama upo katika jeshi,

a caregiver, a doctor or a mother.

mtoa msaada, tabibu au mama.

Because let's face it, things go wrong.

Kwa sababu tukubali, mambo huenda mrama.

(Laughter)

(Kicheko)

Things go wrong.

Mambo yanaenda vibaya.

And don't misunderstand me,

Na usinielewa vibaya,

I'd eat that doughnut in a minute.

Nitakula hilo andazi kwa dakika.

(Laughter)

(Kicheko)

But we need to understand the consequences of what it is that we observe,

Lakini tunahitaji kuelewa matokeo ya kipi ambacho tunatazama,

and we need to convert observable details into actionable knowledge.

na tunahitaji kubadili taarifa zionekanazo katika maarifa ya matendo.

Like Jennifer Odem's sculpture of tables standing sentinel

Kama sanamu ya Jennifer Odem ya meza ya mlinzi

on the banks of the Mississippi River

katika kingo ya mto wa Mississippi

in New Orleans,

huko New Orleans,

guarding against the threat of post-Katrina floodwaters

zikilinda hatari ya mafuriko ya maji baada ya kimbunga cha Katrina

and rising up against adversity,

na kunyanyuka dhidi ya majanga,

we too have the ability to act affirmatively

pia tuna uwezo wa kuhakikisha

and affect positive change.

na kufanya yale yaliyo chanya.

I have been mining the world of art

Nimekuwa nikichimba katika dunia ya sanaa

to help people across the professional spectrum

kuwasaidia watu katika utaalamu

to see the extraordinary in the everyday,

kuona visivyo vya kawaida kila siku,

to articulate what is absent

kutafuta kile ambacho hakipo

and to be able to inspire creativity and innovation,

na kuweza kuchochea ubunifu,

no matter how small.

bila kujali udogo.

And most importantly,

Na kilicho muhimu,

to forge human connections where they may not be apparent,

kutengeneza muunganisho wa kibinadamu pale ambao haupo.

empowering us all to see our work and the world writ large

kutupa uwezo wote kuona kazi zetu na dunia kwa ujumla

with a new set of eyes.

katika namna mpya ya macho.

Thank you.

Asante.

(Applause)

(Makofi)