Inside Africa's thriving art scene | Touria El Glaoui

翻译人员: Ziyao Wang 校对人员: Kevin Fang

Let's talk about how the narrative of Africa is being told,

让我们来谈谈对非洲的故事 是怎么被诉说的，

and who is doing the telling.

还有是谁在告诉我们。

I want to share with you the selection of work

by contemporary artists from Africa and its diaspora.

来自非洲以及散落在非洲之外的 当代艺术家的作品。

I love this art.

I find it beautiful and inspiring and thrilling,

我发现它很美，很鼓舞人心， 也很令人兴奋，

and I really hope I am able to pique your interest.

并且我很希望我能够引起你们的兴趣。

I want to share something about myself and why art matters to me.

我想先与你们分享一些关于我的事情， 以及为什么艺术对于我来说如此重要。

I'm the daughter of an artist, so that means that growing up,

我是一个画家的女儿， 所以这也就意味着在我长大的过程中，

I had the chance to see my father do artwork in his studio.

我有机会看着我的父亲在画室里创作。

My home was surrounded by art,

我家是被艺术环绕的，

and I had an early art education,

我也很早接受艺术方面的教育，

being dragged to museums and exhibitions over the summer holidays.

总是在暑假时被拽到博物馆和艺术展。

What I did not understand, really, at the time,

我当时并不太懂的，其实，

is that this also gave me an early understanding

是这些经历很早地给了我

about why art is important,

为什么艺术很重要的理解。

how to look at it,

应该怎么看它，

how to understand it, but also how to love it.

怎么理解它，更重要的是怎么去爱它。

So art matters to me on a personal level,

所以艺术在个人层面对我来说极其重要，

and not only because it's beautiful and inspiring and thrilling,

并且不仅仅因为它很美， 很鼓舞人心，很令人兴奋，

but because art tells powerful stories.

而且是因为它给我讲述着动人的故事。

All these artists have stories to tell you about what it means to be African,

所有这些艺术家都有很多故事， 去告诉你身为一个非洲人意味着什么，

stories that tell you and touches about our African identity,

那些故事不仅告诉你并向你提及 我们非洲人的身份，

but also stories that tell us about who we are as Africans,

而且告诉你作为非洲人我们是谁，

but also stories that tell us about our complex history.

告诉你非洲人错综复杂的历史。

So how can art tell you powerful stories?

那么艺术怎么能给你讲动人的故事呢？

我想与你们分享这个系列的作品

I want to share with you this series

by Senegalese artist Omar Victor Diop.

它们是塞内加尔的摄影师奥 马尔 · 维克多 · 迪奥普的作品。

This is a series of self-portraits,

这是一系列的自拍像，

这位艺术家在这一特定的系列中

and the artist in this particular series

is focusing on the representation of Africans in art history

主要关注的是在艺术史上

15到19世纪间对非洲黑人描绘。

between the 15th to the 19th century.

I want to show you how, with one image,

我想让你们知道，仅仅用一张图片，

Diop is able to touch on our African identity,

迪奥普是不仅在政治的被代表程度上，

on the politics of representation,

而且也在社会价值体系的层面上，

but also on our social value system.

提及我们非洲黑人的身份的。

In this particular self-portrait,

在这一幅自拍像中，

Diop is actually referencing another portrait by Anne-Louis Girodet.

迪奥普其实是在引用一幅 安妮·路易·吉洛·德的画像。

This picture is doing a portrait of Jean-Baptiste Belley.

这幅画在描绘让·巴普蒂斯·贝利，

Jean-Baptiste Belley was a native of Senegal,

他是一个塞内加尔的当地人，

a former slave of Haiti,

也曾是一个海地的奴隶，

but during his lifetime, he also was elected to represent the colony

但在他的有生之年里， 他也在法国大革命的第三政府时期

被选举为殖民地的代表，

at the third government of the French Revolution,

and he advocated strongly for the abolition of slavery.

并且他强烈地支持奴隶制的废除。

What is very smart and clever about Diop here

迪奥普在这一点上的做法很聪明，

is that he's going back to history.

因为他回归了历史。

He's reclaiming this figure

他在通过重现这件漂亮的皇家蓝色制服，

by restaging this beautiful royal blue uniform,

以及这个人物的姿势，

where he is restaging also the pose,

去重新塑造这个历史人物。

and he's doing that to actually underline the issues

并且他那么做其实也是在强调

that are still impacting individuals of color today.

那件直到现在还在 影响着非白人人种的事件。

There was nothing special

其实这幅有关政治的画

about this very typical political portrait of the time,

是那个时期十分典型的，

并没有什么特别。

except that for the first time,

除了这是历史上第一次

an individual of color, in that case, Jean-Baptiste Belley,

一个非白人个体，在这里也就是 让·巴普蒂斯·贝利

was actually named and acknowledged in a painting.

真正地在一幅画里面被提及并得到承认。

What Diop is adding to this picture is this crucial element,

迪奥普还在这幅画里面 添加了一个重要的元素，

which is the football under his arm,

也就是手臂里的足球，

and by doing that,

这么做，

Diop is actually touching at our hero worship culture

迪奥普其实是在暗示我们对 非洲足球明星的

英雄崇拜心理，

of African football stars,

who unfortunately, despite their fame,

但很不幸的是，除了名气，

their immense talent, and their royalty status,

过人的天赋，以及忠诚的地位以外，

they are still invisible.

这些足球明星们还是被忽视的群体。

Diop is asking us to dig deeper,

迪奥普在引导我们理解得更深，

to go beyond history and what has been written,

并超越历史和一切被记载下来的东西，

and, basically, see how it still influences and impacts us in the present.

去看它是怎么影响着 像我们一样的当代人的。

I want to share this other beautiful series

我还想分享另一个系列的出色作品，

called "Kesh Angels," by artist Hassan Hajjaj.

它是艺术家哈桑·哈加的 “Kesh Angels“。

So in this particular series,

在这一系列中，

the artist is really pushing on the boundaries

这位艺术家其实是在挑战模式化观念

of stereotype and cliché.

和陈词滥调的界限。

Hassan Hajjaj is a friend,

他是一位朋友，

and honestly, I admire him dearly,

说实话，我非常地欣赏他，

but this particular series is talking to me directly as a Muslim woman.

这个系列的作品其实在从一个 穆斯林女子的角度直接向我传达信息。

I experience this all the time,

我总是能体会到

where, you know, people have a lot of expectations,

人们有很多的期待，

religious ones and cultural ones,

无论是信仰上的还是文化上的，

but what I love about this artist is that he's putting all this on its head.

但最让我喜欢的关于这位艺术家的， 其实是他总是把这一点铭记在脑海里。

He's actually challenging every representation

他总是在挑战对穆斯林和阿拉伯女子

of Muslim, Arabic women that there is.

存在的所有描绘。

Hassan Hajjaj is a child of the diaspora.

哈桑·哈加是一个移民者的孩子。

He grew up in Morocco amongst bright logo goods,

他在摩洛哥颜色鲜艳的名牌中长大，

you know, counterfeit originals being sold at the souks.

你知道的，那些其实是当地市场上 卖的伪造品。

So to see those symbols representing in his work

所以，当看到这些标志都 被他在作品中描绘出来，

a celebration of the global culture, a critic of the global urban culture,

作为一种对世界文化的赞扬， 和对全球城市文化的批判，

is no surprise,

并不令人吃惊。

but really at the heart of his work is his desire of a nuanced representation.

但真正作为他作品的核心的， 是他通过细节来传达信息的欲望。

He wants us to interrupt ourselves

他想让我们打断我们自己，

and all the perception that we might have

并打破对他人，

对文化，对环境的可能有的全部理解。

on people, on a culture, and on environment.

And for example,

举个例子，

this particular picture, your common association would be,

那这幅画来说，你们通常的联想到的会是

you know, certain street brand for a certain Western distinctive consumer.

一个针对西方某些指定消费群体的品牌。

Well, he mashes it all up,

但他现在把它全部混起来，

where he is daring to imagine a female biker culture

他敢于想象一个女性骑车者的文化，

where actually Chanel or Louis Vuitton is designing the djellaba,

在这里面香奈儿和路易威登 设计了阿拉伯人穿的袍子，

and Nike, the babouche,

耐克设计了阿拉伯风格的凉鞋，

and this is actually the standard uniform.

而这其实是标准的穿戴方法。

What I love about the women in "Kesh Angels"

最让我喜欢的有关于"Kesh Angels" 里的女子的一点是

is that they are able to hold your gaze.

她们都可以可以吸引我们的目光。

We are completely participating in the image,

让我们完全沉浸在这幅画中，

but they are the one inviting us in, and on their own terms.

并且她们是在用她们自己的方式 来邀请我们走进这幅画。

Hassan Hajjaj's "Kesh Angels" or "Project Diaspora" by Omar Victor Diop

哈桑·哈加的 "Kesh Angels" 和 迪奥普的"散落项目"

offer me two strong examples why art is so instrumental.

为我提供了两个很好的例子， 说明为什么艺术是如此的有用

It is instrumental as it really inspires us to ask questions,

艺术的重要作用不但在于它鼓励我们发问，

but it is also instrumental because it ignites change.

更在于它能引起改变。

Seeing diversity in race and ethnicity in contemporary art

观察当代艺术中种族和民族的多样性

is the only way that we'll see changes in the art industry,

是我们能够见证艺术行业变化

but also for the relations between Africa and the Western canon.

以及非洲和西方准则关系的唯一方法。

How we will participate in all this is really up to us.

如何参与到这一过程中 完全取决于我们自己。

There's a lot of progress to be made,

还有很多的进步等着我们去实现，

and honestly, we still need to support stronger voices,

说实话，我们仍需要支持 那些强有力的声音，

as they are the ones shaking things up and bringing new perspective.

因为他们可以把事物重组， 并带来新的观点。

I want to share this beautiful old painting

我想分享这一幅出色的旧画，

by younger emerging artist Kudzanai-Violet Hwami.

它是更为年轻的新兴艺术家 库泽那依-维奥莉特·哈瓦米的作品。

For me, when I see her work, it really represents freedom.

对于我来说，当我看到她的画时，

它的确代表着自由。

Hwami has fantastic takes on what it means to be an African

哈瓦米在作为非洲人和在非洲生活 意味着什么这两个问题上

and an African life.

有着独到的见解。

She has lived in three different countries:

她在这三个不同的国家生活过：

Zimbabwe, South Africa and Britain,

津巴布韦，南非，还有英国。

and therefore has been influenced by a multitude of layers

因此，她受到过社会上和文化上

多个不同层面的影响，

of communities and cultures,

from LGBT to eco to Xhosa to emo to British cultures.

从 LGBT 群体到生态环境， 从非洲的 Xhosa 种族

到 emo摇滚乐， 再到英伦文化。

And as she says herself, the beauty of being a child of the diaspora

正如她经常说的，作为一个移居者的孩子， 最令人赞叹的能力

is really being able to reinvent ourselves

是可以重新塑造自我

and what it means to be African.

并重新定义作为一个非洲人意味着什么。

I want to leave you with this powerful piece

我想在最后向你们展示这幅

by South African artist Lawrence Lemaoana.

南非艺术家劳伦斯·乐麦那的 动人的作品。

Lawrence Lemaoana also criticized

乐麦那也批判了

the influence of the media on our moral consciousness,

媒体对我们道德认知的影响，

and he's doing that by using those fabrics like banners in political demonstrations,

并且他通过利用政治游行中的横幅等材料 来做到这一点，

where he's asking us to reclaim our voices.

在这里他在呼吁我们重新 找到我们的声音。

I believe in the transformative power of art,

我相信艺术带来改变的力量，

as it is our only way to paint a nuanced image of Africa,

因为它是我们通过细致的图像 去描绘非洲人

but also its diaspora,

以及那里的移居者的唯一方法。

one that will be painted by its artists and its cultural producers

它将会被那里的艺术家和文化行业工作者

with their radical but also very unique view of seeing the world

用他们看待世界和他们在这世界上的角色

的一种激进但又独一无二的方式来描绘。

and their place in it.

It is really through art that we can regain

通过艺术，我们能够确确实实地

our sense of agency and empowerment.

重新拾回对自己行为的控制感和信心。

It is through art that we can really tell our own story.

通过艺术，我们可以确确实实地 讲述我们自己的故事。

So like Lawrence Lemaoana says, the power is ours.

所以，就像劳伦斯·乐麦那所说的， 力量是我们的。

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause)

（掌声）