A project of peace, painted across 50 buildings | eL Seed

翻译人员: Helen Bays 校对人员: Mingyang Han

So when I decided to create an art piece in Manshiyat Naser,

当我决定在曼斯亚特 纳赛尔创建一个艺术品

the neighborhood of the Cairo garbage collectors in Egypt,

在埃及开罗附近的垃圾收集处

I never thought this project would be

我从来没有想过这个项目

the most amazing human experience that I would ever live.

会是我有生以来最令人惊讶的经历

As an artist, I had this humanist intention

作为一名艺术家,我有这种人文意愿：

of beautifying a poor and neglected neighborhood

我希望用艺术去美化一个被忽视的贫穷街区

by bringing art to it and hopefully shining light on this isolated community.

使这个孤立的社区散发希望的光芒

The first time I heard about this Christian Coptic community

我第一次听到有关科普特基督教社区的消息

was in 2009 when the Egyptian authorities under the regime of Hosni Mubarak

是在2009年 当埃及在穆巴拉克的政权之下

decided to slaughter 300,000 pigs using the pretext of H1N1 virus.

决定以甲型流感为借口宰杀300,000只猪

Originally, they are pig breeders.

起初，这些人以喂猪为生

Their pigs and other animals are fed with the organic waste

他们用每天收集的有机废物

that they collect on a daily basis.

来喂养猪和其他牲畜

This event killed their livelihood.

然而这一事件断了他们的生计。

The first time I entered Manshiyat Naser, it felt like a maze.

我第一次进入曼斯亚特 纳赛尔的时候，感觉像是进入了迷宫

I was looking for the St. Simon Monastery on the top of the Muqattam Mountain.

我在Muqattam山顶上寻找圣西蒙修道院

So you go right, then straight, then right again, then left

右转，直行，再右转，然后左转

to reach all the way to the top.

一直到山顶

But to reach there, you must dodge between the trucks overpacked with garbage

但当你到达那里时，你应该避开那些装满垃圾的卡车

and slalom between the tuk-tuks,

和嘟嘟车的障碍

the fastest vehicle to move around in the neighborhood.

那是在这个社区最快的车

The smell of the garbage unloaded from those trucks was intense,

那些从卡车上卸载下来的垃圾气味是最为强烈的

and the noise of the traffic was loud and overbearing.

还有那些大而蛮横的堵车声

Add to it the din created by the crushers in those warehouses along the way.

再加上那些在仓库里发出噪音的压碎机

From outside it looks chaotic, but everything is perfectly organized.

使得这个城市外表看起来很混乱，但一切都结合得十分完美

The Zaraeeb, that’s how they call themselves,

照片上的这个人所代表的是自称“Zaraeeb”的一个群体

which means the pig breeders,

意思是猪的饲养者

have been collecting the garbage of Cairo

他们一直在开罗收集垃圾

and sorting it in their own neighborhood for decades.

而且已经在各自的社区整理了数十年

They have developed one of the most efficient

他们已经开发了

and highly profitable systems on a global level.

在全球水平范围内最高效，最高利润的系统

Still, the place is perceived as dirty, marginalized and segregated

但即便如此，因为他们与这些垃圾的紧密关系

because of their association with the trash.

这个地方仍旧被视为肮脏的，被边缘化的隔离区

So my initial idea was to create an anamorphic piece,

所以我最初的想法是创建一个变形模块

a piece that you can only see from one vantage point.

一个你只能从一个有力的角度来看的模块

I wanted to challenge myself artistically by painting over several buildings

我想通过在几座建筑上作画 并使人们在Muqattam山上能看到其全景的方式

and having it only fully visible from one point on the Muqattam Mountain.

来挑战我自己在艺术上的作为

The Muqattam Mountain is the pride of the community.

Muqattam山是全社区的骄傲

This is where they built the St. Simon Monastery,

这是他们建立圣西蒙修道院的地方

a 10,000-seat cave church that they carved into the mountain itself.

一个内部有10000坐席的洞穴教堂

So, the first time I stood on top of the mountain

我第一次站在山顶时

and I looked at the neighborhood,

俯瞰着整个社区

I asked myself, how on earth will I convince all those owners

我问我自己，如何才能说服那些房屋的主人

to let me paint on their buildings?

让他们允许我在其建筑上画画呢？

And then Magd came.

后来Magd来了

Magd is a guide from the Church.

Magd是教堂的向导

He told me the only person I needed to convince was Father Samaan,

他告诉我，我唯一要去说服的人是 神父Samaan

who is the leader of the community.

他是这个社区的领导

But to convince Father Samaan, I needed to convince Mario,

但是想要说服他，我要先说服Mario

who is a Polish artist who moved to Cairo 20 years ago

他是20年前搬到开罗的波兰艺术家

and who created all the artwork of the Cave Church.

他创建了所有在洞穴教堂的艺术品

I am really grateful to Mario. He was the key of the project.

我非常感激Mario，他是我这个项目的关键

He managed to get me a meeting with Father Samaan,

他帮我约见了神父Samaan

and surprisingly, he loved the idea.

惊奇的是，他很喜欢我的想法

He asked me about where I painted before

他问我以前在哪儿作过画

and how I will make it happen.

以及我将如何实现这个计划

And he was mainly concerned by what I was going to write.

他最关心的是我要写的内容

In every work that I create, I write messages

在我创作的每一样作品中

with my style of Arabic calligraphy.

我都用阿拉伯的书法风格写要旨

I make sure those messages are relevant to the place where I am painting

我确保这些信息与作画的地区有关联

but have this universal dimension,

通过这么一个普遍的维度

so anybody around the world can relate to it.

使全世界的人都能理解

So for Manshiyat Naser,

对于曼斯亚特 纳赛尔

I decided to write in Arabic the words of St. Athanasius of Alexandria,

我决定将亚他那修的名言转换为阿拉伯语

a Coptic bishop from the third century,

他是来自第三世纪的科普特主教

who said: (Arabic),

他说过：（阿拉伯语）

which means in English,

英文意思是

"Anyone who wants to see the sunlight clearly

“任何一个想清楚看到阳光的人

needs to wipe his eyes first."

都需要先擦亮自己眼睛。”

It was really important for me

找到能对这个社区感到共鸣的名言

that the community felt connected to the words.

对我来说十分重要

And for me this quote was perfectly reflecting the spirit of the project.

对我个人而言，这句话十分完美地传达了项目的精神

So Father Samaan blessed the project,

因此，神父Sammaan认可了我的项目

and his approval brought all the residents on board.

有了他的批准，其他的居民也加入了进来

Hundreds of liters of paint, a dozen blue manual lifts,

数百升的油漆，和一些蓝色手动升降机

several trips back and forth to Cairo,

几次往返开罗

a strong and solid team from France, North Africa, Middle East and the US,

一个来自法国,北非,中东和美国的强大团队

and after a year of planning and logistics, there we are,

在经过了一年的规划和筹备后 开始了行动

my team and some members from the local community

我的团队和一些来自当地社区的人员

creating a piece that will spread over 50 buildings,

正在建造一个将蔓延50多座建筑的艺术品

some filling up the space of the calligraphy

一些有美术字体的空白处

that I trace with colors.

我填充上了颜色

Here some blue, there some yellow, there some orange.

这里用蓝色，那里用黄色，再那边一些橙色

Some others carrying some sand bags

还有一部分人拿来沙袋

and putting them on the top of the buildings

放在楼顶上

to hold those manual lifts,

用来固定住手动升降机

and some others assembling and disassembling those same lifts

其余的人负责组装拆卸升降机

and moving them around the different buildings.

并将它们带到每一座建筑

At the beginning of the project,

项目初期

I numbered all those buildings on my sketch,

我在我的设计稿上给所有的这些建筑编了号

and there was no real interaction with the community.

但这些并没有真正的与社区产生互动

People didn’t get the point of all this.

人们并没有在这一点上参与进来

But fast enough, those building numbers became family names.

但很快，这些建筑的代号变为了家庭的名字

The first building was the house of Uncle Ibrahim.

第一个建筑是易卜拉欣叔叔的房子

Uncle Ibrahim is such an enthusiastic person.

易卜拉欣叔叔是一个非常热情的人

He was always singing and making jokes,

他爱唱歌，开玩笑

and his daughters and sons saved me from his bull

是他的儿子和女儿

who wanted to attack me on the fourth floor.

帮我躲过了他在四楼的公牛的攻击

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Actually, the bull saw me from the window and came out on the balcony.

事实上，那只牛从窗户看见我后走到了阳台

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Yeah.

是的

Uncle Ibrahim was always hanging out on the balcony

易卜拉欣叔叔总是在阳台上散步

and talking to me while I was painting.

当我在喷绘时他会和我聊天

I remember him saying that he didn’t go to the mountain for 10 years,

我记得他跟我说他已经10年没去过山上了

and that he never takes a day off.

他一天都没有歇息过

He said that if he stopped working, who will stop the garbage?

他说如果他停止工作，这些垃圾要谁来清理呢？

But surprisingly, at the end of the project,

但惊讶的是，在项目结束后

he came all the way to the mountain to look at the piece.

他来到了山上去看整个的作品

He was really proud to see his house painted,

当他看到他的房子被添加了色彩 他感到非常的自豪

and he said that this project was a project of peace and --

他说这个项目是 和平与---

sorry --

抱歉--

(Applause)

（掌声）

Thank you.

谢谢

He said that it was a project of peace and unity

他说 这是一个和平与团结的工程

and that it brought people together.

它把所有人凝聚到了一起

So his perception towards the project changed,

此后 他对这个项目的看法发生了改变

and my perception towards the community changed also,

同时 我对于这个社区的看法

and towards what they do.

以及对于他们的看法也改变了

All the garbage that everybody is disgusted by is not theirs.

令所有人恶心的垃圾并不是他们的

They just work out of it.

他们只是工作

Actually, they don’t live in the garbage. They live from the garbage.

事实上他们不住在垃圾堆中 他们只是从中谋生

So I started doubting myself and wondering

所以我开始质问我自己

what was the real purpose of this whole project?

什么才是这个项目的真正意图呢？

It was not about beautifying a place by bringing art to it.

这不是一个关于用艺术去美化一个地方的项目

It was about switching perception and opening a dialogue

这是一个交流观念，打开对话窗口的桥梁

on the connection that we have with communities that we don’t know.

它帮助我们了解其他与我们相关的社区

So day after day,

就这样，日复一日

the calligraphy circle was taking shape,

美术字逐渐成型

and we were always excited to go back on the mountain to look at the piece.

我们总是非常激动地回到山上去观看我们的作品

And standing exactly at this point every day made my realize

而且通过每天都站在同一位置

the symbolism behind this anamorphic piece.

我更加深刻地意识到 这张合成图背后的象征意义

If you want to see the real image of somebody,

如果你想看到谁真正的样子

maybe you should change your angle.

或许你应该改变你的视角

There was doubts and difficulties,

这里曾经有疑惑和困难

like fears and stress.

恐惧和压力

It wasn't simple to work in such environments,

在这样的环境下工作并不简单

sometimes having pigs under you while you paint

有时会有猪在你脚下 不论是在你作画的时候

or climbing a stack of garbage to reach a lift.

或是为了乘电梯爬垃圾堆的时候

But we all got over the fear of the heights, the swinging lifts,

我们都经历了对高空、 对摇摆的升降机

the strength of the smell

对浓烈的气味的恐惧

and also the stress of not finishing on time.

以及对无法按时完工的压力

But the kindness of all those people made us forget everything.

但当地人的善良使我们忘记了一切

The building number 3 was the house of Uncle Bakheet and Aunty Fareeda.

3号建筑是 Bakheet叔叔和 Fareeda阿姨的房子

In Egyptian, they have this expression that says, "Ahsen Nas,"

在埃及，他们有这样一句话“Ahsen Nas”

which means "the best people."

意思是“最好的人”

They were the best people.

他们是最好的人

We used to take our break in front of their houses,

我们经常在他们的房子前面歇息

and all the kids of the neighborhood

所有邻居的孩子

used to join us.

会加入我们

I was impressed and amazed by the kids of Manshiyat Naser.

纳塞尔的孩子们让我惊讶 并给我留下了深刻的印象

For the first few days, they were always refusing anything we were offering them,

在开始的几天里 他们拒绝我们给他们的任何东西

even a snack or a drink.

甚至是一袋小零食或一瓶水

So I asked Aunty Fareeda, "Why is that?"

于是我就去问Fareeda阿姨“这是为什么？”

And she told me they teach their kids to refuse anything

然后她告诉我

from somebody that they don't know

是因为他们一直教育孩子们 拒绝一切陌生人给的东西

because maybe this person needs it more than they do.

因为也许这个人比我们更需要这样东西

So at this exact point I realized actually

在那一刹那我才意识到

the Zaraeeb community was the ideal context

其实Zaraeeb社区是一个探讨“感知”/"认知”

to raise the topic of perception.

的理想地区

We need to question our level of misconception

我们需要质疑 作为一个社会

and judgment we can have as a society

我们基于其他社区的差异

upon communities based on their differences.

所产生的误解和批判

I remember how we got delayed on Uncle Ibrahim's house

我记得我们是如何耽搁在Ibrahim叔叔的房子里的

when his pigs that are bred on the rooftop

当时他畜养在楼顶的猪

were eating the sand bags that hold the lifts.

正在吃用来固定电梯的沙袋

(Laughter)

（笑声）

The house of Uncle Bakheet and Aunty Fareeda

Bakheet叔叔和Fareeda阿姨的房子

was this kind of meeting point.

是我们的聚集地

Everybody used to gather there.

所有人都会聚到那里

I think this is what Uncle Ibrahim meant

我认为这就是Ibrahim叔叔

when he said that was a project of peace and unity,

当初说这是个有关和平与团结的项目时所要表达的

because I really felt that people were coming together.

因为我真的感觉到 人们在逐渐聚集到一起

Everyone was greeting us with a smile, offering us a drink

每个人都微笑地向我们打招呼，送我们水喝

or inviting us into their own house for lunch.

或是邀请我们去家里吃午饭

Sometime, you are at the first level of a building,

有时，你在一座建筑的一层时

and somebody opens his window and offers you some tea.

有些人会打开窗户请你喝茶

And then the same thing happens on the second floor.

同样的事情也会发生在二层

And you keep going all the way to the top.

然后你就这样一路到楼顶

(Laughter)

（笑声）

(Applause)

（掌声）

I think I never drink as much tea as I did in Egypt.

我感觉我从来没喝过这么多的茶

(Laughter)

（笑声）

And to be honest with you, we could have finished earlier,

老实说，我们其实可以提前竣工

but I think it took us three weeks because of all those tea breaks.

但我认为 这个项目花费了我们三个星期是因为那些喝茶的休息时间

(Laughter)

（笑声）

In Egypt, they have another expression, which is "Nawartouna,"

在埃及他们还有一句话是“Nawartouna”

which means, "You brought light to us."

意思是“你给我们带来了光明”

In Manshiyat Naser they were always telling us this.

纳赛尔的人们总是这样跟我们说

The calligraphy, actually --

那个艺术字，事实上---

I used a white glow-in-the-dark paint for the calligraphy

我用了白色夜光涂料绘制了整个艺术字

so at the end of the project, we rented some black light projectors

所以在项目的最后，我们借来了紫外线投影仪

and lit up the whole neighborhood,

照亮整个社区

surprising everybody around.

惊讶了周围所有人

We wanted to tell them

我想告诉他们的是

that they are the ones who brought light to us.

他们才是那些带给我们光明的人

(Applause)

（掌声）

The Zaraeeb community are strong, honest, hard workers,

Zaraeeb社区是强大的，诚实的，勤劳的

and they know their value.

而且他们知道自己的价值何在

The people of Cairo call them "the Zabaleen,"

开罗的人称呼他们为“札巴林人”

which means "the people of the garbage,"

意思是“捡垃圾的人”

but ironically, the people of Manshiyat Naser

但纳赛尔的人嘲讽地说

call the people of Cairo the Zabaleen.

开罗的人才是札林巴人

They say, they are the ones who produce the garbage, not them.

他们说，生产垃圾的是开罗人，而不是他们

(Laughter)

（笑声）

(Applause)

（掌声）

The goal was to leave something to this community,

我们的目标曾是给这个社区留下一些价值

but I feel that they are the ones who left something in our lives.

但现在，我认为他们在我们的生活中留下了价值

You know, the art project was just a pretext

你知道，艺术只是

for this amazing human experience.

为人生经历增色的一个说辞

The art piece at some point will disappear, vanish,

某一天，艺术作品会绝迹，会消失

and actually there is somebody who is building a second floor

事实上这里有些人正在 Ibrahim叔叔的房子前

in front of Uncle Ibrahim's house,

建造另一座双层楼

so it's covering part of the painting,

这座新楼遮挡住了我作品的部分

so I might need to go back and paint over it.

所以我还得回去重新涂一下

(Laughter)

（笑声）

It was about the experience,

这是关于一次经历，

about the story,

一个故事

about the moment.

一个瞬间

From the streets of the neighborhood,

从附近的街道看

the painting appears in fragments,

这幅作品是破碎的

isolated from one another,

彼此孤立

standing alone.

独自站立在一旁

But connected with the sign of calligraphy

但是书法的标志使它们联系到了一起

that today reveals the powerful message that we should all think about

今天 它向人们揭示了强有力的要旨

before we want to judge somebody.

一个当我们去判断某一个人之前，都值得去思考的要旨：

Anyone who wants to see the sunlight clearly

任何一个想清楚看到阳光的人

needs to wipe his eyes first.

需要先擦亮自己的眼睛。

Thank you.

谢谢

(Applause)

（掌声）