Nature, Art and Magical Blocks of Flying Concrete | Lonneke Gordijn | TED

翻译人员: 子晗 黄 校对人员: suya f.

When I look at a flower,

看到一朵花时，

I don't see just a beautiful object to put in a vase.

我看到的不只是可以 插到花瓶的美丽物件，

I see an intelligent organism that is not still.

而是一个动态的有灵的生物。

Perhaps it just opened its petals to discover light for the first time.

或许它刚刚展开花瓣， 第一次见到阳光。

Or maybe it's at the end of its period,

或许它即将凋零，

desperately blossoming to attract a bee and get pollinated.

正绝望地试图吸引蜜蜂为它授粉。

As humans, we innately respond to the blooming of a flower.

作为人类，我们本能地 会对花开作出反应。

But how do we design this exact feeling?

但我们如何设计出这种确切的感觉？

How can we capture this visceral response in people?

我们如何捕捉这种本能反应？

I co-founded an artistic practice to tap the mysteries of this world,

我联合创办了一个艺术工作室 来探索世界的秘密，

not by studying, but by making.

不是通过研究，而是通过创造。

We called our studio "Drift"

我们的工作室名为“漂流”。

and wondered why almost everything that is made by people is static.

我们想知道，为什么几乎所有人 造的东西都是静态的，

Because nature is never static.

明明自然从不是静态的。

Our mission is informed by nature,

我们的任务由自然而来，

and evolution is our process.

过程中我们不断进化。

That means we try and fail,

我们尝试，然后失败，

make thousands of iterations before we succeed.

进行了数千次迭代，直至成功。

In 2006,

2006年，

when the studio was still the two of us,

那时工作室只有我和另一位创始人，

I had an idea.

我有了一个想法，

How cool would it be

一个很酷的想法：

if suddenly little lights would flow down from the ceiling,

让小小的光从天花板突然落下，

opening and closing, interacting with us like flowers?

时开时合，像花朵一样跟人互动。

I was longing for this feeling to feel present and in the moment,

我一直渴望能够体验 活在当下的感觉，

the way how I feel when I walk in a forest.

正如我漫步森林时一样。

The idea was maybe impractical

这个想法或许不切实际，

because to make movement, we probably had to work with motors and software

因为想要做出运动的效果， 需要使用马达和软件，

and other tools and knowledge that we didn't have.

还有其他工具和知识， 我们没有这些。

So we decided to start this project.

但我们还是决定开始这个项目。

In two weeks of kit bashing vacuum cleaner parts

我们花了两个星期改装吸尘器零件，

and folding paper patterns,

折纸模型。

we have barely something moving, but it was our deadline,

做出来的东西勉强能动， 但是时间已经到了，

so we brought our drafts to a local exhibition.

所以我们把未完成的作品 带到了一个当地的展览。

To our surprise,

出人意料的是，

the shy opening and proudly descending creatures

这些轻轻展开、 随后骄傲地下降的小东西，

immediately drew attention.

立刻得到了关注。

People responded to them with wonder and a smile on their face,

人们惊奇地看着，脸上露出笑容，

almost as if there was a puppy in the room.

好像面前是一条小狗一样。

And we thought it was quite cool

我们觉得这很酷，

that with our art we could change people’s behavior.

我们的作品能影响人们的行为，

So we decided to explore this further.

所以我们决定继续探索。

Project "Shylight" became a process of years.

项目“含羞灯”持续了很多年。

Coming from art school with no technical background,

我们毕业于艺术学院， 没有技术背景，

we had to learn to build control boards, develop programming software,

需要学着建控制板， 开发软件工程，

make mechanics move in an organic way with gravity and complex silk patterns.

让机器的运动跟重力 和复杂的丝绸花样有机结合。

Basically, we had to become engineers, programmers,

可以说，我们需要同时成为

seamstresses and choreographers at the same time.

工程师、程序员、 裁缝和舞蹈编导。

But how do you express a motion

但是如何能够通过

between an acceleration factor and a coordinate?

一个加速度和一个坐标表达运动呢？

Here is where we learned the most important thing.

这里我们学到了最重要的一点。

(Music)

（音乐）

It's not about that it moves.

重点不是动起来，

It's about how it moves.

而是如何动。

Our body responds automatically to certain types of movement,

人的身体会自动对

movement we already know from nature.

一些自然界有的运动作出反应，

Rhythms that are programmed deep within us.

这些韵律存在于人的内心深处。

We are designed to be in a constant

人类天生就是要与环境

and dynamic interaction with our environment.

不断地、动态地互动。

There are numerous phenomena in nature that are super inspiring.

自然界中有数不清 的现象启发着我们，

But perhaps the most intriguing

但我觉得最有趣

and relevant animal behavior to me is murmuration.

也是最相关的动物行为是群飞。

Imagine thousands of individuals going places together,

想象一下，上千人一起去 同一个地方，

with no clear leader,

没有领导者，

without fighting,

不会打架，

still following their impulses and avoiding each other.

听从直觉，避免撞到其他人。

Isn't this amazing?

难道不神奇吗？

Because we are not capable of doing this.

因为人类无法做到这些。

So dreaming big, we had this other idea.

大胆地想，我们有了另一个想法：

How cool would it be if we could create a murmuration

如果能够创造一场群飞，

with hundreds of lights flying in the sky,

让上百个光点在空中飞翔，

responding to each other as birds?

像鸟一样互相应和该多酷啊。

Well, you would think you could hang a light under a drone.

你可能会想， 可以把灯安在无人机上。

But back in 2008, drones didn't really exist yet in the way they are today.

但在2008年，无人机 跟现在大不一样。

Universities were testing, in an early stage, quadcopters.

各个大学的四轴飞行器 仍在早期测试阶段。

And in our search for collaborations and technologies

我们联系了很多组织和科技公司，

to help get all these objects in the sky at the same time,

寻找能让很多飞行器 一起升空的机器，

we didn't find anything.

但没有找到。

We were just way too early.

我们的想法来得太早了。

But we were so excited about this idea.

但我们对这个主意 非常有热情，

We just had to do this project.

决心要完成这个项目。

Not knowing that we would plant a seed

当时的我们不知道我们埋下的种子，

for what almost ten years later is becoming an industry.

十年后几乎创造了一个产业。

In our software development,

我觉得我们的软件设计

I think this was quite a unique process.

是一个很独特的过程。

Different engineers basing their code on scientific data,

工程师根据科学数据写代码，

we developed our software as artists

而作为艺术家，我们开发软件，

by observing swarms for hours and hours.

通过长时间观察鸟群，

Not calculating but relating to the behavior of these birds.

不是计算，而是去感受鸟的行为。

It was incredible how many uncontrollable factors were influencing their choices.

令我惊叹的是，鸟群的选择 受太多不可控制因素的影响。

But it also made me realize, and it was eye-opening actually,

这开阔了我的眼界，也让我意识到，

that also this happens to me.

我的生活也是如此，

I don't have control over my life.

我无法掌控生活。

With a computer, of course,

当然，通过电脑

you can test multiple scenarios without big consequences.

可以测试各种可能性， 不用承担后果，

But of course, this was not the physical reality.

但测试不是现实。

Well, imagine how excited we were

想象一下将近十年之后，

when almost ten years later this was no longer software.

这个项目不再局限于软件时， 我们多么激动。

(Video) Ralph Nauta: OK, this is a test one.

（视频）Ralph Nauta： 第一次测试。

Lonneke Gordijn: There they were, drones,

像这样，无人机

one by one, appearing in the sky.

一个接一个出现在空中，

Slowly starting to swarm.

缓慢地开始成群。

We were observing it.

我们观察着，

We were feeling it.

感受着，

And we felt nothing.

却什么也感觉不到。

Nothing.

完全没有。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

No emotional response.

没有情感波动。

We remained blanco.

我们无动于衷。

What?

怎么会呢？

On a computer, it looked great.

在电脑上，一切都很完美，

But this swarm looked way too technical.

但无人机群看起来太机械了。

And we had to go back and let nature be our teacher

我们不得不回头， 让自然当我们的老师，

because we were fighting the nature of our technology.

因为我们对抗的是技术的天性。

Well, in a creative process, you try, you fail, you start over again.

创作过程中，你尝试、 失败、重新开始，

You change direction.

你转变方向，

Like evolution and like murmuration.

就像进化和群飞一样。

And you're not in control,

你说了不算，

but you have to pave the road

但你得把路铺好，

in this constant and dynamic relationship with whatever that happens.

与发生的任何事情 建立持续动态的关系。

You know when it's right, when you feel it.

当你做对了，你能够感觉得到。

You feel when the connection is made.

感觉到联结建立起来了。

So in 2018, we finally took our artwork to Burning Man.

2018年，我们终于 把作品带到了火人节上。

(Music)

（音乐）

The drones took off.

无人机飞起来了，

And it was magic.

像魔法一样。

The swarm, larger than a building, was murmuring over the desert.

比一栋楼还大的无人机 群在沙漠上飞行，

It wasn't a sculpture or a performance.

这不是一个雕塑或一场表演，

It was something bigger.

是更宏大的东西，

It became an environment that impacted the audience

它成为了一个以同样的方式

all at once in the same way.

影响到所有在场观众的环境。

And together with the music,

伴随着音乐，

everyone melted into one energy.

每个人都融入到了同一种能量中。

People were crying.

有人哭了，

I was crying.

我也哭了。

It was powerful.

非常有感染力。

And this experience connected all the present elements

这次经历把那一刻在场的所有元素，

in that one moment.

都联系到了一起，

And it felt like a collective memory that came from deep within our DNA.

就好像深埋在我们DNA中 的集体记忆浮现出来。

(Music)

（音乐）

In nature, every environment --

在自然界，所有环境

(Applause)

（掌声）

Thank you.

谢谢

(Applause)

（掌声）

In nature, every environment is constantly moving.

在自然界，所有环境都不断变化。

And an animal doesn't know what it will eat tonight or at what time,

动物不知道它今晚吃什么， 什么时候吃，

but it will be present in the moment,

但它活在当下，

ready to adapt to whatever is happening.

准备好接受生活的一切。

So why are human-built environments static?

为什么人造的环境就是静态的呢？

Nothing moves.

一切都不动。

Do we realize that this also stops us from moving?

我们有没有意识到 这也让我们不再运动了？

Did we unlearn to deal with change?

我们是后天失去了应对变化的能力吗？

Is this why we stopped noticing our environment?

是因此我们才不再关注环境了吗？

And is this maybe why we don't respond to climate change,

或许因此我们才没有应对气候变化，

and we feel numb while this is actually happening?

气变正在发生，我们却无动于衷。

Behind me, you'll see a block of concrete.

在我身后，是一块水泥。

I don't know if you noticed it before.

不知道你们之前留意到没有。

But how do you feel about a block of concrete?

一块水泥会给你什么样的感受呢？

Is it necessary to feel anything at all?

我们真的能有感受吗？

Because it's just a block of concrete.

不过是一块水泥而已。

We are so used to be part of a static world

我们习惯了做静态世界的一部分，

with concrete as its main character.

水泥所代表的具象是世界的主体。

But this shouldn't be our world.

但世界不应该是这样。

This is how we used to think,

我们以前这样认为，

but this cannot be our future.

但未来不应该如此。

What can we learn if the world is not in our control?

如果世界不归我们掌控， 我们能学到什么？

What can we learn if we disrupt our expectations?

如果抛弃固有的预期， 我们能学到什么？

Well, at the moment the reality is just changing here in front of you.

此时此刻，现实就在我们眼前变化。

Can you accept what you see?

你能接受自己看到的吗？

And how does this feel?

你感觉如何？

Is it frightening?

会害怕吗？

Or can you feel a sense of wonder for a block of concrete?

又或者，你会为了 一块水泥感觉惊奇？

Can you imagine there would be a moment

你能否想象，有一个时刻，

that you feel open

你敞开心扉，

to have a connection with a block of concrete?

与一块水泥建立联结？

(Cheers and applause)

（欢呼和掌声）

How can we deal with a changing world?

我们如何面对变化的世界？

Are we in control?

我们是世界的主人吗？

I never felt at home in the static world.

身处静态的世界， 我一直觉得不自在。

And since my childhood,

从小时候开始，

I felt that animal behavior and plant behavior

我就觉得动物和植物的行为

is way more logical than the way people behave.

比人类的更有逻辑。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

As artists, we develop artworks

作为艺术家，我们的作品

that use movement to open us up

使用运动让人们敞开心扉，

and make us feel safe to embrace change.

不带恐惧地接纳变化。

Because there is one fact.

因为事实是，

Change is coming.

变化一定会来。

And we are not in control.

我们无法掌控。

We are murmuring.

我们在一起飞翔。

We are drifting.

我们在漂流。

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Cheers and applause)

（欢呼和掌声）

Helen Walters: So don't worry, it'll be here all session.

Helen Walters： 别担心，它会一直在这。

But just ...

但是...

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Lonneke, that was amazing.

Lonneke，非常精彩的演讲。

I'm really sorry, you guys.

不好意思大家，

It's on its way out, it's fine.

它马上就飘走了，没事的。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

Okay, so come over here.

好，到这来吧。

Just as long as we're fine, that's fine.

只要我们没事就可以。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

LG: We're safe.

LG: 我们很安全。

HW: What's happening?

HW：这是怎么回事？

LG: Well ...

LG: 嗯...

This drifter tries to find its way out.

它想要逃走。

HW: It's trying to find its way out.

HW：它想要逃走？

Is it sentient?

它有感情了吗？

LG: Well, it should know where it goes.

LG：它得知道自己要去哪，

So let's see.

我们等着看吧。

HW: No, but really, what's happening?

HW：不不，到底是怎么回事？

What is going on?

这是怎么弄的？

(Laughter)

（笑声）

LG: I mean,

LG：怎么说呢，

this is kind of magic, I would say,

这类似于一种魔法，

and a big piece of engineering for my colleagues

能够实现靠的是我 的同事和各位工程师，

and amazing engineers that are making this happen.

他们做了大量工作。

(Applause)

（掌声）

Yeah.

是的。

HW: OK, so, with this,

HW：好的，那么

you basically just came to the TED stage

你刚刚在TED讲台上的演讲，

and told a whole bunch of type-A people to cede control,

可以说是在告诉一群 精英人士放弃控制，

to like, give up control.

不要试图掌控世界。

Like, do you have any advice for how we should do that,

你有没有具体怎么放弃控制的建议？

especially when there's something concrete floating over our heads?

尤其是我们头上还飘着 一块水泥这样具体的东西。

No, but like, seriously, like, your work is about trial and error.

严肃地说，你的工作是不断试错，

It's about experimentation.

进行实验，

Do you have any tips for the rest of us?

那么你对其余的人 有没有什么建议呢？

I mean, not me, but these guys.

不光是我，我们的观众们。

LG: (Laughs)

LG：（笑）

Well, I think it's an illusion that we have control.

我觉得控制不过是一种错觉，

And if you look at nature, you see that it's also not there.

看看自然界就知道， 控制本就是不存在的。

And I think we have to accept who we are,

我觉得我们要接受自己是谁，

that we are not in control and that we need to change.

接受我们不能控制一切， 而且需要改变。

You know, our bodies are made to change,

我们身体就是会变化，

but we kind of forgot about it.

但我们有时忘记了这点。

We built our safety structure around us, and we need to learn to go with it

我们在周围建立防御结构， 但我们需要顺势而行，

and change with it as we are changing

顺势做出改变，因为人是变化的，

and this world is changing.

世界是变化的。

HW: Lonneke, thank you so much.

HW：Lonneke， 非常感谢你的分享。

LG: Thank you very much.

LG：谢谢。

(Applause)

（掌声）