How Art Transforms Brokenness Into Beauty | Lily Yeh | TED

翻译人员: Sue Lu 校对人员: Yanyan Hong

I remember when I was young,

记得我年轻时，

I liked to make pictures of beautiful places,

我喜欢画美丽的地方，

but I didn't know that would become the passion of my life.

但没想到那会成为我一生的热爱。

I was born in China and grew up in Taiwan.

我生在中国，长在台湾。

When I was seven,

我七岁的时候，

my family had to flee to the island

一家人不得不逃到台湾岛，

because of the communist takeover of the mainland.

由于共产党接管了大陆。

And at 15,

15 岁时，

I began studying Chinese landscape painting.

我开始学习中国山水画。

And through the studies,

通过学习，

I came in contact with a very special place,

我接触到了一个非常特别的地方，

which is often described as the “Dustless World”

它常被描述为“无尘世界”，

in Chinese culture.

尤其是在中国文化里。

It is a place

它是一个

of this world,

属于这个世界地方，

yet it reveals the mystery of the other.

但它又揭示着另一世界的奥秘。

It is a place of pristine beauty and poignant serenity,

这是一个纯净美丽、深沉宁静的地方，

without the mental pollution of self-centeredness

没有自我为中心、贪婪

and greed and ignorance.

和无知的精神污染。

And eventually it's a place I call home.

最终，这是我称之为家的地方。

Upon graduation from college,

大学毕业后，

like many people of my generation in Taiwan,

就像许多我这一代台湾人一样，

we left because of tight political control then

我们离开台湾是因为严苛的政治控制，

and also the desire for further education abroad.

以及对海外深造的向往。

And so I came to the States to study art

所以，我来到美国学习艺术，

and stayed ever after in the country.

然后就在这呆下来了。

Then when I received my MFA,

我获得艺术硕士学位之后，

I had a busy and flourishing life for some time.

过了一段忙碌而充实的生活。

I had a family

我有了一个家庭，

and I became a full professor

成为了一名正教授，

and I exhibited in fine galleries.

并在精美的画廊展出作品。

And yet I felt something essential missing in my life.

但我却感到生活中 缺少了些重要的东西。

Then I met Arthur Hall,

然后，我遇到了亚瑟·霍尔（Arthur Hall），

a preeminent dancer and choreographer,

一位出色的舞蹈家和编舞。

and he invited me to do a project

他邀请我做一个项目，

in an abandoned lot next to his headquarters

地点在他的总部旁边的一块废弃空地，

in an inner city neighborhood in North Philadelphia.

位于费城北部一个市中心社区。

And to tell you the truth,

说实话，

at the beginning I was so afraid.

一开始我很害怕。

And actually, I wanted to run away.

实际上，我想逃离这个项目。

What could a little Chinese woman do in this neighborhood,

一个弱小的中国女人 能在这儿做什么？

basically overtaken by poverty, crime and violence?

这个街区已被贫困、 犯罪和暴力所吞噬。

Then the little voice in me spoke,

然而我内心有个声音说话了，

and it says, "You must rise to the occasion.

她说：“你必须挺身而出。

Otherwise the light in you will die."

否则你内心的光芒会熄灭。”

And so I began small.

所以，我开始从小处着手。

At the beginning, only children came to help.

最初，只有孩子来帮忙。

They were attracted by the spades and brooms

他们被我们摆放的铁锹、扫帚

and shovels that we set up.

和铲子所吸引。

And slowly,

慢慢地，

with donated materials, found materials,

我们有了捐赠的材料，拾来的材料，

we began to make murals and sculptures and mosaics.

开始制作壁画、雕塑和马赛克。

And children’s laughter and joy were infectious

孩子们的笑声和欢乐极具感染力，

and gradually drew in adults.

逐渐吸引到成年人。

And see, that's how we set the baits to lure people in.

你看，我们就是这样设置 诱饵来引诱人们加入的。

(Laughter)

（笑声）

And then everybody became happy.

然后大家都变得很开心。

Over the years,

多年来，

we created a series of parks and gardens ...

我们创建了一系列公园和花园……

(Applause)

（掌声）

... tree farm,

…… 树木农场、

a performing arts program,

表演艺术节目、

festivals

各种节日，

and rites of passage program,

以及成人仪式节目，

and many more.

等等。

And eventually,

最终，

the little summer art project

这个小型的夏季艺术项目

evolved into a nonprofit arts organization

演变为一个非营利性艺术组织

called the Village of Arts and Humanities.

名为 “艺术与人文村” 。

What was surprising to me

令我惊讶的是，

was that what the world found broken in this community

在世界眼中的一个破碎的社区，

actually is a treasure land full of resources,

实际上是一个宝地，拥有丰富资源、

energy, talent and creativity.

能量、才华和创造力。

And through working with people,

通过与人们的合作，

I found

我找到了

what was missing in my life.

我生活中缺少的东西。

I knew I had to leave my tenured professorship

我知道我必须离开终身教授职位，

in order to step into my life,

由此踏入我想要的生活，

and the wisdom, compassion

让社区的智慧、同情心

and endurance of the community

和韧性

guided me home to the Dustless World,

引导我回归无尘世界，

that wonderful place of enchantment

那个充满魅力、深邃美好的

and profound beauty.

奇妙地方，

I stayed at the Village for 18 years,

在那个村里呆了 18 年后，

then I felt the calling to bring what I have learned at the Village

我感受到了一种召唤， 要我把在村里学到的知识

to places in need in the world.

带到世界上有需要的地方去。

I established another organization called the Barefoot Artists.

我成立了另一个名为“赤脚艺术家” （Barefoot Artists） 的组织。

Then in 2004,

然后在 2004 年，

I met Jean Bosco Musana from Rwanda

我遇到了来自卢旺达的 让·博斯科·穆萨纳（Jean Bosco Musana），

in a conference in Barcelona.

那是在巴塞罗那的一次会议上。

We began working together right away until now.

我们一拍即合， 立即开始合作，直到现在。

Upon my first visit,

第一次访问时，

he took me to see the genocide memorial

他带我参观了种族灭绝纪念馆，

near his city, Gisenyi.

位于他的城市吉塞尼附近。

And the site looked so forsaken and forlorn,

纪念馆看起来像被遗弃的荒凉之地，

I wanted to help.

我很想帮忙修复。

Then one thing led to the other.

然后一件事引向另一件事。

First was the design.

首先是设计，

And then the children.

然后是孩子们加入，

And then adults came.

然后成年人也来了，

And then a construction team.

然后是施工队伍，

And then a series of mosaic workshops.

然后是一系列的马赛克工作坊。

And then the completion of the genocide memorial.

然后是种族灭绝纪念馆的竣工。

(Applause)

（掌声）

And here I want to express my deep gratitude

我表示深切的感谢

to the survivors and their families

感谢幸存者及其家属，

who participated in the project despite their deep grief.

他们不顾深切的悲痛 积极参与到该项目中。

And also to the China Road and Bridge Construction Company

还要感谢中国路桥建筑公司

and its team,

及其团队，

whose help was essential

他们的帮助至关重要，

in converting my design into reality.

让我的设计变为现实。

Then, in early spring of 2007,

然后，在 2007 年初春，

we dedicated the memorial

我们将这座纪念馆献给了

to the people and the government for its safekeeping.

当地人民和政府，以便妥善保管。

Then April 7,

然后， 4 月 7 日，

the day of national mourning,

全国哀悼日，

and thousands of people walk in silence

成千上万的人默默地行走了

for miles to the site.

数英里来到纪念馆现场。

Then they would line up

他们排成一列

and descend into the bone chamber.

然后下到骨室，

And that's where they mourn their dead.

那是他们哀悼死者的地方。

A survivor told me

一位幸存者告诉我，

that our loved ones can come home now in dignity.

我们的亲人现在可以 有尊严地回家了。

When we see beauty,

当我们看到美时，

we see hope.

我们看到希望。

I wanted to work with the migrant community

我曾想和移民社区合作，

in the countryside in China for some time,

在中国农村呆一段时间。

and in 2006, I was lucky enough to join Dandelion Middle School.

2006 年，我很幸运地 加入了蒲公英中学。

Its purpose is to serve the most vulnerable,

它的目的是服务于最弱势群体，

the children of migrant workers.

即移民工的子女。

As you can see,

正如你所看到的，

the school was converted from an abandoned factory,

学校是由废弃的工厂改建而成。

and it looks basic and bare and rustic.

看上去很简单，光秃秃的，很质朴。

But then it's a perfect place for me

但是，这是一个理想的地方，

对我和学校社区来说，

and the school community

to turn dilapidation

我们都希望将破败

into color and abundance.

变为丰富多彩。

(Applause)

（掌声）

And through the process, we had such fun,

在整个过程中，我们非常开心，

and we have learned so much.

而且学到了很多东西。

Fifteen years later, facing demolition,

十五年后，面对拆迁，

the school relocated

学校搬家了，

and the new place is grand and modern,

新的地方宏伟现代，

but cold and harsh.

但感觉冰冷而粗糙。

And so students felt estranged and unhappy.

因此，学生们感到陌生、不喜欢。

So I stepped in and created the design

于是我介入并创作了

that is reminiscent of the gentleness in the old school.

让人联想到旧校址温馨的设计。

And together again, with the students and teachers,

我们与学生和老师再次合作，

we brought color, joy and intimacy to this new setting.

为新校址带去色彩、欢乐和亲密感。

During COVID, I created this design,

在 COVID 期间， 我为蒲公英创作了这个设计，

the rainbow and the tree of life for Dandelion.

即彩虹和生命之树。

Just last fall, in a period of 59 days,

就在去年秋季，59 天里，

and with the participation of 913 teachers, students and volunteers

有 913 名教师、 学生和志愿者参与进来，

with our unskilled hands

用并不熟练的双手，

but with utter dedication,

但却是全心全意的投入，

together we made something beyond our own expectation

共同创造了超出我们期望的

and something magical.

神奇之作。

And then the process,

然后就是这个过程，

when the day is finished

当一天结束后，

and we become drunk with the exaltation and happiness

我们陶醉在快乐和幸福之中，

and the process --

这个过程——

(Applause)

（掌声）

and the process unified us into one.

这个过程将我们团结在一起。

What a deep experience.

多么深刻的经历啊。

And over the years,

这些年来，

I have come to see myself as a barefoot artist.

我开始将自己视为赤脚艺术家。

My method is very simple.

我的工作方法很简单。

I have a bag full of art supplies,

带上一个装满美术用品的箱子，

and I would go to places in need

我会去任何有需要的地方，

and work with whoever come and join me.

和任何加入我的人一起工作。

Together we play and create.

我们一起玩耍和创作。

And over the different projects and experiences,

在不同的项目和经历中，

I come to realize

我逐渐意识到

that broken places are my canvases

那些破碎的地方是我的画布，

and people's stories the palette

而人们的故事就是调色板，

and the people's imagination and talent and the tools

他们的想象力、才华和工具

for new inventions.

带来新的发明创作。

Together we envision and transform.

我们共同展望并实现转变。

And I also come to realize a fundamental truth:

我也开始领悟到一个基本的真理：

people need beauty.

人们需要美。

Not the superficial beauty,

不是肤浅的美，

but the profound and transformative beauty.

而是深刻并具有变革力量的美。

It is like fire in a dark winter's night.

就像黑暗冬夜里的火焰一般，

It is the beauty that our soul yearns for.

这就是我们灵魂向往的美。

Our world is so broken today

今天，我们的世界四分五裂，

with the violent wars ...

因为残暴的战争……

with massive extinction of species

因为物种的大规模灭绝

and profound, profound human suffering.

和深重的人类苦难.

And we need this vision and energy to beauty now more than ever.

现在，我们比任何时候都更需要 这种展望和能量来实现美丽。

May we rise to embrace the broken.

愿我们挺身而出拥抱破碎。

When [we] act together, I know we will have the power to transform,

当 [我们]齐心协力时， 我知道我们将有能力

far and wide, the brokenness into beauty.

把所有的破碎都转化为美丽。

Thank you.

谢谢大家。

(Cheers and applause)

（欢呼和掌声）