Liu Bolin: The invisible man

Translator: Geoff Chen Reviewer: Regina Chu

翻译人员: Zhihua Dong 校对人员: Geoff Chen

Liu Bolin: By making myself invisible,

我的作品里面是用我自己身体的消失

I try to question the inter-canceling relationship

来质疑人类创造的文明

between our civilization and its development.

以及人自身发展所互相制约的关系。

Interpreter: By making myself invisible, I try to explore and question

用我自己身体的消失，来探索、并质疑

the contradictory and often inter-canceling relationship

人类创造的文明以及人自身发展的

between our civilization and its development.

矛盾、和经常性的互相制约关系。

LB: This is my first work, created in November 2005.

这是我的第一件作品，是在 2005 年的十一月。

And this is Beijing International Art Camp where I worked

我所在的索家村国际艺术营

before the government forcibly demolished it.I used this work to express my objection.

被政府强行拆掉，我用这个作品来表达我的抗议，

I also want to use this work to let more people

也想用这件作品来引起更多的人

pay attention to the living condition of artists and the condition of their creative freedom.

对艺术家生存状态以及艺术创作自由的关注。

In the meantime, from the beginning, this series has a

同时，我这个系列的开始

protesting, reflective

也注定了它抗议、反思，以及

and uncompromising spirit.

毫不妥协的精神。

When applying makeup, I borrow a sniper's method

我在化妆的时候借用了狙击手的化妆方法，

to better protect myself

这样呢可以更好地保护自己

and to detect the enemy, as he did. (Laughter)

以及发现敌人，像他一样。（笑）

After finishing this series of protests,

抗议这个系列做完以后，

I started questioning why my fate was like this,

我开始质问我的命运为什么有如此遭遇。

and I realized that it's not just me --

我发现不光我一个人，所有的中国人，

all Chinese are as confused as I am.

都有和我一样的困惑。

As you can see, these works

大家看到的这些作品，

are about family planning, election in accordance with the law

关于计划生育、依法选举，以及

and propaganda of the institution of the People's Congress.

宣传人民代表大会制度的。

This work is called Xia Gang ("leaving post").

这件作品的题目叫“下岗”，

"Xia Gang" is a Chinese euphemism for "laid off".

下岗是一个中国语境的词汇，它是指离开工作岗位，

It refers to those people who lost their jobs during China's transition from a planned economy to a market economy.

是指中国在由计划经济往市场经济 转型过程中失去工作岗位的这些人。

From 1998 to 2000,

从 1998 年到 2000 年

21.37 million people

两年期间，在中国失去工作的这些人

lost their jobs in China.

就有 2137 万人。

The six people in the photo

照片中的 6 个人，

are Xia Gang workers.

就是下岗职工，

I made them invisible in the deserted shop wherethey had lived and worked all their lives.

我把他们消失在他们曾经 工作生活了一辈子的废弃的车间里面。

On the wall behind them is the slogan of the Cultural Revolution:

后面的墙上写着文革时期的标语：

"The core force leading our cause forward is the Chinese Communist Party."

“领导我们事业的核心力量是中国共产党”。

For half a month

我用了半个月的时间，

I looked for these 6 people to participate in my work.

来找这 6 个人参与我的作品。

We can only see six men in this picture,but in fact, those who are hidden here

我们在照片中看到的只有 6 个人， 但其实，在这隐藏的，

are all people who were laid off. They have just been made invisible.

是所有有下岗经历的这些人， 他们只是被隐形了。

This piece is called The Studio.

这件作品叫“直播间”。

This spring,

今年春天，

I happened to have an opportunity during my solo exhibition in Paris

我在巴黎的个展正好有机会

to shoot a work in the news studio of France 3 --

在法国电视三台的新闻直播间拍一件作品，

I picked the news photos of the day.

我挑选的当天发生的这些新闻图片，

One is about the war in the Middle East,

一张是关于中东战争，

and another one is about a public demonstration in France.

另外一张是关于法国民众的示威游行。

I found that any culture has its irreconcilable contradictions.

我发现任何文化都有它不可调和的矛盾。

This is a joint effort between me and French artist JR.

这件作品是我和法国艺术家 JR 的合作。

Interpreter: This is a joint effort between me and French artist JR.

这件作品是我和法国艺术家 JR 的合作。

(Applause)

（鼓掌）

LB: I tried to disappear into JR's eye,

我把 JR 消失到我的眼睛里面，

but the problem is JR only uses models with big eyes.

但是 JR 的所有作品里面的模特眼睛都特别大，

So I tried to make my eyes bigger with my fingers.

我其实我做这个动作是想让我的眼睛更大一点，

But still they are not big enough for JR, unfortunately.

可是没办法，我眼睛还是那么小。

Interpreter: So I tried to disappear into JR's eye,

我试着消失到 JR 的眼睛里面，

but the problem is JR uses only models with big eyes.

但是 JR 的所有作品里面的模特眼睛都特别大，

So I tried to make my eyes bigger with this gesture.

我做这个手势是想让我的眼睛更大一点，

But it doesn't work, my eyes are still small.

可是没办法，我眼睛对 JR 来说还是不够大。(笑）

LB: This one is about 9/11 memories.

这件作品是关于 911 的一些回忆。

This is an aircraft carrier moored alongside the Hudson River.

这是在哈得逊河的旁边停靠的航空母舰。

Kenny Scharf's graffiti.

肯尼·沙尔夫的涂鸦 (Kenny Scharf Mural)

(Laughter)

（笑）

This is Venice, Italy.

这是在意大利的威尼斯，

Because global temperatures rise,

因为全球的温度升高，

the sea level rises, and it is said thatVenice will disappear in the coming decades.

海平面上涨，有消息称威尼斯 将在未来的几十年内消失。

This is the ancient city of Pompeii.

这是意大利的庞贝古城，

Interpreter: This is the ancient city of Pompeii.

这是意大利的庞贝古城，

LB: This is the Borghese Gallery

这是罗马的

in Rome.

博尔盖塞美术馆 (Borghese Gallery)。

When I work on a new piece, I pay more attention to the expression of ideas.

我在拍新作品的时候， 我会更加注重思想的表达。

For instance, why would I make myself invisible?

比如说我为什么要消失，我消失在这儿

What will making myself invisible here cause people to think?

会引起人们什么样的思考。

This one is called Instant Noodles.

这件作品的题目叫“方便面”。

Interpreter: This one is called Instant Noodles. (Laughter)

这件作品的题目叫“方便面”。（笑）

LB: Since August 2012,

从 2012 年的 8 月，

harmful phosphors have been found

在中国超市里各大知名的 桶装方便面品牌的杯包装里，

in the instant noodle package cups from every famous brand sold in China's supermarkets.

都发现了有害的荧光粉，

These phosphors can even cause cancer.

这些荧光粉甚至可以致癌。

To create this artwork,

我为了拍这件作品，

I bought a lot of packaged instant noodle cups

我又买了大量的桶装方便面，

and put them in my studio, making it look like a supermarket.

在我的工作室里做成超市的样子。

And my task is to stand there, trying to be still,

然后我的任务就是站在那儿，尽量不动，

setting up the camera position and coordinating with my assistant

摆好相机的位置，然后配合我的助手。

and drawing the colors and shapes that are behind my body

把我身体后面挡住的一些颜色和形状

on the front of my body. If the background is simple,

在我身体前面画出来。如果背景简单的话，

I usually have to stand for three to four hours.

我一般要站三到四个小时。

The background of this piece is more complex,

像这件作品背景比较复杂，

so I need three to four days in advance for preparation.

我一般就需要提前三到四天就开始准备。

This is the suit I wore when I did the supermarket shoot.

我身上这件衣服就是拍这件作品的时候完成的，

There is no Photoshop involved.

没有任何电脑的痕迹。

Interpreter: This is the suit I [was] wearing when I did the supermarket shoot.

我身上这件衣服就是在超市 拍这件作品时所穿的衣服，

There is no Photoshop involved. (Laughter)

没有使用任何 Photoshop 修图。（笑）

LB: These works are on China's cultural memories.

这几件作品是关于中国的文化记忆。

And this one,

还有这种，

this is about food safety in China.

这是关于中国的食品安全。

Unsafe food can harm people's health,

不安全的食品可以危害人的身体，

and a deluge of magazines can confuse people's minds. (Laughter)

然后泛滥的杂志可以迷惑人的心智。（笑）

The next pieces of work show how I made myself invisible in magazines of different languages,

接下来的几件作品都是我在不同国家、

in different countries and at different times.

不同时间，我把自己消失在不同文字的杂志里。

I think that in art, an artist's attitude is the most important element.

我觉得在艺术作品中，艺术家的态度最重要。

If an artwork is to touch someone,

艺术作品如果想打动别人，

it must be the result of not only technique, but also the artist's thinking and struggle in life.

不仅仅是它的技巧，同样是它的思考

And the repeated struggles in life create artwork,

和生命挣扎，而一次次的生命挣扎就会成为艺术作品，

no matter in what form.

不管它的形式是什么。

(Music)

（音乐）

That's all I want to say.

我所要说的就到此为止。

Thank you. (Applause)

谢谢。（鼓掌）