An artist's unflinching look at racial violence | Sanford Biggers

譯者: Ann Chen 審譯者: Helen Lin

As a conceptual artist,

作為一位觀念藝術家，

I'm constantly looking for creative ways to spark challenging conversations.

我經常在找尋 激起爭論性對話的創作方式。

I do this though painting, sculpture, video and performance.

我透過繪畫、雕塑、錄影及表演來做到。

But regardless of the format,

但無論採取何種方式，

two of my favorite materials are history and dialogue.

我最喜愛用的兩種素材 就是歷史和對話。

In 2007, I created "Lotus,"

2007 年時，我設計了「蓮花」，

a seven-and-a-half-foot diameter,

直徑 7.5 英尺，

600-pound glass depiction of a lotus blossom.

600 磅的蓮花玻璃圖案。

In Buddhism, the lotus is a symbol for transcendence

在佛教，蓮花是一種 超越以及心、靈純淨的象徵。

and for purity of mind and spirit.

But a closer look at this lotus

但仔細看這蓮花，

reveals each petal to be the cross-section of a slave ship.

顯示每一花瓣都是販奴船的橫切面。

This iconic diagram was taken from a British slaving manual

這圖像是來自英國的奴隸手冊，

and later used by abolitionists to show the atrocities of slavery.

後來被廢奴主義者 用以證明奴隸制度的暴行。

In America, we don't like to talk about slavery,

在美國，我們不喜歡談論奴隷制度，

nor do we look at it as a global industry.

也不把它視為全球產業。

But by using this Buddhist symbol,

但藉著用這佛教的象徵，

I hope to universalize and transcend

我希望能普及並超越

the history and trauma of black America

美國黑人的歷史及創傷，

and encourage discussions about our shared past.

並鼓勵討論我們共同的過去。

To create "Lotus," we carved over 6,000 figures.

為了製造「蓮花」， 我們刻了超過 6,000 個圖形，

And this later led to a commission by the City of New York

稍後紐約市也因而委託我們

to create a 28-foot version in steel

製造一個 28 英尺的鋼製版，

as a permanent installation at the Eagle Academy for Young Men,

固定架設在老鷹男子高級中學 ──

a school for black and latino students,

此校為黑人及拉丁裔學生就讀，

the two groups most affected by this history.

兩個在這歷史上受害最深的族群。

The same two groups are very affected by a more recent phenomenon,

一個最近的事件 對這兩族群也有很大影響，

but let me digress.

但容我岔開話題。

I've been collecting wooden African figures

我一直在收集來自全世界旅遊商店 及跳蚤市場的木製非洲塑像，

from tourist shops and flea markets around the world.

The authenticity and origin of them is completely debatable,

它們的真實性及來源 完全是有疑問的，

but people believe these to be imbued with power,

但人們認為這些具有能力，

or even magic.

甚至魔力。

Only recently have I figured out how to use this in my own work.

只是最近我已想出 如何將這用在我的作品上。

(Gun shots)

（槍聲）

Since 2012, the world has witnessed the killings of Trayvon Martin,

自 2012 年起，世人見證實了 特雷沃恩·馬丁命案，

Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Sandra Bland, Tamir Rice

麥克·布朗、埃里克·加納、 桑德拉·布蘭德、塔米爾·萊斯，

and literally countless other unarmed black citizens

簡直多到數不清 手無寸鐵的黑人公民

at the hands of the police,

死於警察手中，

who frequently walk away with no punishment at all.

而他們絲毫無罪地全身而退。

In consideration of these victims

考慮到這些受害者，

and the several times that even I,

以及連我

a law-abiding, Ivy League professor,

── 一位守法的長春藤大學聯盟教授 ──

have been targeted and harassed at gunpoint by the police.

也曾多次被警察盯上及槍口的騷擾，

I created this body of work simply entitled "BAM."

我設計了這個作品，單純命名為「砰」。

It was important to erase the identity of each of these figures,

將每個塑像的面貌去掉是重要的，

to make them all look the same and easier to disregard.

使它們看起來一樣且較易忽略其身份。

To do this, I dip them in a thick, brown wax

為此，我將它們浸入濃稠棕色蠟，

before taking them to a shooting range

而後帶它們到靶場，

where I re-sculpted them using bullets.

用子彈重新雕塑它們。

And it was fun,

射大槍和使用高速錄影機是蠻好玩的，

playing with big guns and high-speed video cameras.

But my reverence for these figures kept me from actually pulling the trigger,

但我對這些塑像的敬畏心 讓我無法真正扣下扳機，

somehow feeling as if I would be shooting myself.

好像覺得我是在射擊自己，

Finally, my cameraman, Raul, fired the shots.

最後，是由我的攝影師 Raul 開槍的。

I then took the fragments of these

隨後我將這些殘片碎塊

and created molds, and cast them first in wax,

做一個石膏模， 再先用蠟做個模型，

and finally in bronze like the image you see here,

最後用銅鑄成， 就如你現在所見的塑像。

which bears the marks of its violent creation

上面有用暴力製造過程的痕跡，

like battle wounds or scars.

就像戰爭傷口或疤痕。

When I showed this work recently in Miami,

當我最近在邁阿密展示這作品時，

a woman told me she felt every gun shot to her soul.

一位女士告訴我， 她覺得每一槍都擊中她的心靈，

But she also felt that these artworks

但她也感受到這些作品

memorialized the victims of these killings

悼念了命案受害者，

as well as other victims of racial violence throughout US history.

以及整個美國史上 種族暴力下的其他受害者。

But "Lotus" and "BAM" are larger than just US history.

但「蓮花」及「砰」 比只是美國歷史意義更深遠。

While showing in Berlin last year,

當去年在柏林展示時，

a philosophy student asked me what prompted these recent killings.

一位學哲學的學生問我 這些最近的命案是為何發生。

I showed him a photo of a lynching postcard

我拿一張 1900 年代初期 處私刑的照片給他看，

from the early 1900s

and reminded him that these killings have been going on for over 500 years.

並提醒他這種殺戮 已經持續超過 500 年了。

But it's only through questions like his

但唯有透過像他這樣的問題

and more thoughtful dialogue about history and race

和更多有關歷史及種族的思考性對話，

can we evolve as individuals and society.

我們個人與社會才能成長。

I hope my artwork creates a safe space

我希望我的作品可創造一個安全空間 提供這種坦誠交流，

for this type of honest exchange

and an opportunity for people to engage one another

並提供機會讓大家參與 彼此真實及必要的對談。

in real and necessary conversation.

Thank you.

謝謝！

(Applause)

（掌聲）