Aparna Rao: Art that craves your attention

譯者: Xuwen Zhu 審譯者: Jina Chen

Hi. So today, I'd like to share some works in progress.

大家好，今天我將和你們 分享一下正在進行中的工作。

Since we are still realizing these works,

因為這些工作還在進行中，

we are largely working within the realm

我們仍然很大程度上

of intuition and mystery, still.

是在直覺和神秘的領域裡努力。

So I'm going to try and describe

那麼現在我將嘗試描述

some of the experiences that we're looking for

我們想通過每個作品

through each of the works.

得到的一些體驗。

So the first work is called the Imperial Monochromes.

第一個作品名叫《單色帝國》 (Imperial Monochromes)，

A viewer sort of unsuspectingly walks into the room,

一個觀眾幾乎毫不懷疑地走進了房間，

and catches a glimpse of these panels

然後瞥到了牆上這些

in a messy composition on the wall.

胡亂擺放的畫板。

Within seconds, as if the panels have noticed

就在一瞬間，彷彿這些畫板注意到了

the presence of the viewer,

這個觀眾的存在，

they appear to panic and sort of get into

它們一下變得害怕，然後

a strict symmetry.

就變成了一種嚴格的對稱狀態。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

So this is the sketch of the two states.

所以這是兩種狀態的描寫。

One is total chaos. The other is absolute order.

一種是完全的混亂。另一種是絕對的有序。

And we were interested in seeing how little change

我們感興趣的是去展示，從一個狀態到另一個

it takes to move from one state to the other state.

所需要的是多麼微小的改變。

This also reminded us of two very different pictorial traditions.

這也讓我們想起了 兩種截然不同的繪畫傳統。

One is the altar tablets of the 15th century,

一種是15世紀的祭壇桌，

and the other is about 100 years ago,

另一種是大約100年前

Malevich's abstract compositions.

馬列維奇（Malevich，俄國畫家）的抽象作品。

So I'm just going to take you to a video.

我現在就給你們看一個影片。

To give you a sense of scale,

爲了讓你們對尺度有個概念，

the largest panel is about two meters high.

最大的畫板大概兩米高，

That's about this much. And the smallest one is an A4.

大概是這樣。 最小的畫板是一張A4紙大小。

So a viewer enters the space,

一位觀眾走進這個空間，

and they snap to attention.

這些畫板迅速擺正。

And after a while, if the viewer continues

過了一會，如果這個觀眾

to remain in the space,

一直待在那裡，

the panels will sort of become immune

這些畫板就好比對這個人的存在

to the presence of the viewer

免疫了一樣，

and become lax and autonomous again,

就又變得慵懶而自顧自了。

until they sort of sense a presence in the room or a movement,

直到它們再一次感覺到 房間裡出現了人或者有什麽變化，

when they will again snap to attention.

它們才會再次擺正。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

So here it appears as if it's the viewer

這裡，看起來好像是觀眾的出現

that's sort of instigating the sense of order among the panels,

為這些畫板注入有序感，

but it could also be the other way around,

但是也可以用另一種方式理解，

that the panels are so stuck within

這些畫板完全深陷於

their preconditioned behaviors

它們自己預先設置好的行為模式中，

that they sort of thrust the viewer with the role of a tyrant.

以至於它們的表現 讓那位觀眾縣出了暴君的角色。

So this brings me to a quieter, small work

然後，我有了一個更安靜更小的作品，

called Handheld.

名叫《手握》(Handheld)。

The viewer sees a piece of paper

觀眾看到一張紙，

that's mounted on the far end of the wall,

這張紙掛在墻的遠端，

but when you go closer, you see that it's a blank

但如果你走的更近，你會發現這是一張

A4, or a letter-sized piece of paper,

空白的A4，或者是信紙大小，

that's held on either side

這張紙在兩邊

by two small hands

被兩隻小手握著，

that appear to be carved with a great deal

這兩隻手看起來是用一小塊木頭

of attention and care from a small block of wood.

用極大的專注力和細心雕刻出來的。

The viewer also sees that this entire sculpture

觀眾也會看到，這整個雕塑

is sort of moving very slightly,

似乎一點點的移動，

as if these two hands are trying

就好像這兩隻手是想

to hold the paper very still

努力在很長的時間裡

for a long period of time,

靜止的保持握住這張紙，

and somehow are not managing to.

但卻似乎做不到完全不動。

So this instability in the movement

所以這移動中的不穩定性

very closely resembles the unsteady nature

就和手持照相機照出的圖片

of images seen through a handheld camera.

有異曲同工之處。

So here I'm going to show you two tandem clips.

現在我要向你們展示兩幅並列的圖片

One is through a still camera

一幅由靜止的相機拍攝，

and the other is through a handheld camera.

另一幅是手持的相機。

And you immediately see how the unsteady nature

你立刻就能看到，影片的不穩定

of the video suggests the presence

如何顯示出觀察者的存在

of an observer and a subjective point of view.

以及所處的主觀的視角。

So we've just removed the camera

所以我們只是去掉了相機，

and transferred that movement onto the panel.

而把這種不穩定的運動移植到了作品裡。

So here's a video.

這是影片。

You have to imagine the other hand. It's not there yet.

你需要想像另一隻手的存在， 它還不在那裡，

But to us, we're sort of trying to evoke

但對我們來說，我們某種意義上是在嘗試

a self-effacing gesture, as if there's a little person

做出一種謙虛的手勢，就好像

with outstretched arms

在這張巨大的白紙背後

behind this enormous piece of paper.

有一個小人正伸出雙手。

That sort of likens it to the amount of strain

這就給予它一種緊張感，

to be at the service of the observer and present

就像在給觀眾服務一樣，把這張紙

this piece of paper very delicately to the viewer

非常小心翼翼地呈現在

in front of them.

觀眾面前。

The next work is Decoy.

下一個作品叫做《圈套》(Decoy)，

This is a cardboard model, so the object

這是一個紙板的模型，

is about as tall as I am.

作品大概和我一樣高，

It has a rounded body, two arms,

它有一個圓圓的身體，兩條手臂，

and a very tall, head-like antenna,

和一個非常高、像頭一樣的天線，

and its sole purpose is to attract attention towards itself.

它的唯一目的是爲了 把注意力吸引到自己身上。

So when a viewer passes by,

當一個觀眾經過的時候

it sort of tilts from side to side,

它就左右搖擺，

and moves its arms more and more frantically

而且隨著這個人越走越近，

as the person gets closer.

它會越來越瘋狂的揮舞兩條手臂。

So here is the first test scenario.

這是第一個測試場景，

You see the two movements integrated,

你看到，兩種動作結合在一起，

and the object seems to be employing

這個物體似乎是

its entire being in this expression of desperation.

把整個自己都 投入到這種絕望的表達中。

But the idea is that once it's got the person's attention,

但是，重點是，一旦它得到了這個人的關注，

it's no longer interested, and it looks for the next person whose attention to get.

它就不感興趣了，開始尋找下一個人。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

So this is the final fabricated body of the Decoy.

這是最後為《圈套》製作出來的身體，

It appears to be mass-manufactured

它看起來像是大規模製作的產品，

like it came out of a factory

就好像是從工廠造出來的，

like vacuum cleaners and washing machines.

比如吸塵器和洗衣機一樣。

Because we are always working

因為我們總是

from a very personal space,

從個人化的空間工作，

we like how this consumer aesthetic

我們很喜歡這種消費者美學，

sort of depersonalizes the object

讓這個物體不再個人化，

and gives us a bit of distance

而且給我們製造了一點距離，

in its appearance, at least.

在外表上，至少。

And so to us this is a kind of sinister being

所以對我們來說，這個是某種邪惡的存在，

which is trying to distract you from the things

它嘗試把你的注意力

that actually need your attention,

從實際需要你注意的地方吸引過來，

but it could also be a figure that needs a lot of help.

但是它也可以是確實 需要很多幫助的一個形象。

The next work is an object,

下一個作品是一個物品，

that's also a kind of sound instrument.

也算是一種樂器，

In the shape of an amphitheater

形狀是一個露天圓形劇場，

that's scaled to the size of an audience

就像一個人在舞臺上看到的那樣，

as perceived from somebody from the stage.

然後按比例縮小到了一個觀眾的大小。

So from where I'm standing,

從我站的地方來看

each of you appears to be this big,

你們每個人大概這麼大，

and the audience sort of takes the entire

而觀眾差不多

field of my vision.

佔據了我整個視野。

Seated in this audience are 996 small figures.

在觀眾席上是996個小塑像，

They're mechanically enabled to clap

它們在機械上被設計成

of their own free will.

可以根據自己的意願來鼓掌，

This means that each of them can decide

也就是說，它們每一個都可以

if and when they want to clap,

自己決定什麼時候、以及是否鼓掌，

how hard, for how long,

用多少力氣鼓掌，鼓掌多久，

how they want to be influenced by those around them or influence others,

決定自己想如何被周圍的人影響，或者影響別人，

and if they want to contribute to innovation.

以及是否願意為創新做貢獻。

So when the viewer steps in front of the audience,

當一個觀察者走到這些觀眾面前，

there will be a response.

會產生一個反應。

It could be a few claps or a strong applause,

可能是寥寥幾聲，也可能是熱烈的掌聲，

and then nothing happens until the viewer

然後就沒有動靜了，

leaves the stage, and again the audience will respond.

直到觀察者離開舞臺，這些觀眾又會有反應。

It could be anything from a few feeble claps

可能是觀眾席裡

from members in the audience,

傳來的幾聲微弱的掌聲，

or it could be a very loud ovation.

也可能是非常熱烈的鼓掌。

So to us, I think we're really looking

所以對我們來說，我們真的是把裡面的每個觀眾

at an audience as its own object

看做一個獨立的物體

or its own organism

或者說獨立的機制，

that's also got a sort of musical-like quality to it,

它有一種像音樂一樣的特質，

an instrument.

一種樂器。

So the viewer can play it

觀察者可以演奏它，

by eliciting quite complex and varied,

通過引發非常複雜、變化多端

nuanced musical or sound patterns,

創新的音樂或者聲音模式，

but cannot really provoke the audience

但是不能將觀眾

into any particular kind of response.

引入到任何特定的反應中，

So there's a sense of judgment and capriciousness

所以這其中有一種

and uneasiness involved.

判斷、多變和不安的感覺。

It also has an alluring and trap-like quality to it.

它也有一種像陷阱一樣誘人的感覺。

So here if you see we're quite excited about

這裡你看到，我們對這幅

the image of the head splitting to form the two hands.

大腦分工去操控雙手的圖片很激動。

So here's a small visual animation,

這是一個小小的視覺動畫，

as if the two sides of the brain are sort of clashing

就好像大腦的兩側

against each other to kind of make sense

在互相碰撞，

of the duality and the tension.

去表達二元性和這種緊張。

And here is a prototype.

這是一個樣本。

So we can't wait to be engulfed by 996 of them.

我們迫不及待的想被 966個這樣的模型包圍了。

Okay, this is the last work. It's called the Framerunners.

這裡是最後一個作品，叫做 《相框奔跑者》(Framerunners)，

It comes out of the idea of a window.

它的創意來自於一扇窗戶，

This is an actual window in our studio,

這是我們工作室裡真實的一扇窗戶，

and as you can see, it's made up of three

你看到，它有三種不同厚度的

different thicknesses of wooden sections.

木頭部件。

So we used the same window vocabulary

所以我們用了同樣的想法

to construct our own frame or grid

製作了我們自己的相框或者說格子

that's suspended in the room and that can

懸掛在房間裡，

be viewed from two sides.

可以從兩邊看到。

This grid is inhabited by a tribe of small figures.

這個格子裡住著 一個由小人組成的部落。

They're also made up of three different sizes,

他們也有三種不同尺寸，

as if to suggest a kind of perspective

象徵着在一個平面上

or landscape on the single plain.

看到的視角或者風景。

Each of these figures can also run backward

這裡的每個小人可以

and forward in the track

在軌道上前後跑動，

and hide behind two adjacent tracks.

也可以藏在兩條相鄰軌道間。

So in contrast to this very tight grid,

爲了和這個非常擁擠的格子對比，

we wanted to give these figures a very comical

我們希望賦予這些小人

and slapstick-like quality,

很漫畫、很鬧劇的感覺，

as if a puppeteer has taken them

就好像一個操縱木偶的人

and physically animated them down the path.

真的在軌道上操縱他們一樣。

So we like the idea of these figures

我們很喜歡這種感覺

sort of skipping along

這些小人跳來跳去

like they're oblivious and carefree

沒有煩惱、無憂無慮

and happy-go-lucky and content,

逍遙自得，

until they sort of sense a movement from the viewer

直到他們感覺到來自觀察者的動作，

and they will hide behind the fastest wall.

他們會立刻藏到最近的墻後面。

So to us, this work also presents its own contradiction.

對我們來說，這個作品 也表現了它自己的矛盾性。

These figures are sort of entrapped

這些小人就像是

within this very strong grid,

被困在了這個堅固的格子裡，

which is like a prison, but also a fortress,

就像個監獄，但也可以說是城堡，

because it allows them to be oblivious

因為這個格子 讓他們可以沒有煩惱，

and naive and carefree and quite oblivious

天真逍遙，

of the external world.

幾乎遺忘外界的存在。

So all these real life qualities that I talk about

我提到的所有這些 來自真實生活的特點

are sort of translated to a very specific

都被轉化成了一種

technical configuration,

很特別的技術性設置，

and we were very lucky to collaborate

我們非常有幸

with ETH Zurich to develop the first prototype.

可以和蘇黎世聯邦理工大學合作， 造出了第一個模型。

So you see they extracted the motion cogs

你可以看到，他們從我們的動畫裡

from our animations and created a wiggle

抽取了這些動作， 創造了一鐘擺動的動作，

that integrated the head-bobbing movement

結合了搖擺頭

and the back-and-forth movement.

和前後的運動。

So it's really quite small.

這個真的很小，

You can see it can fit into the palm of my hand.

你看它可以被我的手掌握住。

So imagine our excitement when we saw it

當我們在工作室裡 看到它真的可以用

really working in the studio, and here it is.

可以想像我們多麼激動 現在我把它帶來了。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Thank you.

謝謝

(Applause)

（笑聲）