A lesson on looking | Amy Herman

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: congmei Han

Take a look at this work of art.

看看這件藝術作品。

What is it that you see?

你看到的是什麼？

At first glance, it looks to be a grandfather clock

第一眼，看起來是祖父時代的鐘，

with a sheet thrown over it

上面蓋著一塊布，

and a rope tied around the center.

中間用一條繩子綁住。

But a first look always warrants a second.

但，有第一眼就有第二眼。

Look again.

再看一次。

What do you see now?

現在你看到什麼？

If you look more closely,

如果你更近距離看，

you'll realize that this entire work of art

你會發現，這整件藝術作品

is made from one piece of sculpture.

其實完全是一件雕塑。

There is no clock,

沒有鐘，

there is no rope,

沒有繩子，

and there is no sheet.

沒有布。

It is one piece of bleached Honduras mahogany.

它是用一塊漂白的 宏都拉斯桃花心木做成。

Now let me be clear:

讓我說清楚：

this exercise was not about looking at sculpture.

這個練習的重點不是要看雕塑。

It's about looking

重點是「看」，

and understanding that looking closely can save a life,

以及了解到，靠近一點看 可能可以拯救生命、

change your company

改變你的公司，

and even help you understand why your children behave the way they do.

甚至協助你了解為什麼你的孩子 會做出他們做出的行為。

It's a skill that I call visual intelligence,

我把這項技能稱為視覺智慧，

and I use works of art to teach everybody,

我用藝術作品來教大家，

from everyday people to those for whom looking is the job,

從一般人到以「看」 為職業的人都有，

like Navy SEALs and homicide detectives and trauma nurses.

比如海豹部隊、調查凶殺案的 警探，以及外傷科護士。

The fact is that no matter how skilled you might be at looking,

不論你多麼擅長「看」，

you still have so much to learn about seeing.

對於「看」， 你仍然有很多要學的。

Because we all think we get it in a first glance and a sudden flash,

因為，我們都認為只要 看第一眼或驚鴻一瞥就可以了解，

but the real skill is in understanding how to look slowly

但真正的技巧在於 要了解如何緩慢地看，

and how to look more carefully.

以及如何更仔細地看。

The talent is in remembering --

這項才能是在於記得——

in the crush of the daily urgencies that demand our attention --

在每天日常需要我們注意的 急事不斷壓榨中——

to step back and look through those lenses to help us see

要退後一步，透過那些能幫助 我們看清楚的透鏡來看見

what we've been missing all along.

我們一直忽略的東西。

So how can looking at painting and sculpture help?

所以，看畫作和雕塑 能有什麼幫助？

Because art is a powerful tool.

因為藝術是非常強大的工具。

It's a powerful tool that engages both sight and insight

這種強大的工具 會用到視力以及洞察，

and reframes our understanding of where we are and what we see.

且會重新構造我們對自己 身處何處及所見為何的理解。

Here's an example of a work of art

這件藝術作品就是一個例子，

that reminded me that visual intelligence --

它提醒我視覺智慧——

it's an ongoing learning process

它是一個持續不斷的學習過程， 且我們永遠無法精通它。

and one that really is never mastered.

I came across this quiet, seemingly abstract painting,

我偶然看到這幅 似乎很抽象的畫作，

and I had to step up to it twice,

我得要朝它走近兩次，

even three times,

甚至三次，

to understand why it resonated so deeply.

才能了解為什麼 它的回響這麼深刻。

Now, I've seen the Washington Monument in person thousands of times,

我親自去看華盛頓 紀念碑不下數千次，

well aware of the change in the color of marble a third of the way up,

非常清楚在上方三分之一的地方， 大理石的顏色有所改變，

but I had never really looked at it out of context

但我從來沒有把它 跟背景分離來看，

or truly as a work of art.

或是真正當成藝術作品來看。

And here, Georgia O'Keeffe's painting of this architectural icon made me realize

喬治亞歐姬芙針對這個建築地標

所創作的這幅畫讓我了解到：

that if we put our mind to it,

如果我們專心致力，

it's possible to see everyday things

是有可能用一種全新

in a wholly new and eye-opening perspective.

且讓人開眼界的觀點 來看待日常事物的。

Now, there are some skeptics that believe that art just belongs in an art museum.

有些懷疑論者相信 藝術只屬於藝術博物館。

They believe that it has no practical use beyond its aesthetic value.

他們相信，藝術只有美學價值， 沒有實際用途。

I know who they are in every audience I teach.

在我教導的每批觀眾中， 我都知道誰是這種人。

Their arms are crossed, their legs are crossed,

他們會雙手抱胸，翹著二郎腿，

their body language is saying,

他們的肢體語言在說：

"What am I going to learn from this lady who talks fast

「我能從這位用很快的 說話速度在談論畫作

about painting and sculpture?"

和雕塑的女士身上學到什麼？」

So how do I make it relevant for them?

我要如何讓這些人 感受到藝術的重要性？

I ask them to look at this work of art,

我請他們看這件藝術作品，

like this portrait by Kumi Yamashita.

比如山下工美的這幅畫像。

And I ask them to step in close,

我請他們靠近一些，

and even closer still,

甚至再更靠近，

and while they're looking at the work of art,

當他們在看著這件藝術作品時，

they need to be asking questions about what they see.

他們需要問一些關於 他們看到什麼的問題。

And if they ask the right questions,

如果他們問對了問題，

like, "What is this work of art?

如「這件藝術作品 是什麼？是一幅畫嗎？

Is it a painting? Is it a sculpture?

它是一座雕塑嗎？ 它是什麼做的？」……

What is it made of?" ...

they will find out that this entire work of art

他們會發現， 這件藝術作品完完全全

is made of a wooden board,

是由木板、

10,000 nails

一萬個釘子，

and one unbroken piece of sewing thread.

和一條沒有斷的縫紉紗線所做成的。

Now that might be interesting to some of you,

有些人可能會覺得有趣，

but what does it have to do with the work that these people do?

但這和這些人所做的 工作有什麼關係？

And the answer is everything.

答案是，通通都有關。

Because we all interact with people multiple times on a daily basis,

因為我們每天都要 和人互動很多次，

and we need to get better at asking questions

我們需要更擅長 針對我們的所見來問問題。

about what it is that we see.

Learning to frame the question in such a way

學習用這種方式來構想問題，

as to elicit the information that we need to do our jobs,

以引導出我們工作時 所需要的資訊，

is a critical life skill.

這是一種很重要的人生技能。

Like the radiologist who told me

就像有位放射學家告訴我，

that looking at the negative spaces in a painting

去看一幅畫中的負空間

helped her discern more discreet abnormalities in an MRI.

能協助她辨別出磁共振造影中 不引人注意的異常之處。

Or the police officer who said that understanding the emotional dynamic

或是有位警員說，

了解一幅畫中 人與人的情緒動態，

between people in a painting

helped him to read body language at a domestic violence crime scene,

能幫助他在家庭暴力 犯罪現場解讀肢體語言，

and it enabled him to think twice before drawing and firing his weapon.

並讓他能多想一下

再拔槍、開槍。

And even parents can look to see absences of color in paintings

連父母都能透過看著 畫作中缺少的顏色，

to understand that what their children say to them

來了解到，他們的孩子 想對他們說的話，

is as important as what they don't say.

和他們不想說的話是同樣重要的。

So how do I --

所以，我要如何——

how do I train to be more visually intelligent?

我要如何鍛鍊才能 變得更有視覺智慧？

It comes down to four As.

可以整理成四個「A」。

Every new situation, every new problem --

在每個新情境、每個新問題中——

we practice four As.

我們要練習四個「A」。

First, we assess our situation.

首先，評估（assess） 我們的情況。

We ask, "What do we have in front of us?"

我們要問： 「我們面前的是什麼？」

Then, we analyze it.

接著，我們去 分析（analyze）它。

We say, "What's important?

我們說：「重點是什麼？ 我需要什麼？我不需要什麼？」

What do I need? What don't I need?"

Then, we articulate it in a conversation, in a memo, in a text, in an email.

接著，我們在對話、備忘錄、

文字、信件中明確 表達（articulate ）它。

And then, we act: we make a decision.

接著，我們採取行動（act）： 我們做決策。

We all do this multiple times a day,

這個過程我們每天都會做好多次，

but we don't realize what a role seeing and looking plays

但我們不知道， 在所有這些步驟當中，

in all of those actions,

「看」所扮演的角色，

and how visual intelligence can really improve everything.

也不知道視覺智慧 如何能改善一切。

So recently, I had a group of counterterrorism officials

所以，最近，我讓一群 反恐怖主義的官員

at a museum in front of this painting.

到博物館來看這幅畫。

El Greco's painting, "The Purification of the Temple,"

這是艾爾葛雷柯的 畫作《神殿淨化》，

in which Christ, in the center, in a sweeping and violent gesture,

在畫中，中間的是基督， 做出一種要趕人的暴力姿勢，

is expelling the sinners from the temple of prayer.

把罪人從禱告者的寺廟驅逐出去。

The group of counterterrorism officials had five minutes with that painting,

這群反恐怖主義的官員 有五分鐘能看這幅畫，

and in that short amount of time, they had to assess the situation,

在那短短的時間中， 他們得要評估情況，

analyze the details,

分析細節，

articulate what, if anything,

明確表達出——

they would do if they were in that painting.

如果他們在那幅畫中， 他們會怎麼做。

As you can imagine, observations and insights differed.

不難想像，每個人的 觀察和洞察都不同。

Who would they talk to?

他們會和誰說話？ 誰會是最好的目擊證人？

Who would be the best witness?

Who was a good potential witness?

誰是好的潛在證人？

Who was lurking?

誰在偷偷摸摸？ 誰有最多資訊？

Who had the most information?

But my favorite comment came from a seasoned cop

但我最喜歡的意見是一位 經驗豐富的警察所提的，

who looked at the central figure and said,

他看著中央的角色，說：

"You see that guy in the pink?" --

「有看到穿粉紅色的傢伙？」——

referring to Christ --

指的是基督——

he said, "I'd collar him, he's causing all the trouble."

他說：「我會抓住他的領口， 所有的問題都是他造成的。」

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

So looking at art gives us a perfect vehicle to rethink how we solve problems

觀看藝術作品是一種很好的方法，

可以讓我們重新思考 要如何解決問題，

without the aid of technology.

而不需要科技的協助。

Looking at the work of Felix Gonzalez-Torres,

看著菲利克斯·岡薩雷斯-托雷斯的 這件作品，

you see two clocks in perfect synchronicity.

你會看見兩個時鐘完美地同步。

The hour, minute and second hand perfectly aligned.

時針、分針、秒針都完美地對齊。

They are installed side by side and they're touching,

它們被緊連著並排放置，

and they are entitled "'Untitled' (Perfect Lovers)."

它們被取名為「無題 （完美的愛人）」。

But closer analysis makes you realize

但，更仔細地分析會讓你發現，

that these are two battery-operated clocks,

這兩個時鐘都是靠電池來運轉的，

which in turn makes you understand --

這就會讓你接著了解到—— 「嘿，等等……

"Hey, wait a minute ...

One of those batteries is going to stop before the other.

兩個電池之中有一個 會比另一個更早用盡。

One of those clocks is going to slow down and die before the other

其中一個鐘會比另一個 先慢下來並停止，

and it's going to alter the symmetry of the artwork."

那將會改變這件作品的對稱性。」

Just articulating that thought process

光是明確表達出那個思想過程，

includes the necessity of a contingency plan.

就會需要預防計畫。

You need to have contingencies for the unforeseen,

你需要有所準備， 可能會有未預見的事、

the unexpected and the unknown,

未預期的事，和未知的事發生，

whenever and however they may happen.

可能會在任何時候 以任何方式發生。

Now, using art to increase our visual intelligence

用藝術來增加我們的視覺智慧，

involves planning for contingencies,

會涉及到應急計畫，

understanding the big picture and the small details

要了解大局以及小細節，

and noticing what's not there.

並注意到少了什麼。

So in this painting by Magritte,

在這幅馬格利特的畫作中，

noticing that there are no tracks under the train,

注意到火車底下並沒有鐵軌，

there is no fire in the fireplace

火爐中沒有火，

and there are no candles in the candlesticks

蠟燭上也沒有燭火，

actually more accurately describes the painting

這樣是比較正確地描述這幅畫作，

than if you were to say, "Well, there's a train coming out of a fireplace,

而不是只說：「嗯， 有一列火車從火爐中駛出來，

and there are candlesticks on the mantle."

且壁爐上有蠟燭。」

It may sound counterintuitive to say what isn't there,

說出「沒有什麼」 似乎是反直覺的，

but it's really a very valuable tool.

但它是一項非常有價值的工具。

When a detective who had learned about visual intelligence

在北卡羅萊納有位 曾學過視覺智慧的警探，

in North Carolina

他被呼叫到犯罪現場，

was called to the crime scene,

it was a boating fatality,

那是一場船難，

and the eyewitness told this detective that the boat had flipped over

目擊證人告訴 這位警探，船翻覆了，

and the occupant had drowned underneath.

船主淹死在下面。

Now, instinctively, crime scene investigators look for what is apparent,

就直覺上來說，犯罪現場的 調查人員會找明顯的線索，

but this detective did something different.

但這位警探的做法不同。

He looked for what wasn't there, which is harder to do.

他去尋找有什麼不在那裡， 這點是更困難的。

And he raised the question:

他提出了一個問題：

if the boat had really tipped flipped over --

如果這艘船真的傾斜並翻覆——

as the eyewitness said that it did --

如目擊證人的說詞——

how come the papers that were kept at one end of the boat

為什麼放在船末端的紙

were completely dry?

完全是乾的？

Based on that one small but critical observation,

根據這個微小但重要的觀察，

the investigation shifted from accidental death to homicide.

調查方向從意外死亡轉變為謀殺。

Now, equally important to saying what isn't there

和找出「什麼不在那裡」 同樣重要的，

is the ability to find visual connections where they may not be apparent.

是在視覺連結並不明顯的地方 找到視覺連結的能力。

Like Marie Watt's totem pole of blankets.

就像馬里瓦特 用毯子做成的圖騰柱。

It illustrates that finding hidden connections in everyday objects

它說明了在日常的物件 當中找出隱藏連結

can resonate so deeply.

可以有很深刻的回響。

The artist collected blankets from all different people

這位藝術家收集毯子，

來源是她所住的社區中 各式各樣的人，

in her community,

and she had the owners of the blankets write, on a tag,

她還請毯子的主人 在毯子的標籤上寫下

the significance of the blanket to the family.

這張毯子對於他的家庭 有什麼重要性。

Some of the blankets had been used for baby blankets,

有些毯子是被用來當作寶寶毯，

some of them had been used as picnic blankets,

有些則是用來當野餐毯，

some of them had been used for the dog.

還有些是給狗用的。

We all have blankets in our homes

我們家裡都有毯子，

and understand the significance that they play.

也了解它們所扮演的重要性。

But similarly, I instruct new doctors:

但，同樣的，我指導新醫生：

when they walk into a patient's room,

當他們走進病人的房間時，

before they pick up that medical chart,

在他們拿起醫療圖表之前，

just look around the room.

先看看房間環境。

Are there balloons or cards,

房間中有沒有氣球或是卡片？

or that special blanket on the bed?

床上有沒有特別的毯子？

That tells the doctor there's a connection to the outside world.

那樣的資訊能讓醫生看出 病人和外面世界的連結。

If that patient has someone in the outside world

若病人在外面的世界，還有其他人

to assist them and help them,

會協助他們、幫助他們，

the doctor can implement the best care with that connection in mind.

醫生就可以在實施最佳照護時 把那連結納入考量。

In medicine, people are connected as humans

在醫學上，大家是 以「人類」身分來連結的，

before they're identified as doctor and patient.

後來才被視為是醫生和病人。

But this method of enhancing perception --

但這個加強感知的方法——

it need not be disruptive,

它不必是顛覆性的，

and it doesn't necessitate an overhaul in looking.

它並不需要做完整全面地檢查。

Like Jorge Méndez Blake's sculpture of building a brick wall

就像門德斯布雷克的雕塑，

他在卡夫卡的書《城堡》上 建立了一座磚牆，

above Kafka's book "El Castillo"

shows that more astute observation can be subtle and yet invaluable.

顯示出更敏銳的觀察也可以是 微妙但非常寶貴的。

You can discern the book,

你可以辨識出這本書，

and you can see how it disrupted the symmetry

且你能看到它如何破壞

of the bricks directly above it,

它正上方磚塊的對稱性，

but by the time you get to the end of the sculpture,

但當你看到雕塑的末端時，

you can no longer see the book.

你就無法再看到這本書了。

But looking at the work of art in its entirety,

但從整體上來看這件藝術作品，

you see that the impact of the work's disruption on the bricks

你們可以發現，這件作品 透過破壞磚塊所產生的影響

is nuanced and unmistakable.

是微妙且確定無疑的。

One thought,

一個想法、

one idea,

一個點子、

one innovation can alter an approach,

一項創新，可以轉變一種方式、

change a process

改變一個流程，

and even save lives.

甚至拯救人命。

I've been teaching visual intelligence for over 15 years,

我教視覺智慧 已經有十五年之久了，

and to my great amazement and astonishment --

讓我感到不可思議且吃驚的是——

to my never-ending astonishment and amazement,

讓我總是感到 吃驚且不可思議的是——

I have seen that looking at art with a critical eye

我曾經見過，用挑剔的眼光 去看藝術作品，

can help to anchor us in our world of uncharted waters,

能夠協助我們在未知 水域的世界中下錨停泊，

whether you are a paramilitary trooper,

不論你是準軍事部隊的士兵、

a caregiver, a doctor or a mother.

照護者、醫生，或是母親。

Because let's face it, things go wrong.

因為，咱們面對現實吧， 總會有事出錯。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

Things go wrong.

總會有事出錯。

And don't misunderstand me,

別誤會我的意思，

I'd eat that doughnut in a minute.

我很樂意吃那個甜甜圈。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

But we need to understand the consequences of what it is that we observe,

但我們需要了解，

我們觀察到的是什麼 會引起什麼後果，

and we need to convert observable details into actionable knowledge.

且我們需要將可觀察到的細節 轉換成為可付諸行動的知識。

Like Jennifer Odem's sculpture of tables standing sentinel

就像珍妮佛歐登的雕塑，

是桌子在密西西比河河岸上站崗，

on the banks of the Mississippi River

in New Orleans,

位在紐奧良，

guarding against the threat of post-Katrina floodwaters

對抗的是卡崔娜颶風過後的洪水威脅，

and rising up against adversity,

並站起來抵禦災禍，

we too have the ability to act affirmatively

我們也有能力可以 很肯定地採取行動，

and affect positive change.

帶來正面的改變。

I have been mining the world of art

我一直在藝術世界開採著，

to help people across the professional spectrum

協助各行各業的人，

to see the extraordinary in the everyday,

在日常生活中看見不凡，

to articulate what is absent

明確表達出少了什麼，

and to be able to inspire creativity and innovation,

且要能夠鼓舞創意和創新，

no matter how small.

不論多麼小。

And most importantly,

最重要的，

to forge human connections where they may not be apparent,

要在人類連結不明顯的地方 打造人類連結，

empowering us all to see our work and the world writ large

讓我們都有能力可以用全新的視角

來看我們的藝術作品 和由此顯而易見的世界。

with a new set of eyes.

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）