A project of peace, painted across 50 buildings | eL Seed

譯者: Tina Wang 審譯者: JiYuan Zhang

So when I decided to create an art piece in Manshiyat Naser,

當我決定在開羅附近的垃圾之都

the neighborhood of the Cairo garbage collectors in Egypt,

曼斯亞特納賽爾 進行一項藝術創作時，

I never thought this project would be

我從未想過這個企劃將成為

the most amazing human experience that I would ever live.

我有生以來最為 奇特的一項人生體驗。

As an artist, I had this humanist intention

作為藝術家， 我秉持人道主義精神，

of beautifying a poor and neglected neighborhood

去美化這個貧困而孤離的區域，

by bringing art to it and hopefully shining light on this isolated community.

將藝術帶到此處，並希望能在這片 孤離的社區中灑下一點微光。

我首次聽到這個埃及的 科普特正教會社區時，

The first time I heard about this Christian Coptic community

was in 2009 when the Egyptian authorities under the regime of Hosni Mubarak

是在 2009 年 穆巴拉克的執政時期。

當時埃及以 H1N1 流感病毒 為藉口屠殺了三十萬豬隻。

decided to slaughter 300,000 pigs using the pretext of H1N1 virus.

Originally, they are pig breeders.

原本住在這裡的人們 以飼養豬隻維生，

Their pigs and other animals are fed with the organic waste

用每日收集的有機廢棄物

that they collect on a daily basis.

來飼養豬隻以及其他動物。

This event killed their livelihood.

流感的爆發毀了他們的生計。

當我第一次進入曼斯亞特納賽爾時 我覺得這裡像座迷宮。

The first time I entered Manshiyat Naser, it felt like a maze.

I was looking for the St. Simon Monastery on the top of the Muqattam Mountain.

當時我在默卡塔姆山頂上 尋找聖西蒙修道院。

So you go right, then straight, then right again, then left

你得先向右走然後直行， 然後向右轉再向左轉，

to reach all the way to the top.

一路走到山頂上。

But to reach there, you must dodge between the trucks overpacked with garbage

但要抵達那裡， 你必須躲過一輛輛載滿垃圾的卡車

and slalom between the tuk-tuks,

和嘟嘟車的阻礙。

the fastest vehicle to move around in the neighborhood.

嘟嘟車是在這個社區內 最快速的車輛。

從那些卡車上卸下的垃圾 有著非常強烈的惡臭，

The smell of the garbage unloaded from those trucks was intense,

and the noise of the traffic was loud and overbearing.

交通的吵雜聲大到令人無法忍受，

Add to it the din created by the crushers in those warehouses along the way.

除此之外還有由倉庫發出來 壓碎機的噪音。

From outside it looks chaotic, but everything is perfectly organized.

從外面來看這裡一片混亂， 但其實所有的一切都是很有組織的。

The Zaraeeb, that’s how they call themselves,

Zaraeeb ──他們是這樣稱呼自己的，

意思是飼養豬隻的人。

which means the pig breeders,

have been collecting the garbage of Cairo

他們一直在開羅收集垃圾

並在自己的社區 整理垃圾已經數十年。

and sorting it in their own neighborhood for decades.

They have developed one of the most efficient

他們已經發展出極為有效率

和高獲利的全球系統。

and highly profitable systems on a global level.

Still, the place is perceived as dirty, marginalized and segregated

但這個社區卻仍然被視為髒亂、 低效益且與世隔絕的地方，

because of their association with the trash.

全因為他們的社區和垃圾劃上等號。

我最初的想法 是創造一個變形的模塊，

So my initial idea was to create an anamorphic piece,

a piece that you can only see from one vantage point.

一個你只能用好的角度觀看的模塊。

I wanted to challenge myself artistically by painting over several buildings

我想要挑戰自己， 利用在建築上作畫的方式，

and having it only fully visible from one point on the Muqattam Mountain.

人們只能夠在默卡塔姆山上的 某個特定點看到全景。

The Muqattam Mountain is the pride of the community.

默卡塔姆山是整個社區的象徵，

This is where they built the St. Simon Monastery,

這是他們創建西蒙修道院的地方。

a 10,000-seat cave church that they carved into the mountain itself.

一座在山裡雕砌出來， 有著多達一萬個座位的修道院。

So, the first time I stood on top of the mountain

我第一次站在山頂上時，

and I looked at the neighborhood,

我俯瞰這整個社區並想，

I asked myself, how on earth will I convince all those owners

我到底應該怎麼樣說服所有的人

to let me paint on their buildings?

讓我能在他們的建築上作畫？

然後麥格德來了，

And then Magd came.

Magd is a guide from the Church.

他是修道院的嚮導，

He told me the only person I needed to convince was Father Samaan,

他告訴我我唯一需要說服的人 就是薩曼神父，

who is the leader of the community.

他是這個社區的領導。

But to convince Father Samaan, I needed to convince Mario,

但在說服薩曼神父之前， 我必須先說服馬利歐，

who is a Polish artist who moved to Cairo 20 years ago

他是一位波蘭藝術家， 20 年前搬來開羅。

and who created all the artwork of the Cave Church.

他創造了這個修道院所有的藝術品。

I am really grateful to Mario. He was the key of the project.

我對馬利歐非常感激， 他是這個企劃最關鍵的人物。

He managed to get me a meeting with Father Samaan,

他想辦法讓我和薩曼神父會面，

and surprisingly, he loved the idea.

而出乎我意料的是， 他很喜歡我的想法。

He asked me about where I painted before

他問我，我之前在哪裡作畫，

and how I will make it happen.

還有我要如何執行這個企畫。

And he was mainly concerned by what I was going to write.

他最擔心的是我要寫的內容。

In every work that I create, I write messages

我的每一個作品都會有 我用阿拉伯書法風格

with my style of Arabic calligraphy.

所寫下的訊息。

I make sure those messages are relevant to the place where I am painting

我確保所有的訊息 都和我作畫的地方有關係，

but have this universal dimension,

但有著全球觀的角度，

讓全世界的人都能夠體會及了解。

so anybody around the world can relate to it.

So for Manshiyat Naser,

所以對於曼斯亞特納賽爾，

I decided to write in Arabic the words of St. Athanasius of Alexandria,

我決定將聖阿塔拿修 用阿拉伯文書寫。

a Coptic bishop from the third century,

他是第三世紀科普特主教，

who said: (Arabic),

他說過：（阿拉伯語）

which means in English,

意思是：

"Anyone who wants to see the sunlight clearly

「任何想要清楚看到陽光的人，

needs to wipe his eyes first."

必須要些清澈其眼睛。」

It was really important for me

對我來說重要的是，

that the community felt connected to the words.

這個社區的人能對這些話產生連結。

And for me this quote was perfectly reflecting the spirit of the project.

對我來說這段引言 代表了這個企劃的精神，

So Father Samaan blessed the project,

薩曼神父祝福了我的企劃，

and his approval brought all the residents on board.

他的認可讓我同時得到 全社區的認同。

Hundreds of liters of paint, a dozen blue manual lifts,

數百升的油漆和幾十台藍色升降機、

several trips back and forth to Cairo,

幾趟往返開羅的旅程、

一個由法國、北非、中東 和美國組成的堅強陣容。

a strong and solid team from France, North Africa, Middle East and the US,

and after a year of planning and logistics, there we are,

經過一年的計畫和籌備， 我們終於可以開始了。

my team and some members from the local community

我的團隊和一些 來自當地社區的成員，

creating a piece that will spread over 50 buildings,

將創造一個橫跨 50 座 建築物的藝術品。

some filling up the space of the calligraphy

有些人負責填充 那些我已經上了顏色的

that I trace with colors.

美術字體空白處。

Here some blue, there some yellow, there some orange.

有些是藍色、黃色還有些橘色。

Some others carrying some sand bags

有些人負責搬運及運送沙袋

and putting them on the top of the buildings

並把它們放在建築物頂端，

to hold those manual lifts,

以支持那些手動升降機。

還有一些人負責 組裝及拆裝那些升降機，

and some others assembling and disassembling those same lifts

and moving them around the different buildings.

並移動他們到作業的建築物上。

At the beginning of the project,

最一開始執行此企畫的時候，

I numbered all those buildings on my sketch,

我在我的草圖上 以號碼標記了所有的建築物，

and there was no real interaction with the community.

與社區之間也沒有交集與連結。

人們並不了解 這項企畫的意義在哪裡。

People didn’t get the point of all this.

But fast enough, those building numbers became family names.

但很快的，那些建築的號碼 變成了家人的名字。

The first building was the house of Uncle Ibrahim.

第一棟建築物 是易卜拉欣叔叔的房子。

易卜拉欣叔叔是一位非常開朗的人。

Uncle Ibrahim is such an enthusiastic person.

He was always singing and making jokes,

他熱愛唱歌以及說笑話，

and his daughters and sons saved me from his bull

他的兒女把我 從公牛的手裡解救出來──

who wanted to attack me on the fourth floor.

這隻公年試圖在四樓攻擊我。

（笑聲）

(Laughter)

Actually, the bull saw me from the window and came out on the balcony.

其實，那隻公牛是從窗戶看到我 然後才從陽台出來的。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

是的。

Yeah.

Uncle Ibrahim was always hanging out on the balcony

易卜拉欣叔叔喜歡在陽台逗留，

and talking to me while I was painting.

並且在我作畫的時候和我聊天。

I remember him saying that he didn’t go to the mountain for 10 years,

我記得他說過 他已經有十年沒去過山上，

and that he never takes a day off.

因為他從來沒有一天可以休息，

He said that if he stopped working, who will stop the garbage?

他說如果他停止工作， 那麼誰會來停止垃圾呢？

令人驚訝的是， 這個計畫結束的時候，

But surprisingly, at the end of the project,

he came all the way to the mountain to look at the piece.

他跑到了山上並且觀賞這幅藝術品。

He was really proud to see his house painted,

他對於房子是藝術品的一部分 感到非常驕傲，

他說這個企畫帶來了安寧，

and he said that this project was a project of peace and --

sorry --

不好意思──

（掌聲）

(Applause)

Thank you.

謝謝。

He said that it was a project of peace and unity

他說這個企劃代表了和平和團結，

and that it brought people together.

並將人們團聚在一起。

So his perception towards the project changed,

他對於這個企劃的想法改變了，

and my perception towards the community changed also,

我對這個社區的觀感也改變了，

and towards what they do.

對於他們做的事情也有不同的認知。

All the garbage that everybody is disgusted by is not theirs.

那些令人厭惡的垃圾並不是他們的，

They just work out of it.

他們只是廢物利用。

Actually, they don’t live in the garbage. They live from the garbage.

事實上，他們並不活在垃圾堆中， 而是依靠垃圾維持生計。

So I started doubting myself and wondering

所以我開始質疑自己並且懷疑

what was the real purpose of this whole project?

這個企劃真正的主旨是什麼？

It was not about beautifying a place by bringing art to it.

並不是美化社區，

It was about switching perception and opening a dialogue

而是改變觀感並且開啟對話，

on the connection that we have with communities that we don’t know.

對這個我們並不熟之的 社區產生連結。

So day after day,

日復一日，

the calligraphy circle was taking shape,

美術字逐漸成形，

and we were always excited to go back on the mountain to look at the piece.

我們每一天都很期待 到山上看藝術品，

And standing exactly at this point every day made my realize

而每天站在同一個地方，

the symbolism behind this anamorphic piece.

我更加深刻體會到 這個藝術品背後的象徵意義。

If you want to see the real image of somebody,

如果你想要看清楚 一個人真正的樣子，

maybe you should change your angle.

或許你需要的是改變你的角度。

There was doubts and difficulties,

在這個過程中有很多的遲疑和困難，

like fears and stress.

像是恐懼以及壓力。

It wasn't simple to work in such environments,

在這樣的環境下工作並不簡單，

sometimes having pigs under you while you paint

有時候當你在繪畫時下面會有豬隻，

或是有時候我得攀爬垃圾山 以到達升降機，

or climbing a stack of garbage to reach a lift.

But we all got over the fear of the heights, the swinging lifts,

但我們都克服了 高度和不穩昇降機的恐懼、

the strength of the smell

強烈的惡臭、

and also the stress of not finishing on time.

還有不能夠如期完成的壓力。

But the kindness of all those people made us forget everything.

這些人的善良 讓我們忘卻的一切憂慮。

The building number 3 was the house of Uncle Bakheet and Aunty Fareeda.

第三號房子是巴赫特叔叔 和法娌達阿姨的。

In Egyptian, they have this expression that says, "Ahsen Nas,"

在埃及語裡，他們有這樣的說法 叫＂Ahsen Nas＂，

意思就是最好的人們，

which means "the best people."

They were the best people.

他們就是最好的人們。

We used to take our break in front of their houses,

我們經常在他們房子前面休息，

所有鄰近社區的孩子

and all the kids of the neighborhood

used to join us.

都會加入我們。

I was impressed and amazed by the kids of Manshiyat Naser.

曼斯亞特納賽爾的孩子 讓我很印象深刻。

For the first few days, they were always refusing anything we were offering them,

剛開始的幾天，他們總是拒絕 任何我們給他們的東西，

even a snack or a drink.

就算只是一小袋零食或是飲料。

So I asked Aunty Fareeda, "Why is that?"

所以我問法娌達阿姨為什麼。

And she told me they teach their kids to refuse anything

她告訴我，他們教育他們的孩子拒絕

from somebody that they don't know

來自陌生人所有的東西，

because maybe this person needs it more than they do.

因為或許這個人 比他們更需要那些東西。

So at this exact point I realized actually

就在這個時候我明白了

the Zaraeeb community was the ideal context

其實這個養豬社區，

是一個探討感知的理想地區。

to raise the topic of perception.

We need to question our level of misconception

做為一個社會， 我們必須質疑自己的認知，

and judgment we can have as a society

也必須質疑自己的批判，

upon communities based on their differences.

基於地區上的差異。

I remember how we got delayed on Uncle Ibrahim's house

我記得我們曾經耽誤了 在易卜拉欣叔叔的房子的企畫，

when his pigs that are bred on the rooftop

他的豬隻被眷養在屋頂，

were eating the sand bags that hold the lifts.

它們當時正在吃 拿來固定升降機的沙袋。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

The house of Uncle Bakheet and Aunty Fareeda

巴赫特叔叔和法娌達阿姨的房子

was this kind of meeting point.

是個集會的場所，

Everybody used to gather there.

大家都會聚集在這裡。

我想這就是易卜拉欣叔叔說的，

I think this is what Uncle Ibrahim meant

他說這個企畫代表的是和平和團結，

when he said that was a project of peace and unity,

because I really felt that people were coming together.

因為我真的感受到人們團結在一起。

Everyone was greeting us with a smile, offering us a drink

每個人都會親切的 和我們打招呼和給我們飲料，

or inviting us into their own house for lunch.

或是邀請我們到他們家裡吃午餐。

Sometime, you are at the first level of a building,

有時候，你在第一層樓工作

and somebody opens his window and offers you some tea.

有人會打開窗遞給你一杯茶，

然後到了第二層樓 同樣的事情又發生了，

And then the same thing happens on the second floor.

And you keep going all the way to the top.

然後你就這樣一路到了最上層。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

(Applause)

（掌聲）

I think I never drink as much tea as I did in Egypt.

我想我這一生中從來 沒像在埃及一樣喝過這麼多茶。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

And to be honest with you, we could have finished earlier,

老實說，我們其實可以 提前完成這個企畫，

but I think it took us three weeks because of all those tea breaks.

但我想我們因為這些喝茶 休憩時間多做了三周。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

In Egypt, they have another expression, which is "Nawartouna,"

在埃及，他們有另一種說法 叫做 "Nawartouna"，

意思是「你帶來了光明。」

which means, "You brought light to us."

In Manshiyat Naser they were always telling us this.

在曼斯亞特納賽爾 他們總是這樣對我們說。

這個藝術字──

The calligraphy, actually --

I used a white glow-in-the-dark paint for the calligraphy

我用白色螢光漆繪製了整個藝術字，

so at the end of the project, we rented some black light projectors

在企畫的最後， 我們借來了紫外線投影器，

and lit up the whole neighborhood,

並且打亮了整個社區，

surprising everybody around.

驚嘆了周圍所有人，

We wanted to tell them

我們想要說

that they are the ones who brought light to us.

你們才是為我們帶來光明的人。

(Applause)

（掌聲）

養豬社區是個強大、 誠實、且努力的社區，

The Zaraeeb community are strong, honest, hard workers,

他們知道自己的價值。

and they know their value.

The people of Cairo call them "the Zabaleen,"

開羅的人們稱他們 "Zabaleen"，

意思是與垃圾為伍的人，

which means "the people of the garbage,"

但諷刺的是，曼斯亞特納賽爾的人

but ironically, the people of Manshiyat Naser

call the people of Cairo the Zabaleen.

稱呼開羅的人們"Zabaleen"

They say, they are the ones who produce the garbage, not them.

他們說，他們才是製造垃圾的人。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

(Applause)

（掌聲）

The goal was to leave something to this community,

這個企畫的目標 是給這個社區帶來一些價值，

but I feel that they are the ones who left something in our lives.

但我覺得反而是他們給了我們價值。

人家說，這個企畫只是

You know, the art project was just a pretext

為了添加人生經歷的一種方式，

for this amazing human experience.

The art piece at some point will disappear, vanish,

這個藝術品終將會消失。

其實現在正有人在 易卜拉欣叔叔的房子前

and actually there is somebody who is building a second floor

in front of Uncle Ibrahim's house,

增蓋另一層樓。

so it's covering part of the painting,

部分的藝術品被擋住了，

so I might need to go back and paint over it.

我必須回去繪畫， 才能完成整副藝術品。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

It was about the experience,

這整個企畫是關於一個經歷、

about the story,

一個故事、

和一個時刻。

about the moment.

From the streets of the neighborhood,

從社區的街道看

the painting appears in fragments,

這副作品是破碎的，

彼此之間互相分離，

isolated from one another,

各自獨立，

standing alone.

But connected with the sign of calligraphy

但是美術字體把它們連繫在一起。

that today reveals the powerful message that we should all think about

今天，這個藝術品向人們 宣示了這個強大的訊息：

before we want to judge somebody.

當我們在批評別人之前，

Anyone who wants to see the sunlight clearly

每一個想看清陽光者，

needs to wipe his eyes first.

必須要先清澈其眼睛。

Thank you.

謝謝大家。

(Applause)

（掌聲）