Ben Cameron: The true power of the performing arts

譯者: Huiwen Xu 審譯者: Shelley Krishna Tsang

I am a cultural omnivore,

我喜歡各種類型的文化

one whose daily commute is made possible by attachment to an iPod --

每天上下班

我幾乎都戴著iPod

an iPod that contains Wagner and Mozart,

聽瓦格納、莫札特歌劇或古典音樂

pop diva Christina Aguilera,

流行樂天後克莉絲蒂娜•阿奎萊拉

country singer Josh Turner,

鄉村歌手喬什•特納

gangsta rap artist Kirk Franklin,

還有，說唱歌手柯克•佛蘭克林的歌

concerti, symphonies and more and more.

以及協奏曲、交響樂等等

I'm a voracious reader,

我也廣泛涉獵各類讀物

a reader who deals with Ian McEwan down to Stephanie Meyer.

比如，伊恩•麥克尤恩、斯蒂芬妮•梅爾的作品

I have read the Twilight tetralogy.

梅爾的《暮光之城》四部曲我都讀過呢~

And one who lives for my home theater,

而且，我也喜歡和家庭影院泡在一起

a home theater where I devour DVDs, video on demand

有了家庭影院，我就能看各種各樣的DVD、視頻點播節目

及電視節目

and a lot of television.

For me, "Law & Order: SVU," Tina Fey and "30 Rock"

尤其喜歡《法律與秩序：特殊受害者》

喜歡蒂娜•費和她的《我為喜劇狂》（30 Rock）

and "Judge Judy" --

還有《朱蒂法官》（Judge Judy）

"The people are real, the cases are real, the rulings are final."

"人沒錯，案子沒錯，就這麼判了"（《朱蒂法官》臺詞）

(Laughter)

Now, I'm convinced a lot of you probably share my passions,

現在，我可確定，你們當中的許多人

或許都和我有同樣的感受

especially my passion for "Judge Judy,"

尤其是對“朱蒂法官”的感受

and you'd fight anybody who attempted to take her away from us,

因為，我看得出來

倘若誰要把她給搶走了，你們會和這個傢伙拼了老命的

but I'm a little less convinced that you share the central passion of my life,

但有一點我還不能肯定，即你我生命中是否都有一份非常重要的感情

a passion for the live professional performing arts,

一份對現場職業表演藝術的感情

performing arts that represent the orchestral repertoire, yes,

這種現場表演藝術包括管弦樂

but jazz as well, modern dance, opera,

當然，也包括爵士、現代舞、歌劇

theater and more and more and more.

戲劇等等

然而

Frankly, it's a sector that many of us who work in the field

很多在這一行工作的人都擔心

worry is being endangered and possibly dismantled by technology.

這一領域有滅絕的危險

有遭到現代技術瓦解的危險

While we initially heralded the Internet as the fantastic new marketing device

最初，我們把互聯網視為

神奇、新型的行銷工具

that was going to solve all our problems,

認為互聯網能解決所有問題

we now realize that the Internet is, if anything,

現在，我們意識到，互聯網在這方面的效力

似乎有些過頭了

too effective in that regard.

Depending on who you read, an arts organization

藝術組織或藝術家

or an artist, who tries to attract the attention

努力工作、表演來吸引

of a potential single ticket buyer,

那些有可能買票的消費者

now competes with between three and 5,000 different marketing messages

然而，他們現在卻要和各種各樣（網路）行銷資訊競爭

這些資訊每天少則幾條

多則幾千條

a typical citizen sees every single day.

充斥著人們的日常生活

We now know, in fact,

現在我們知道了

that technology is our biggest competitor for leisure time.

科技才是奪走我們休閒生活最主要的因素

五年前的資料顯示

Five years ago,

Gen Xers spent 20.7 hours online and TV, the majority on TV.

新生第一代（X代）花在上網和電視上的時間達到20.7小時（每天）

以電視為主

Gen Yers spent even more --

而新生第二代（Y代），他們所花的時間更多

23.8 hours, the majority online.

達到23.8小時（每天），主要是上網

And now, a typical university-entering student arrives at college

如今

大學新生

一般都會

already having spent 20,000 hours online

花上

兩萬小時（每年）的時間來上網

and an additional 10,000 hours playing video games --

再花另外一萬小時（每年）的時間

玩電子遊戲

a stark reminder that we operate in a cultural context

這讓我們看清

我們現在的文化環境裏

where video games now outsell music and movie recordings combined.

電子遊戲大賣

而音樂、電影產品加起來都趕不上電子遊戲

Moreover, we're afraid that technology

而且我們還擔心

has altered our very assumptions of cultural consumption.

科技已經改變了我們的文化消費模式

有了互聯網

Thanks to the Internet,

we believe we can get anything we want whenever we want it,

我們就認為，我們可以隨時獲取我們想得到的東西

delivered to our own doorstep.

還會送貨上門

We can shop at three in the morning or eight at night,

我們可以在淩晨三點或者晚上八點

ordering jeans tailor-made for our unique body types.

選購量身定制的牛仔褲

Expectations of personalization and customization

然而，對於個性化

定制化的要求

that the live performing arts --

現場表演藝術是無法滿足的

which have set curtain times, set venues,

因為現場表演藝術有固定的開演時間，固定的場地

attendant inconveniences of travel, parking and the like --

去看表演的路上、停車等等都可能會有不便

simply cannot meet.

所以說，現場表演藝術無法滿足部份人的要求

And we're all acutely aware:

我們已經在想

what's it going to mean in the future

這種情況，在未來意味著什麽

when we ask someone to pay a hundred dollars

尤其是我們叫別人花一百塊

for a symphony, opera or ballet ticket,

去看場交響樂、歌劇或者芭蕾舞表演時

when that cultural consumer is used to downloading on the internet

尤其是人們已經習慣全天候地

24 hours a day for 99 cents a song or for free?

在上網下載文化產品，而且一首歌花不到一塊錢，甚至還可以免費下載時

這對現場表演藝術的未來意味著什麽？

These are enormous questions for those of us that work in this terrain.

這裡面有很多問題

需要在這一領域工作的我們去解決

But as particular as they feel to us, we know we're not alone.

但是這些問題也有其特殊性

我們知道，我們並非孤立無助

All of us are engaged

所有人都一起努力

in a seismic, fundamental realignment of culture and communications,

實現根本性的改變

即重組我們的文化形式，重組我們的交流方式

a realignment that is shaking and decimating the newspaper industry,

這些改變正動搖、削弱

報刊業

the magazine industry, the book and publishing industry and more.

出版業，等等

Saddled in the performing arts as we are, by antiquated union agreements

我們對現場藝術負有責任

that inhibit and often prohibit mechanical reproduction and streaming,

陳舊的聯盟協議，規定了我們對此的責任

機械的複製、下載

locked into large facilities that were designed to ossify

我們被困在這些龐大的機構裏

這些機構束縛了

the ideal relationship between artist and audience

藝術家與觀眾之間

完美的關係

most appropriate to the 19th century

這在19世紀就有所體現

and locked into a business model dependent on high ticket revenues,

我們也被困在唯高票房收入是好的商業模式當中

where we charge exorbitant prices.

在這個模式下，我們收取過高的票價

Many of us shudder in the wake of the collapse of Tower Records

“淘兒唱片”（Tower Records）倒閉後，許多人都害怕了

and ask ourselves, "Are we next?"

不禁自問，下一個崩潰的，會不會是我們？

Everyone I talk to in performing arts resonates to the words of Adrienne Rich,

和現場表演藝術工作的人交談時

他們都會對艾德裏安娜•裏奇的一句話產生共鳴

who, in "Dreams of a Common Language," wrote,

在她《一種共同語言的夢想》裏寫到

"We are out in a country that has no language, no laws.

“我們所處的國度

沒有語言，沒有法律。

Whatever we do together is pure invention.

我們在活在一個虛構的世界裏。

The maps they gave us are out of date by years."

給我們的地圖

都是非常過時的。

And for those of you who love the arts,

對於在座喜歡藝術的朋友

aren't you glad you invited me here to brighten your day?

你們邀請我來到這兒，照亮你們的生活，是不是很高興啊？

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

(Applause)

(掌聲)

Now, rather than saying that we're on the brink of our own annihilation,

現在，與其說我們處在滅絕的邊緣

I prefer to believe that we are engaged in a fundamental reformation,

我更認同，我們要進行一次根本的改革

a reformation like the religious Reformation of the 16th century.

就像宗教改革那樣

即16世紀的宗教改革

The arts reformation, like the religious Reformation,

與宗教改革一樣，我們的藝術改革

is spurred in part by technology,

也或多或少受到了技術的推動

with indeed, the printing press really leading the charge

因為，印刷術的發明

on the religious Reformation.

實際上就推動了當時的宗教改革

Both reformations were predicated on fractious discussion,

富有爭議的討論

internal self-doubt

內部自我懷疑

and massive realignment of antiquated business models.

及對陳舊商業模式大範圍的調整都預示這兩項改革的出現

而且，我認為，這兩項不同的改革

And at heart, both reformations, I think, were asking the questions:

實際都提出了幾個問題

who's entitled to practice?

即，誰去改革？

How are they entitled to practice?

如何去改革？

And indeed, do we need anyone to intermediate for us

以及需不需要找一個人

來其媒介的作用？

in order to have an experience with a spiritual divine?

即我們和神靈之間的媒介

Chris Anderson, someone I trust you all know,

克裏斯•安德森，我很信賴的一個人

editor in chief of Wired magazine and author of The Long Tail,

他是美國《聯機》雜誌的總編，《長尾理論》的作者

really was the first, for me, to nail a lot of this.

在我看來，他是第一個在這方面做了很多的人

He wrote a long time ago, you know,

很久之前，他就寫到過

thanks to the invention of the Internet, web technology, minicams and more,

由於互聯網

網路技術

迷你攝像頭及其它技術的發明

the means of artistic production have been democratized

藝術作品創作

出現平民化

for the first time in all of human history.

這是人類歷史上首次出現這種情況

In the 1930s, if any of you wanted to make a movie,

世紀30年代，想要製作一部電影

you had to work for Warner Brothers or RKO,

你必須找華納兄弟或者雷電華公司

because who could afford a movie set

試想，那個時候誰能用得起電影場地

and lighting equipment and editing equipment

燈光設施、編輯

and scoring, and more?

配音這些設備？

And now who in this room doesn't know a 14 year-old

而現在，在座的各位或許都不知道，一個14歲的孩子

hard at work on her second, third, or fourth movie?

已經在抓緊製作她的第二部、第三部、第四部電影了……?

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

Similarly, the means of artistic distribution

同樣，藝術作品的傳播方式

have been democratized for the first time in human history.

也首次在人類歷史上平民化

Again, in the '30s, Warner Brothers, RKO did that for you.

依然是在上世紀30年代，藝術作品的傳播也是靠華納兄弟和雷電華

Now, go to YouTube, Facebook;

而現在，你只需登入YouTube, Facebook

you have worldwide distribution

你能足不出戶

without leaving the privacy of your own bedroom.

欣賞世界各地的藝術作品

This double impact is occasioning

上述的雙重影響，

a massive redefinition of the cultural market,

使得人們對文化市場的定義做了重大的調整

a time when anyone is a potential author.

這個時代，任何人都有可能成為作家

Frankly, what we're seeing now in this environment

坦言說，在這種環境下

is a massive time, when the entire world is changing

我們現在所處的整個世界

不斷變化著

as we move from a time when audience numbers are plummeting.

觀眾數量下滑的時代早已漸遠

But the number of arts participants,

但是，藝術創作者

people who write poetry, who sing songs, who perform in church choirs,

即那些寫詩歌的人、唱歌的人

及唱詩班的 人

is exploding beyond our wildest imaginations.

他們的數量在激增，超出我們的想像

This group, others have called the pro-ams,

這個群體被人們稱為“專業餘者”(“pro am”/ “professional–amateur”）

amateur artists doing work at a professional level.

即有著專業水準的業餘藝術家

你可以在YouTube,，舞蹈比賽，電影節這些地方

You see them on YouTube, in dance competitions,

看到他們的身影

film festivals and more.

They are radically expanding

這一群體迫使我們

our notions of the potential of an aesthetic vocabulary,

對美學的概念有了更多的理解

但同時，他們也挑戰、削弱著

while they are challenging and undermining

the cultural autonomy of our traditional institutions.

傳統機構的文化獨立性

Ultimately, we now live in a world defined not by consumption,

最終，這個世界

不再是觀眾為主的世界

but by participation.

而是參與者為主的世界

But I want to be clear,

但有一點很明確

just as the religious Reformation did not spell the end

就如宗教改革並未終結

正規的教堂和神職一樣

to the formal Church or to the priesthood;

I believe that our artistic institutions will continue to have importance.

我相信，我們這些藝術機構

依舊會發揮重要作用

They currently are the best opportunities

就目前，這些機構仍是

for artists to have lives of economic dignity --

藝術家保障經濟來源的最好途徑

not opulence, of dignity.

注意，不是賺大錢，而只是保證經濟上還有尊嚴

And they are the places where artists

而且，這些地方

who deserve and want to work at a certain scale of resources

既屬於他們，也是他們想去的

will find a home.

在那，他們的才華才有歸屬

But to view them as synonymous with the entirety of the arts community

但是，將他們等同於

整個藝術界

is, by far, too shortsighted.

顯然是錯誤的

And indeed, while we've tended to polarize the amateur from the professional,

即使我們習慣

將業餘和專業兩極化

the single most exciting development in the last five to 10 years

但在過去5年到10年的時間裏

唯一讓人倍感興奮的

has been the rise of the professional hybrid artist,

就是造詣極高的專業藝術家

他们的影響力有了提升

the professional artist who works,

这些專業藝術家

not primarily in the concert hall or on the stage;

最開始並不在音樂廳或舞臺上表演

but most frequently around women's rights, or human rights,

而是經常圍繞

女權、人權

or on global warming issues or AIDS relief for more --

全球氣候變暖、愛滋病援助等問題表演

not out of economic necessity,

不是為了賺錢

but out of a deep, organic conviction

而是因為，他們內心深信

that the work that she or he is called to do

這些號召他們去做的工作

cannot be accomplished in the traditional hermetic arts environment.

無法在一個傳統的、

封閉的藝術環境下完成。

Today's dance world is not defined solely

如今的舞蹈世界

by the Royal Winnipeg Ballet or the National Ballet of Canada,

不再只由皇家溫尼伯芭蕾舞團（即加拿大國家芭蕾舞團）來詮釋了

but by Liz Lerman's Dance Exchange --

而是由LLDE（Liz Lerman’s Dance Exchange）公司來詮釋

a multi-generational, professional dance company,

這是一家專業的舞蹈公司

whose dancers range in age from 18 to 82,

該公司的舞蹈家年齡跨度很大，最小的只有18歲，最大的有82歲高齡

and who work with genomic scientists to embody the DNA strand

LLDE與基因學科學家合作

研究基因與舞蹈的關係

and with nuclear physicists at CERN.

此外，還與歐洲原子核研究委員會（CERN）的核子物理學家有所合作。

Today's professional theater community

如今，專業劇場

is defined, not only the Shaw and Stratford Festivals,

也非只由蕭伯納戲劇節及斯特拉福德戲劇節來詮釋

but by the Cornerstone Theater of Los Angeles --

而是由“洛杉磯基石戲劇公司”（the Cornerstone Theater of Los Angeles）來詮釋

a collective of artists that after 9/11,

它也是一家藝術家公司

brought together 10 different religious communities --

時間之後，該公司將10類不同的宗教團體集中起來 --

the Baha'i, the Catholic,

這些團體除了巴伊亞、天主教

the Muslim, the Jewish,

穆斯林、猶太教外

even the Native American

甚至還有印第安人

and the gay and lesbian communities of faith,

和同性戀者

helping them create their own individual plays

該公司幫助這些人創作自己獨特的、

and one massive play,

龐大的戲劇

where they explored the differences in their faith

在這個龐大的戲劇裏，他們探尋各信仰間的不同

and found commonality

並找到共同點，

as an important first step toward cross-community healing.

邁出促進跨群體藝術健康發展

重要的一步

Today's performers, like Rhodessa Jones, work in women's prisons,

今天的表演家，比如Rhodessa Jones

他在女子監獄工作

helping women prisoners articulate the pain of incarceration,

幫助女囚犯輕鬆地吐露監禁的痛苦

while today's playwrights and directors work with youth gangs

如今，劇作家和導演和青年惡勢力合作

以發現不同的犯罪形式

to find alternate channels to violence and more and more and more.

此外，還有很多很多这样的例子

And indeed, I think, rather than being annihilated,

實際上，我認為，與其說現場表演藝術正走向滅亡

the performing arts are poised on the brink of a time

不如說它處在一個時代的邊緣。

when we will be more important than we have ever been.

在這個時代，我們這些人的作用，比起以前

會更為重要

You know, we've said for a long time,

我們一直都在強調

we are critical to the health of the economic communities in your town.

我們對城鎮社區經濟的作用極其重要

And absolutely --

或者說，絕對重要

I hope you know that every dollar spent on a performing arts ticket in a community

我想告訴大家，在現場藝術門票花的每一塊錢，

都會給地方經濟帶來額外的7塊錢的收入

generates five to seven additional dollars for the local economy,

例如，會帶來餐廳或停車場的收入

dollars spent in restaurants or on parking,

帶來綢布店的生意，因為我們要從那購買戲裝的布料

at the fabric stores where we buy fabric for costumes,

the piano tuner who tunes the instruments, and more.

我們還要雇傭調音師給鋼琴調音等等

而且，我們不斷前進的話，

But the arts are going to be more important to economies as we go forward,

現場藝術對經濟起到越來越重要的作用

especially in industries we can't even imagine yet,

尤其是對一些我們想都沒想過的行業

just as they have been central to the iPod and the computer game industries,

就像我們已經對電子音樂、

電腦遊戲所起的關鍵作用那樣

which few, if any of us, could have foreseen 10 to 15 years ago.

在十多年前，

我們都未曾預見

Business leadership will depend more and more on emotional intelligence,

商業領導能力越來越取決於

情商

the ability to listen deeply,

以及傾聽

to have empathy,

分享情感

to articulate change, to motivate others --

清楚表達細微變化、激發他人鬥志的能力 --

the very capacities that the arts cultivate with every encounter.

不管你所處的是什麼領域

現場藝術都能培養你這些方面的能力

Especially now,

尤其是現在

as we all must confront the fallacy of a market-only orientation,

尤其是我們面對的是

“市場為唯一導向”的謬論

uninformed by social conscience;

一個不提倡社會良知的謬論時

we must seize and celebrate the power of the arts

我們必須利用、宣揚藝術的力量

to shape our individual and national characters,

以此來塑造我們個人及國家的特性

and especially characters of the young people,

尤其是年輕人的特性

who all too often are subjected to bombardment of sensation,

因為年輕人過於感性

rather than digested experience.

而且缺乏已被自己消化了的經驗

Ultimately, especially now in this world,

歸根結底

where we live in a context of regressive and onerous immigration laws,

我們的世界

存在著倒退、複雜的移民法令

in reality TV that thrives on humiliation,

電視節目也大肆播放讓人蒙羞的節目

and in a context of analysis,

此外

where the thing we hear most repeatedly, day in, day out in the United States,

在美國

我們每天都要反反復複

in every train station, every bus station, every plane station is,

在各個火車站、汽車站、飛機場，聽到：

女士們、先生們

"Ladies and gentlemen,

please report any suspicious behavior or suspicious individuals

若您發現可疑行為

或可疑人物

to the authorities nearest to you,"

請您協助我們向離您最近的警察局舉報，謝謝合作。”

when all of these ways we are encouraged

就因為這樣，我們受到鼓動，

to view our fellow human being with hostility and fear

用敵意

恐懼、輕視、懷疑的眼光去看待身邊的人

and contempt and suspicion.

The arts, whatever they do, whenever they call us together,

藝術，不管如何起作用，何時將我們召集起來，

invite us to look at our fellow human being with generosity and curiosity.

它都會讓我們用寬巨集、好奇的心態

去看待我們的同胞

God knows, if we ever needed that capacity in human history,

倘若，我們在過往的人類史上，

曾有過這種能力

we need it now.

我們現在也需要這樣的能力

You know, we're bound together,

我想，我們能夠相互依存

not, I think by technology, entertainment and design,

不是因為技術、娛樂及設計

but by common cause.

而是常識

We work to promote healthy vibrant societies,

我們一起努力，推動建設健康、有活力的社會

減輕人類的痛苦

to ameliorate human suffering,

to promote a more thoughtful, substantive, empathic world order.

構建一個更為周全

實質、情感分享世界秩序。

我要向各位在這一領域努力的人表示讚賞

I salute all of you as activists in that quest

and urge you to embrace and hold dear the arts in your work,

也強烈希望你們能支持、重視你們所從事的藝術活動

whatever your purpose may be.

即使大家的目的不盡相同

I promise you the hand of the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation

我向大家保證，現在及將來

is stretched out in friendship for now and years to come.

桃莉絲•杜克慈善基金會（DDCF）會伸出其友誼之手

And I thank you for your kindness and your patience

最後，感謝各位的捧場。

in listening to me this afternoon.

謝謝，願諸位安好！

Thank you, and Godspeed.