Eva Zeisel: The playful search for beauty

譯者: Chih-Yuan Jen (任致遠) 審譯者: Shelley Krishna Tsang

So I understand that this meeting was planned,

我知道這場講座是活動的一部分

and the slogan was From Was to Still.

活動標語是「從『曾經』到『延續』」

And I am illustrating Still.

而我是「延續」的長青代表

Which, of course, I am not agreeing with because,

當然，我並不同意這個題目

although I am 94, I am not still working.

雖然我已經94歲了，不表示我是「繼續」工作

And anybody who asks me, "Are you still doing this or that?"

如果有人問我「你還繼續工作嗎?」

I don't answer because I'm not doing things still, I'm doing it like I always did.

我並不回答，因為我並不是「延續」我以前做的事，而是我就和以前的我一樣

I still have -- or did I use the word still? I didn't mean that.

我還繼續 -- 我剛剛是用了「繼續」這個詞嗎? 我不是這個意思

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

I have my file which is called To Do. I have my plans.

我有我待辦的任務，我有我的計畫

I have my clients. I am doing my work like I always did.

我有我的客戶。我一如往常地做這份工作。

So this takes care of my age.

這讓我能像以前一樣充滿活力

I want to show you my work so you know what I am doing and why I am here.

我將呈現我的作品，讓你們了解我的工作以及我到這裡分享的原因

This was about 1925.

這是發表於1925年

All of these things were made during the last 75 years.

這些作品都是發表於...過去75年

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

(Applause)

(掌聲)

But, of course, I'm working since 25,

不過當然，我從25歲就開始設計

doing more or less what you see here. This is Castleton China.

所做的差不多如你們這裡所見到的。這是卡斯爾頓瓷器

This was an exhibition at the Museum of Modern Art.

它曾經是現代藝術博物館的展覽品

This is now for sale at the Metropolitan Museum.

現在則陳列在大都會藝術博物館販售

This is still at the Metropolitan Museum now for sale.

它現在還在那裡待價而沽

This is a portrait of my daughter and myself.

這是仿擬女兒和我的模樣

(Applause)

(掌聲)

These were just some of the things I've made.

這些只是我的作品中的一部分

I made hundreds of them for the last 75 years.

在過去75年，我創作了上百個作品

I call myself a maker of things.

我稱自己為這些作品的「創作者」

I don't call myself an industrial designer because I'm other things.

我不會稱自己為「工藝設計師」，因為我不太一樣

Industrial designers want to make novel things.

工藝設計師想要做出新奇的東西

Novelty is a concept of commerce, not an aesthetic concept.

「新奇」是商業的概念，而不是美學的概念

The industrial design magazine, I believe, is called "Innovation."

有本工藝設計的雜誌，我記得是叫作「創新」

Innovation is not part of the aim of my work.

但創新並非我設計的目的

Well, makers of things: they make things more beautiful, more elegant,

所謂創作者，相較於那些工匠的作品，他們創作的東西更漂亮

more comfortable than just the craftsmen do.

更優雅、更舒適

I have so much to say. I have to think what I am going to say.

我有好多話想說。我必須要想想我現在要說什麼

Well, to describe our profession otherwise,

換個方式描述我們的專業

we are actually concerned with the playful search for beauty.

我們實際上關心的是，對於美麗事物的玩樂探索

That means the playful search for beauty was called the first activity of Man.

這意味著，對美的玩樂探索，即是人類發展的第一個活動

Sarah Smith, who was a mathematics professor at MIT, wrote,

Sarah Smith，一位麻省理工的數學教授，寫道

"The playful search for beauty was Man's first activity --

「人類的第一個活動，就是對於美麗事物的玩耍探索 --

that all useful qualities and all material qualities

任何實用的價值和任何物質的價值

were developed from the playful search for beauty."

都是源自於此。」

These are tiles. The word, "playful" is a necessary aspect of our work

這些就是設計的基石。這個字，「玩」，是我們這行的必備

because, actually, one of our problems is that we have to make,

因為，我們最大的挑戰就是我們必須

produce, lovely things throughout all of life, and this for me is now 75 years.

創作出討人喜愛的東西，費盡畢生心力。而對我來說，「畢生」已經是75年了

So how can you, without drying up,

所以你如何才能避免創意枯竭

make things with the same pleasure, as a gift to others, for so long?

源源不絕地用同樣的熱情創作，每次都像是給心儀的人禮物般，永不疲倦?

The playful is therefore an important part of our quality as designer.

所以，玩心是設計者素質高下的要素

Let me tell you some about my life.

我來談談我的人生吧

As I said, I started to do these things 75 years ago.

如同我剛剛所說的，我已經從業75年

My first exhibition in the United States

我在美國第一次有作品展出

was at the Sesquicentennial exhibition in 1926 --

是1926年，美國獨立150周年特展 --

that the Hungarian government sent one of my hand-drawn pieces as part of the exhibit.

匈牙利政府提供了一件我的手繪作品參展

My work actually took me through many countries,

我的作品帶領我環遊各國

and showed me a great part of the world.

讓我見識世界

This is not that they took me -- the work didn't take me --

這不是指它們真的帶領我 -- 我的作品並沒有「帶著」我 --

I made the things particularly because I wanted to use them to see the world.

我創作這些作品，是因為我希望透過它們看看世界

I was incredibly curious to see the world, and I made all these things,

我對世界充滿好奇，於是我做出這些作品

which then finally did take me to see many countries and many cultures.

它們也真的引領我去認識許多國家和文化

I started as an apprentice to a Hungarian craftsman,

我剛入行時，是拜一位匈牙利師傅為師

and this taught me what the guild system was in Middle Ages.

這讓我領略到，中世紀時手工業的行規

The guild system: that means when I was an apprentice,

行規指的是，當我還是個學徒

I had to apprentice myself in order to become a pottery master.

我必須拜師學藝，以成為一個陶器師傅

In my shop where I studied, or learned, there was a traditional hierarchy

在我受訓求學的工房，有著傳統的師徒階級制

of master, journeyman and learned worker, and apprentice,

分作師傅、資深工藝師、學長和學徒

and I worked as the apprentice.

而我當時還只是個學徒

The work as an apprentice was very primitive.

一個學徒要做的事情是很原始粗重的

That means I had to actually learn every aspect of making pottery by hand.

意思是，我必須親手操作每一個製作陶器的流程

We mashed the clay with our feet when it came from the hillside.

我們用的黏土來自山上，先經過腳踩

After that, it had to be kneaded. It had to then go in, kind of, a mangle.

接著揉捏，然後經過壓榨機處理

And then finally it was prepared for the throwing.

最後就是拋摔

And there I really worked as an apprentice.

這些就是我作為學徒所要做的事

My master took me to set ovens

我的師父還會領我去搭建窯爐

because this was part of oven-making, oven-setting, in the time.

當時這是學徒一定要做的

And finally, I had received a document

最後，我領到一份證書

that I had accomplished my apprenticeship successfully,

證明我已順利完成我的學徒訓練

that I had behaved morally, and this document was given to me

並學習不倦、尊師重道，就可以得到這份證書

by the Guild of Roof-Coverers, Rail-Diggers, Oven-Setters,

授予我證書的權威代表，包括鋪設屋頂的工人、鐵路工人、搭建烤爐的工人

Chimney Sweeps and Potters.

清理煙囪的工人，以及燒陶師傅

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

I also got at the time a workbook which explained my rights

我當時還收到一本手冊，說明學徒的權利

and my working conditions, and I still have that workbook.

以及工作待遇。這本手冊，直到現在我都還留著

First I set up a shop in my own garden,

學徒畢業後，我先在自己的庭院裡設立一個工作室

and made pottery which I sold on the marketplace in Budapest.

然後在布達佩斯販售我的陶藝作品

And there I was sitting, and my then-boyfriend --

我坐在那裡，而我當時的男友 --

I didn't mean it was a boyfriend like it is meant today --

我所說的男友，並不是今天大家所講的那種「男友」 --

but my boyfriend and I sat at the market and sold the pots.

我的男友和我一起坐在市場攤位，販售陶器

My mother thought that this was not very proper,

我母親認為這不太妥當

so she sat with us to add propriety to this activity.

所以她也來和我們坐在一起，讓這一切「妥當」一點

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

However, after a while there was a new factory being built in Budapest,

好景不常，沒多久布達佩斯就出現了一座新的工廠

a pottery factory, a large one.

一座陶器工廠，好大一座

And I visited it with several ladies, and asked all sorts of questions of the director.

我和幾個女孩子一起去參觀，纏著工廠的主任問個不停

Then the director asked me, why do you ask all these questions?

那個主任就反問我，為什麼對這些事情這麼好奇?

I said, I also have a pottery.

我回答，因為我也有座工房

So he asked me, could he please visit me, and then finally he did,

他詢問我是否能拜訪我的工作室，他也真的來了

and explained to me that what I did now in my shop was an anachronism,

並且向我解釋，說像我這樣的工作模式已經落伍了

that the industrial revolution had broken out,

工業時代已經來臨

and that I rather should join the factory.

我應該要加入工廠的行列

There he made an art department for me where I worked for several months.

於是他為我創立了一個藝術部門，我也在那裡工作了幾個月

However, everybody in the factory spent his time at the art department.

然而，工廠內的每個人都開始花時間在藝術組的任務上

The director there said there were several women casting

主任說，有幾個女工在...鑄造

and producing my designs now in molds, and this was sold also to America.

鑄模來製造我的設計作品，並銷到美國

I remember that it was quite successful.

我記得在當時還蠻成功的

However, the director, the chemist, model maker -- everybody --

可是，無論是主任、化學研究員、製模工人等 -- 工廠裡的每個人 --

concerned himself much more with the art department --

都以為自己是藝術組的一員 --

that means, with my work -- than making toilets,

以為我設計的作品也是他們的作品 -- 而自己不再是製造馬桶的成員

so finally they got a letter from the center, from the bank who owned the factory,

後來他們就收到總部寄來的消息，是擁有公司所有權的銀行寄發的

saying, make toilet-setting behind the art department, and that was my end.

內容說到，把藝術組歸到馬桶裝設組的管理麾下，於是這也成為我這份工作的句點。

So this gave me the possibility because now I was a journeyman,

這樣讓我在成為資深工藝師之後，

and journeymen also take their satchel and go to see the world.

有機會帶著行囊去巡訪世界。

So as a journeyman, I put an ad into the paper that I had studied,

我在報上登了一則廣告，簡介我的資深工藝師身分、學歷

that I was a down-to-earth potter's journeyman

說明我是一個穩紮穩打的陶藝師

and I was looking for a job as a journeyman.

希望尋找一份資深工藝師的職務

And I got several answers, and I accepted the one

我得到一些回音，並且接受了其中一個工作

which was farthest from home and practically, I thought, halfway to America.

它的位置距離我家最遠，而且在我心目中，那幾乎是從家裡到美國路途的一半

And that was in Hamburg.

它位於德國漢堡

Then I first took this job in Hamburg, at an art pottery

我在這間位於漢堡的陶藝工房工作

where everything was done on the wheel,

在這裡，所有的作品都是在轆轤上操作

and so I worked in a shop where there were several potters.

我與其他幾個工藝師一起工作

And the first day, I was coming to take my place at the turntable --

上工第一天，我正要選擇要使用的轆轤 --

there were three or four turntables -- and one of them, behind where I was sitting,

總共大概有三到四個 --發現其中一個陶藝師在我身後

was a hunchback, a deaf-mute hunchback, who smelled very bad.

他是個駝子，既聾又啞，還散發濃濃臭味

So I doused him in cologne every day, which he thought was very nice,

於是我每天朝他噴灑古龍水，他也感到很開心

and therefore he brought bread and butter every day,

作為回報，他每天買了麵包和奶油來

which I had to eat out of courtesy.

我也很禮貌地吃了

The first day I came to work in this shop

我工作的第一天

there was on my wheel a surprise for me.

有個驚喜在我的轤轆上等著我

My colleagues had thoughtfully put on the wheel where I was supposed to work

我的同事們在我要用來工作的轤轆上，貼心地擺上

a very nicely modeled natural man's organs.

一個非常逼真的陽具模型

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

After I brushed them off with a hand motion, they were very --

在我手一揮把它拍開後，他們感到非常 --

I finally was now accepted, and worked there for some six months.

我終於被他們接納，在那裡工作了約六個月

This was my first job.

這就是我的第一份工作

If I go on like this, you will be here till midnight.

如果我繼續用這樣的進度講故事，你們到半夜都走不了

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

(Applause)

(掌聲)

So I will try speed it up a little

所以我會試著加快一點

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

Moderator: Eva, we have about five minutes.

主持人：Eva，我們大概只剩五分鐘

(Laughter)

(笑聲)

Eva Zeisel: Are you sure?

Eva Zeisel: 你是認真的嗎?

Moderator: Yes, I am sure.

主持人：對，我很確定

EZ: Well, if you are sure,

EZ：好吧，如果你確定的話

I have to tell you that within five minutes I will talk very fast.

我必須告訴你們，在接下來的五分鐘我會講得非常快

And actually, my work took me to many countries

事實上，我的工作讓我造訪了許多國家

because I used my work to fill my curiosity.

我藉由工作滿足我的好奇心

And among other things, other countries I worked, was in the Soviet Union,

在這些作品、這些旅居過的國家中，我曾在蘇聯工作

where I worked from '32 to '37 -- actually, to '36.

從1932到1937年 -- 應該是1936年

I was finally there, although I had nothing to do -- I was a foreign expert.

我終於到了蘇聯，雖然我也沒有特殊的期待或目的 -- 我算是外國專家

I became art director of the china and glass industry,

在那裡擔任陶瓷和玻璃工業的藝術總監

and eventually under Stalin's purges -- at the beginning of Stalin's purges,

後來在史達林的整肅之下 -- 史達林剛開始實施整肅運動時

I didn't know that hundreds of thousands of innocent people were arrested.

我並不知道成千上萬的無辜民眾被銬上手撩

So I was arrested quite early in Stalin's purges,

所以在大整肅期間，我是最早被逮捕的其中一人

and spent 16 months in a Russian prison.

在俄國監獄蹲了16個月

The accusation was that I had successfully prepared an Attentat on Stalin's life.

我的罪名是，預謀行刺史達林

This was a very dangerous accusation.

這是很嚴重的指控

And if this is the end of my five minutes, I want to tell you that

如果這是我演講的最後5分鐘，我想要分享這件事

I actually did survive, which was a surprise.

我很訝異自己後來竟大難不死

But since I survived and I'm here,

不過既然我度過這個難關，來到了這裡

and since this is the end of the five minutes, I will --

既然這是最後五分鐘，我要 --

Moderator: Tell me when your last trip to Russia was.

主持人：請告訴我們妳最近一次到俄國是什麼時候

Weren't you there recently?

好像最近才去過?

EZ: Oh, this summer, in fact,

EZ：噢事實上，是今年夏天

the Lomonosov factory was bought by an American company, invited me.

羅蒙諾索夫工廠被一間美商買下，他們邀請我過去

They found out that I had worked in '33 at this factory,

他們得知我曾於1933年在羅蒙諾索夫工作過

and they came to my studio in Rockland County,

他們來到我在羅克蘭縣的工作室

and brought the 15 of their artists to visit me here.

帶著他們的15位藝術家來拜訪我

And they invited myself to come to the Russian factory last summer,

並邀請我於隔年夏天去參訪他們

in July, to make some dishes, design some dishes.

七月份的時候，去設計一些杯盤餐具

And since I don't like to travel alone, they also invited my daughter,

因為我不愛一個人旅行，所以他們也一併邀請我的女兒

son-in-law and granddaughter,

女婿和孫女

so we had a lovely trip to see Russia today,

所以我們全家有個愉快的旅程，看到了今日的俄國

which is not a very pleasant and happy view.

那不是一個快樂和諧的景象

Here I am now, if this is the end? Thank you.

講到這裡，差不多算結束了? 謝謝大家

(Applause)

(掌聲)