How art can shape America's conversation about freedom | Dread Scott

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

I am a visual artist,

我是一位視覺藝術家，

and I make revolutionary art to propel history forward.

我創作革命性的藝術， 來將歷史向前推進。

I'm going to come right out and tell you something:

我要告訴各位一件事：

I don't accept the economic foundation,

我不接受經濟基礎、

the social relations

社會關係，

or the governing ideas of America.

或是美國的治理想法。

My art contributes to fundamental change

我的藝術促進根本改變的方式

by encouraging an audience to address big questions from that perspective.

是鼓勵觀眾從那角度 來處理重大問題。

Social change is hard, but ideas matter tremendously.

社會改變很困難， 但想法是非常重要的。

When I say I'm an artist, most people think, "Oh, he's a painter."

當我說我是藝術家時，大部分人 會想：「喔，他是個畫家。」

Behind me, you can see some of the kind of work I do.

各位可以看見，我身後的 就是我的作品之一。

"Imagine a World Without America" is a painting,

「想像沒有美國的世界」是一幅畫，

but I work in a range of media,

但我也會用許多種媒材，

including photography, video and performance art.

包括攝影、影片，以及表演藝術。

A current project, "Slave Rebellion Reenactment,"

目前在做的一個計畫是 「重演奴隸反叛」，

is going to be reenacted on the outskirts of New Orleans

將會在紐奧良郊區重新上演，

this November.

時間是今年十一月。

In 1989, I had an artwork that became the center of controversy

1989 年，我有一件藝術作品 成了爭議的焦點，

over its transgressive use of the American flag.

因為我在作品中對 美國國旗的使用太逾越。

"What is the Proper Way to Display a US Flag?"

「什麼是展示美國國旗的妥當方式？」

is a conceptual work that encouraged audience participation.

是一件概念性的作品， 旨在鼓勵觀眾參與。

It consisted of a photo montage that had text that read,

它包含了照片拼貼， 上面的文字寫著：

"What is the Proper Way to Display a US Flag?"

「什麼是展示美國國旗的妥當方式？」

Below that were books that people could write responses to that question in,

下面的本子供大家針對這問題留言，

and below that was a flag that people had the option of standing on.

再下面是一面國旗， 大家可以選擇要不要站在上面。

照片拼貼的部分採用的圖片

The photo montage consisted of images of South Korean students

是南韓學生焚燒美國國旗，

burning American flags,

holding signs that said, "Yankee go home. Son of a bitch,"

舉著字牌，上面寫： 「老美滾回家。狗娘養的。」

and below that were flag-draped coffins coming back from Vietnam.

下面則是覆蓋著國旗的棺材， 從越南送回來的。

People wrote long and short answers.

大家的留言有長有短。

Thousands of people engaged with the work in a lot of different languages.

有數千人參與這項作品， 使用的語言非常多種。

Some of the people said,

有些人說：

"I'm a German girl.

「我是位德國女孩。

If we Germans would admire our flag as you all do,

如果我們德國人 像你們這麼愛慕國旗，

we would be called Nazis again.

我們就會再次被稱為納粹。

I think you do have too much trouble about this flag."

我認為你們確實有太多 國旗的麻煩。」

"I think that the artist should be returned to his heritage,

「我認為這位藝術家應該 被送回他的所屬的地方，

i.e., the jungles of Africa,

也就是：非洲叢林，

and then he can shovel manure in his artistic way."

然後他就可以用他的 藝術方式來鏟糞肥。」

"This flag I'm standing on stands for everything oppressive in this system:

「我現在腳下的國旗代表的是 這個體制中所有的壓迫：

the murder of the Indians and all the oppressed around the world,

謀殺印第安人以及全世界 所有被迫害的人，

including my brother who was shot by a pig,

包括我兄弟，他被警察射殺，

who kicked over his body to 'make sure the nigger was dead.'

那警察還把他的屍體踢翻過來， 確保這黑鬼真的死了。

That pig was wearing the flag.

那警察就穿戴著國旗。

Thank you, Dread Scott, for this opportunity."

謝謝你提供這個機會， 德萊得史考特。」

"As a veteran defending the flag,

「身為捍衛國旗的退伍軍人，

I personally would never defend your stupid ass!

我個人絕對不會保衛你這蠢貨！

You should be shot!" -- US Navy Seal Team.

你應該被射殺！」—— 美國海豹突擊隊。

As you can see, people had very strong reactions about the flag then,

如你們所見，當時， 大家對於國旗的感受

as they do now.

跟現在一樣強烈。

There were demonstrations of veterans in front of the Art Institute of Chicago.

在芝加哥藝術博物館的前面 有退伍軍人示威抗議。

They chanted things like,

他們反覆喊著：

"The flag and the artist, hang them both high,"

「把國旗和那位藝術家高高吊起。」

evoking images of lynching.

喚起私刑的畫面。

I received numerous death threats,

我收到不少死亡威脅和炸彈威脅，

and bomb threats were phoned in to my school.

直接打電話到我的學校。

It was a very dangerous situation.

那時的情況很危險。

Later, President Bush called the work "disgraceful,"

之後，布希總統說 那件作品「很丟臉」，

which I viewed as a tremendous honor,

我把這說法視為是極大的榮譽，

and Congress outlawed the work.

而國會禁止了這件作品。

(Laughter)

（笑聲）

I became part of a Supreme Court case when I and others defied that law,

我成為最高法院案件的一部分， 我和其他人公然對抗那法律的方式

by burning flags on the steps of the Capitol.

就是在國會大廈的樓梯上焚燒國旗。

That action and the subsequent legal and political battle

那行為以及後續的法律和政治交戰

led to a landmark First Amendment decision that prevented the government

導致里程碑的憲法第一修正案決策，

防止政府強制大家要愛國。

from demanding patriotism be mandatory.

But let me back up a bit.

但，讓我先倒帶一下。

These people literally wanted me dead.

這些人是真的想要我的命。

What I would do at this moment would make a difference.

我在那時刻要做的事會造成不同。

This is me at the exact same moment,

這是我，時間就是那個時刻，

eight stories above that crowd.

位在群眾上方八層樓的地方。

It was supposed to be for a photo shoot

本來要拍照的地點

that was going to take place on the steps where the veterans were at that time.

是當時退伍軍人所在的樓梯上，

我在那裡可能會不安全， 或甚至更糟。

It wouldn't have been safe for me to be there, to say the least.

但拍攝那張照片十分重要，

But it was really important to do that shoot,

因為，雖然有些人想要殺我，

because while some wanted to kill me, it was also a situation

但在同一個情況中，

where those who viewed the American flag as standing for everything oppressive

那些認為美國國旗代表體制壓迫的人

in this system

也感覺到能夠發聲，

felt that they had a voice,

而那聲音必須要被放大。

and that voice needed to be amplified.

The point is this:

重點是：

changing anything --

改變任何事物——

whether it's conventional ideas about US national symbols,

不論是關於美國 國家象徵的常見想法、

traditional thinking challenged by scientific breakthroughs

受到科學突破所挑戰的傳統思維，

or ousting an authoritarian president --

或是推翻獨裁的總統——

requires a lot of things.

都會需要很多東西。

It requires courage,

會需要勇氣、

luck

運氣，

and also vision and boldness of action.

還有遠見以及果敢行動。

But on luck --

但，關於運氣——

I have to say, the photo shoot we did might not have worked out so well.

我得要說，我們拍的照片 本來未必有那麼好的效果。

We laughed after we were out of the area.

在離開那區域之後，我們大笑。

But the thing is, it was worth the risk

但，重點是，這是值得冒險的，

because of the stakes that were involved.

因為它所牽涉的利害關係很重要。

And in this case, the luck led to a wonderful,

在這個案例中，運氣帶來了很美好、

profound and powerful situation

很深刻，且很強大的局面，

that was also humorous.

同時也很幽默。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）