Liu Bolin: The invisible man

Translator: Geoff Chen Reviewer: Regina Chu

譯者: Celine Kan 審譯者: Geoff Chen

Liu Bolin: By making myself invisible,

我的作品裏面是用我自己身體的消失

I try to question the inter-canceling relationship

來質疑人類創造的文明

between our civilization and its development.

以及人自身發展所互相制約的關係。

Interpreter: By making myself invisible, I try to explore and question

用我自己身體的消失，來探索、並質疑

the contradictory and often inter-canceling relationship

人類創造的文明以及人自身發展的

between our civilization and its development.

矛盾，和經常性的互相制約關係。

LB: This is my first work, created in November 2005.

這是我的第一件作品，是在 2005 年的十一月。

And this is Beijing International Art Camp where I worked

我所在的索家村國際藝術營

before the government forcibly demolished it.I used this work to express my objection.

被政府強行拆掉， 我用這個作品來表達我的抗議，

I also want to use this work to let more people

也想用這件作品來引起更多的人

pay attention to the living condition of artists and the condition of their creative freedom.

對藝術家生存狀態 以及藝術創作自由的關注。

In the meantime, from the beginning, this series has a

同時，我這個系列的開始

protesting, reflective

也注定了它抗議、反思以及

and uncompromising spirit.

毫不妥協的精神。

When applying makeup, I borrow a sniper's method

我在化妝的時候借用了狙擊手的化妝方法，

to better protect myself

這樣呢可以更好地保護自己

and to detect the enemy, as he did. (Laughter)

以及發現敵人，像他一樣。（笑）

After finishing this series of protests,

抗議這個系列做完以後，

I started questioning why my fate was like this,

我開始質問我的命運爲什麽有如此遭遇。

and I realized that it's not just me --

我發現不光我一個人，所有的中國人，

all Chinese are as confused as I am.

都有和我一樣的困惑。

As you can see, these works

大家看到的這些作品，

are about family planning, election in accordance with the law

關於計劃生育、依法選舉、以及

and propaganda of the institution of the People's Congress.

宣傳人民代表大會制度的。

This work is called Xia Gang ("leaving post").

這件作品的題目叫「下崗」，

"Xia Gang" is a Chinese euphemism for "laid off".

下崗是一個中國語境的詞彙， 它是指離開工作崗位，

It refers to those people who lost their jobs during China's transition from a planned economy to a market economy.

是指中國在由計劃經濟往市場經濟 轉型過程中失去工作崗位的這些人。

From 1998 to 2000,

從 1998 年到 2000 年

21.37 million people

兩年期間，在中國失去工作的這些人

lost their jobs in China.

就有 2137 萬人。

The six people in the photo

照片中的 6 個人，

are Xia Gang workers.

就是下崗職工，

I made them invisible in the deserted shop wherethey had lived and worked all their lives.

我把他們消失在他們曾經 工作生活了一輩子的廢棄的車間裏面。

On the wall behind them is the slogan of the Cultural Revolution:

後面的墻上寫著文革時期的標語：

"The core force leading our cause forward is the Chinese Communist Party."

「領導我們事業的核心力量是中國共産黨。」

For half a month

我用了半個月的時間

I looked for these 6 people to participate in my work.

來找這 6 個人參與我的作品。

We can only see six men in this picture,but in fact, those who are hidden here

我們在照片中看到的只有 6 個人， 但其實，在這兒隱藏的

are all people who were laid off. They have just been made invisible.

是所有有下崗經歷的這些人， 他们只是被隱形了。

This piece is called The Studio.

這件作品叫「直播間」。

This spring,

今年春天，

I happened to have an opportunity during my solo exhibition in Paris

我在巴黎的個展正好有機會，

to shoot a work in the news studio of France 3 --

在法國電視三台的新聞直播間拍一件作品，

I picked the news photos of the day.

我挑選的當天發生的這些新聞圖片，

One is about the war in the Middle East,

一張是關於中東戰爭，

and another one is about a public demonstration in France.

另外一張是關於法國民衆的示威遊行。

I found that any culture has its irreconcilable contradictions.

我發現任何文化都有它不可調和的矛盾。

This is a joint effort between me and French artist JR.

这件作品是我和法国藝術家 JR 的合作。

Interpreter: This is a joint effort between me and French artist JR.

这件作品是我和法国藝術家 JR 的合作。

(Applause)

（鼓掌）

LB: I tried to disappear into JR's eye,

我把 JR 消失到我的眼睛裏面，

but the problem is JR only uses models with big eyes.

但是 JR 的所有作品裏面的模特眼睛都特別大，

So I tried to make my eyes bigger with my fingers.

我其實我做這個動作是想讓我的眼睛更大一點，

But still they are not big enough for JR, unfortunately.

可是沒辦法，我的眼睛還是那麽小。

Interpreter: So I tried to disappear into JR's eye,

我試著消失到 JR 的眼睛裏面，

but the problem is JR uses only models with big eyes.

但是 JR 的所有作品裏面的模特眼睛都特別大，

So I tried to make my eyes bigger with this gesture.

我做這個手勢是想讓我的眼睛更大一點，

But it doesn't work, my eyes are still small.

可是沒辦法，我的眼睛對 JR 來説還是不夠大。（笑）

LB: This one is about 9/11 memories.

這件作品是關於 911 的一些回憶。

This is an aircraft carrier moored alongside the Hudson River.

這是在哈德遜河的旁邊停靠的航空母艦。

Kenny Scharf's graffiti.

肯尼·沙爾夫的塗鴉 (Kenny Scharf Mural)

(Laughter)

（笑）

This is Venice, Italy.

這是在意大利的威尼斯，

Because global temperatures rise,

因爲全球的溫度升高，

the sea level rises, and it is said thatVenice will disappear in the coming decades.

海平面上漲，有消息稱威尼斯 將在未來的幾十年内消失。

This is the ancient city of Pompeii.

這是義大利的龐貝古城，

Interpreter: This is the ancient city of Pompeii.

這是義大利的龐貝古城，

LB: This is the Borghese Gallery

這是羅馬的

in Rome.

博爾蓋美術館 (Borghese Gallery)。

When I work on a new piece, I pay more attention to the expression of ideas.

我在拍新作品的時候， 我會更注重思想的表達。

For instance, why would I make myself invisible?

比如説我爲什麽要消失， 我消失在這兒

What will making myself invisible here cause people to think?

會引起人們什麽樣的思考。

This one is called Instant Noodles.

這件作品的題目叫「方便麵」。

Interpreter: This one is called Instant Noodles. (Laughter)

這件作品的題目叫「方便麵」。（笑） （笑）.

LB: Since August 2012,

從 2012 年的 8 月，

harmful phosphors have been found

在中國超市裏各大知名的 桶裝速食麵品牌的外包裝裏

in the instant noodle package cups from every famous brand sold in China's supermarkets.

都發現了有害的熒光粉。

These phosphors can even cause cancer.

這些熒光粉甚至可以致癌。

To create this artwork,

我爲了拍這件作品，

I bought a lot of packaged instant noodle cups

我又買了大量的桶裝方便麵，

and put them in my studio, making it look like a supermarket.

在我的工作室裏做成超市的樣子。

And my task is to stand there, trying to be still,

然後我的任務就是站在那兒，盡量不動，

setting up the camera position and coordinating with my assistant

擺好相機的位置，然後配合我的助手。

and drawing the colors and shapes that are behind my body

把我身體後面擋住的一些顔色和形狀

on the front of my body. If the background is simple,

在我身體前面畫出來。如果背景簡單的話，

I usually have to stand for three to four hours.

我一般要站三到四個小時。

The background of this piece is more complex,

像這件作品背景比較複雜，

so I need three to four days in advance for preparation.

我一般就需要提前三到四天就開始準備。

This is the suit I wore when I did the supermarket shoot.

我身上這件衣服就是拍這件作品的時候完成的，

There is no Photoshop involved.

沒有任何電腦的痕跡。

Interpreter: This is the suit I [was] wearing when I did the supermarket shoot.

我身上這件衣服就是在超市 拍這件作品時所穿的衣服，

There is no Photoshop involved. (Laughter)

沒有使用任何Photoshop 修圖。（笑）.

LB: These works are on China's cultural memories.

這幾件作品是關於中國的文化記憶。

And this one,

還有這種，

this is about food safety in China.

這是關於中國的食品安全。

Unsafe food can harm people's health,

不安全的食品可以危害人的身體，

and a deluge of magazines can confuse people's minds. (Laughter)

然後氾濫的雜誌可以迷惑人的心智。（笑）

The next pieces of work show how I made myself invisible in magazines of different languages,

接下來的幾件作品都是我在不同國家、

in different countries and at different times.

不同時間，我把自己消失在 不同文字的雜誌裏。

I think that in art, an artist's attitude is the most important element.

我覺得在藝術作品中， 藝術家的態度最重要。

If an artwork is to touch someone,

藝術作品如果想打動別人，

it must be the result of not only technique, but also the artist's thinking and struggle in life.

不僅僅是它的技巧，同樣是它的思考

And the repeated struggles in life create artwork,

和生命掙扎，而一次次的 生命掙扎就會成爲藝術作品，

no matter in what form.

不管它的形式是什麽。

(Music)

（音樂）

That's all I want to say.

我所要說的就到此爲止。

Thank you. (Applause)

謝謝。（鼓掌）.