Crossing the River 穿过那条江

February 28, 2018 2018年2月28日

Situated in the Liaoning province, Dandong is China’s largest border city. It sits along the banks of the Yalu River, a waterway that acts as a natural border between China and North Korea. Zhou Yue, a photographer born and raised in Dandong, found himself insatiably curious about North Korea, a country that was so close in proximity yet so utterly unfamiliar to him. This led Zhou to venture across the border and shoot the photo series Crossing the River. Equipped with multiple cameras, a cell phone, and a film camera (which would be less likely to be inspected and confiscated), Zhou photographed the series over three separate trips.


周越,来自东北丹东,目前在台湾就读研究所的摄影师。《过江》的江指的是鸭绿江,鸭绿江所流经过的城市丹东,是中国最大的边境城市,而河的对岸就是朝鲜的领土,一个总是让外人看不清楚的神秘国度。周越带着多台相机、手机、和一台为了能躲避检查的底片相机,三度前往朝鲜拍摄,将眼前所见的景象集结成《过江》这一系列作品。

“It’s something that I had to photograph. It was a story I just had to tell,” Zhou tells us.

Having lived in Dandong since he was a child, he often brushed shoulders with the city’s North Korean population, whether in restaurants or on the street. However, Zhou found that it was extremely difficult to communicate with the North Koreans who were permitted in his city. Musing over his interactions with North Korean visitors over the years, Zhou ponders, “What kind of a weakness needs to be hidden away so deeply, that even a simple ‘hello’ can be interpreted as a severe transgression?”

To find answers, he began planning his visit. Even though North Korea was directly across the river from Dandong, Zhou was not able to enter directly – instead, he had to register as part of a tour group to set foot inside of the country. His tour group would be observed by two guides at all times, making it difficult for Zhou to photograph freely.

“Because almost all of the photographs shot in North Korea are inspected, I brought along a film camera, so that my film photographs would be more difficult to inspect,” he shares. “I couldn’t take photographs too conspicuously, and I often needed to stray away slightly or walk slower than my tour group in order to make the most out of my time there.”


这是周越“不得不拍、不得不讲的故事” 。因为从小在丹东长大,朝鲜人民对周越来说并不陌生,可能就坐在面馆餐桌的对面,也可能在路上就擦身而过。对于与这样一个早已习以为常的民族一起生活,当想进一步了解他们的时候,却发现是如此困难。“到底是什么样脆弱的东西需要这样严密地看管,连正常打个招呼都像是碰触到禁忌一般严重。”

这样的好奇心驱使他前往拍摄朝鲜。因为无法直接经由边境直接进入,即使就近在咫尺,周越还是只能透过旅行团的方式与其他人一起入境。随时都有两位督导员跟着团员行动,这使他的拍摄任务更加困难,“基本上在朝鲜拍的东西都要被检查,但因为我用的是底片相机,比较可以顺利躲过检查。也不能太大方的拍摄,所以我经常都是偷偷脱队或走得慢一些,来争取拍照的时间。”

Crossing the River has more of a focus on propaganda rather than the country of North Korea as a whole,” Zhou explains. “Everywhere you looked, there were huge slogans, murals, and statues that towered in contrast to human scale. According to my understanding, North Korea is the only kind of country in the world that still disseminates information in this way, and there’s not much diversity of information in the country. Because of this, it was interesting for me to document the relationship between the country’s propaganda and its people.”


“我在《过江》里最想讨论的其实并不是朝鲜,而是‘媒介’。路上随处可见各种巨大的标语、壁画、雕塑等等,它们与人比例上的落差。在我认知的世界中,只有朝鲜还在用这样纯粹物理的手法做宣传,没有过多的杂讯,因此这里很便于我纪录媒介和人之间的关系。”

It was a purposeful decision to present Crossing the River in black and white. Zhou felt the series would be best displayed in grayscale as to express a similar sense of detachment from reality that he had experienced while in North Korea. The black and white also makes it difficult to identify when the series was actually shot, lending the images a feeling of timelessness.

In mainstream media, North Korea is often presented through a lens of bias, often being the subject of ridicule or vilification. Zhou hopes that his work can maintain a detached objectivity, which is why many of his images are composed in a straightforward manner with a wide angle – similar to the perspective of a surveillance camera. “I just want to put things on display,” he explains of his photojournalistic approach. “I don’t want to add my own ideas or interpretation. Not only for Crossing the River, but for all of my works.”


影像之所以使用黑白处理,是因为彩色还是太接近真实,黑白影像稍微能抽离一点,不受时间上的扰乱。虽说世人是用异样的眼光在看待朝鲜,说严重点就是妖魔化,在媒体报导的影响下怀抱偏见,但周越表示他不希望自己成为那样媒体的其一。他希望能尽量以冷静客观的视角出发,因此作品都是方正的、远观的,就像是模拟监视器的角度。“我只想去呈现,而不是特意加上意思的表述。不光是《过江》,我也是这样努力的去做每一件作品。”

Contributor: Yang Yixuan
Image Courtesy of Zhou Yue

 


供稿人: Yang Yixuan
图片由周越提供

INTERNET CAFE! PANDA 网吧见!

February 27, 2018 2018年2月27日

Born in 1993, Taiwanese photographer Chih Hsien Chen‘s foray into photography began during university when he enrolled in a course on film photography, but his interest in the medium didn’t truly take off until he began documenting the peculiar people and strange encounters in his daily life. Released last year, his photo series INTERNET CAFE! PANDA offers a jarring and candid look at life inside a Taichung internet café.


生于 1993 年的台湾摄影家陈志贤,在大学期间就已经在学习摄影,但要说对摄影产生浓厚的兴趣,则要到他真正用镜头记录下了日常生活中的“奇人佚事”的那一刻起。去年他的摄影系列《网吧!熊猫》(INTERNET CAFE! PANDA)发布,也给我们提供了一窥某家台中网吧里真实生活的机会。

The series began shortly after Chen graduated college and moved to the city of Taichung in search of employment, but after going through a series of failed interviews, he was left feeling hopeless towards the future. One day, he stumbled across a job posting for a position at an internet café. It seemed like a good fit for him – the location was convenient to his apartment, the hours were ideal, and it gave him the freedom to take on side projects in his spare time.


这个系列始于陈志贤大学毕业后搬到台中市找工作,通过在线门户网站求职的时候。他这段找工作的经历并不顺利,在面临了一系列失败的面试后,陈志贤对未来感到很绝望。直到有一天,陈志贤无意中看到了一条在网吧工作的招聘信息。这看上去似乎是个很适合他的岗位——地点方便,作息理想,还能给他在业余时间自己做项目的机会。

After he started working, Chen began to take an interest in the customers who frequented the café. His experience working there was quite different from his memories of visiting internet cafés during his youth – most of the customers were middle-aged or older, and a large number of them were vagrants. Students and younger customers would only visit during weekends or holidays when they weren’t in school.


开始工作后,陈志贤对这家网吧的“常客”很感兴趣。和自己年轻时去网吧玩的记忆相比,在网吧工作给他带来的感受实在大相径庭。在这里,大多数流连网吧的顾客,年纪都已逾中年,还有很多是流浪汉。而学生和年轻的顾客,只会在学校放假的时候才来,比如周末或假期。

Chen observed a shocking amount of questionable behavior during his time working at the café. Some customers would openly watch porn and leave it running on their screens even after they fell asleep. One customer would cover the café’s dirty headphones with toilet paper as a way to avoid direct skin contact with their ears. Others would even relieve themselves on the seats of the café, refusing to leave their computers to use the restroom. Chen’s photo series is a whimsical glimpse into Taiwanese internet café culture where adhering to social and moral norms seems to be optional.


在网吧工作期间,陈志贤也会看到很多“形迹可疑”的举动。比如有些顾客会公开地看色情片,甚至看到睡着了,但屏幕还亮着;有个人为了避免让网吧里的耳机直接接触皮肤,竟然会拿餐巾纸垫在听筒上。而还有的顾客,甚至能一直坐在网吧的座位上,一刻不离电脑,也不去上厕所。在台湾网吧里,坚持社会和道德规范似乎显得可有可无。而陈志贤的这个照片系列,正是在通过这个异想天开的机会,以瞥一眼现实。

Instagram@chihhsienchen
Flickr: ~/chihsienchen

 

Contributor: George Zhi Zhao


Instagram@chihhsienchen
Flickr: ~/chihsienchen

 

供稿人: George Zhi Zhao

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Geometric Thinking with Liam Lee 书法和几何的关系

February 26, 2018 2018年2月26日

In celebration of Chinese New Year, Beijing-based graphic designer Liam Lee recently released a poster comprised of the Chinese characters fu (福), lu (禄), shou (寿), and xi (禧). The significance of these four characters comes from their appearance on spring couplets and their widespread usage as an auspicious greeting for family and friends during New Year celebrations. Lee deconstructs the familiar blessing into individual characters and restructures them into separate phrases to expand on their meaning. Fu, forms fu hai (福海), which means a world of happiness; shou forms the phrase shou shan (寿山), which is a blessing for longevity; xi forms xi qi (喜气), which means jubilant delight; and lu forms the phrase feng lu (丰禄), which wishes for good fortune and wealth. As a call out to his own Mongolian ancestry, Lee also included a Mongolian translation alongside each Chinese phrase.


这一组汉字设计海报,来自蒙古族的图形设计师李岩松(Liam Lee),图中呈现的是“福、禄、寿、禧”四个汉字,寓意着对美好生活的期盼和祝福,而李岩松从新的角度出发,使用新的设计技法,做了一次不同的尝试——将 4 个单字组词为“福海、寿山、喜气、丰禄”,同时加入了蒙古文字释义。这种独特的平面构成 + 数学几何造字的方法,是李岩松步入设计之途的十余年里逐渐形成的个人风格。

Being a veteran designer who’s worked in graphic design for over a decade, this latest project is an impressive showcase of how his unique compositional style and eye for geometry has developed over the years. While graphic design is his bread and butter nowadays, prior to his official foray into the field, he worked alongside Yue Xin in 2001, a trailblazer in the world of Chinese type design. “I was also exposed to the works of Nod Young around that time, so it’s safe to say these two have greatly influenced all of my design work, and for that, I’m immensely grateful to both of them,” he says with a warm smile. “Even though many of my designs are heavily influenced by calligraphy, I actually don’t come from a background in the discipline. I’m first and foremost a graphic designer, but I enjoy and feel inspired by calligraphy of all forms. When I work, I often find myself referencing the stroke order, pen movements, and composition of old Chinese calligraphy.”


对汉字图形设计的热衷,源于 2001 年,李岩松当时与设计前辈岳昕老师共事,正式接触了字体,“之后(我)偶然看到前辈 Nod Young  闹老师的设计作品,受到很大启发,借此向两位老师致敬。”李岩松笑说,“虽然作品常以‘字形’示人,但我不是一个字体设计师,而是个图形设计师。我也没有专门练过书法。只要是写得好看的书法,我都喜欢。我创作的时候会参考书法的运笔、连笔、动势、构图。”

As the result of his diverse influences and an ongoing passion for a wide variety of calligraphy, Lee’s designs rarely stick to one uniform aesthetic. He unabashedly extracts concepts and techniques from graphic design and wields them as building blocks for his calligraphy-inspired works. “I especially like to design in grids – any shape or density,” Lee explains of his methods. “I work and think in geometric shapes but I like to try and conceal specific patterns in my end design. I like to keep it interesting by experimenting and seeing what I can come up with.”


因此,李岩松的设计并不仅仅拘泥于同一种格式,此后也一直在尝试用平面构成的技法结构汉字,将汉字视作若干几何图形单元像积木一样拼插组合。“我特别喜欢在网格里做设计,各种形状的网格,我可以把网格做的非常密集,我觉得在网格里用一种几何化的规律做设计然后再将规律隐藏起来,这是一件非常有趣的事。”

Behance: ~/LiamSoso

 

Contributor: Chen Yuan


Behance: ~/LiamSoso

 

供稿人: Chen Yuan

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A Day in the Studio with Yan Wei 柔弱,并且固执

February 23, 2018 2018年2月23日

 

无法观看?前往优酷

Yan Wei is a contemporary artist and painter from Beijing, China. After graduating from Tsinghua University’s Academy of Art and Design, she started her career as an illustrator working in the advertising industry. However, during her stint in advertising, she began to question her own goals and motivations. “I had to face the fact that advertising was not the reason I got into art,” she says. “I realized that advertising would only take me further away from my goals as an artist.”


闫威是来自北京的一名当代艺术家和画家。从清华大学美术学院毕业后,她为广告公司做插画设计。但这个行业让她开始怀疑自己的选择,质疑起自己学美术的目标和初衷。“我意识到,广告不是我当初从事艺术创作的原因,并且会让我离自己成为艺术家的目标越来越远。”

Moonlight
Internal

Soon after this revelation, Yan quit her cushy advertising job and set up a painting studio in her parent’s home. She intended to dedicate all of her energy to making a reputation for herself in the art world. Over the next decade, Yan continuously progressed as an artist – her work would evolve from small ink-on-paper pieces to large-scale acrylic works on canvas.

Yan’s hard work would pay off. As of now, her work has been displayed in numerous exhibitions, received massive amounts of praise and attention online, and has been purchased by the Shanghai Art Museum for its public collection.


想清楚之后,闫威辞掉了原来收入颇丰的工作,在父母家中成立了一个画室。她打算把所有的精力投入到艺术创作中,争取在艺术界中立足。在接下来的十年里,闫威的艺术创作不断精进,作品也渐渐从一方方小画纸进军到偌大的丙烯画布上去。

功夫不负有心人。从毅然离职到重归艺术创作,再到十年如一日的创作,到目前为止,闫威的作品已经在许多展览上展出,在网络媒体上也获得了大量的点赞和关注,且不少作品已被上海美术馆收录。

Yan Wei’s creative process is centered around routine and discipline. She shares, “A lot of people might think, artists or those who work creatively might live more spontaneously and stay up late, but it’s not like that. I’ll wake up in the morning, eat breakfast, clean the house, and start to paint. Then I’ll have lunch and continue to paint, all the way until the sun goes down and it gets dark, and I can’t paint anymore.”


闫威创作流程的核心是规律和纪律。她分享道:“很多人会以为艺术家或在创意领域中工作的人,总是生活得很随性或经常熬夜,但事实不是这样。”她继续向我们描述她例行的生活:“我会起得很早,吃早餐,打扫家里,开始画画。接着我会吃午餐然后继续画画,一直到傍晚天色暗下来,我没办法再画了为止。”

Guardian

Youth, beauty, and femininity are recurring themes throughout Yan Wei’s body of work. Her art is a way for her to explore the changing roles of women within the context of modern culture and society. “I think of femininity as a whole,” she explains. “Each of my paintings, the subjects are different, but they all have something in common.”


在闫威的作品中,青春、美丽、女性气质是经常出现的主题。通过自己的作品,她在探索着现代文化和社会背景下女性角色的变化。她解释道:“我是将女性气质当作一个整体来思考的。我的每幅作品都会有不同的人物角色,但她们都有共同之处。”

Hunt

For Yan, her art has also become a process of self-discovery regarding what it means to be a woman. “When I depict women, I think it’s different than when men depict women. When men depict women, it might be as an outside observer. But when I depict women, it’s a depiction of who I am.”


对于闫威来说,艺术是一个自我发现的过程,让她探讨成为一名女性的意义。“当我画女性时,应该跟男性画家描绘女性形象是不同的。男人画女性时,可能是以外部观察者的角度来创作的。但是当我画女性的时候,其实也是在画自己。”

Double Birth
Croquet
Tide
Empirical Wonderland

Yan Wei will be hosting a solo exhibition in Beijing, China opening on March 3rd, 2018. See below for full details.


接下来,闫威将在北京举办个人作品展,开幕日为2018年03月03日。请参阅下面的详细信息。

Event:
VANITY
Yan Wei Solo Exhibition in Beijing

Date: March 3rd, 2018 ~ April 3rd, 2018
Opening Reception: March 3rd 15:00 – 18:00

Address:
Hi Art Center
B-B36, UBP
No. 10 Jiuxianqiao Road
Chaoyang District, Beijing
People’s Republic of China

 


活动:
《浮世》
闫威个人作品展

展期: 2018年03月03日 —— 2018年04月03日
开幕酒会: 03月03日,15:00 – 18:00

地址:
中国
北京朝阳区
酒仙桥路10号
恒通商务园B36-B座1层
Hi艺术中心

Instagram: @koomoowei

 

Contributor & Videographer: George Zhi Zhao


Instagram@koomoowei

 

供稿人与摄影师: George Zhi Zhao

The Art of War 子不画怪力乱神

February 22, 2018 2018年2月22日
Big Bruce Lee

Mu Pan is a Taiwanese artist currently based in New York City. With influences ranging from Hong Kong cinema of the 1980s and 1990s to Japanese manga and kaiju movies, Mu incorporates elements of Chinese history and mythology to tell epic stories and legends with modern sensibilities. Mu’s artwork is never about art for its own sake – in his own words, “I am just an otaku who draws.”


潘慕文(Mu Pan)是一名现居纽约的台湾艺术家。他融合中国历史和神话元素,用画作来讲述具有现代感的史诗故事和传奇,从80、90年代的香港电影到日本漫画和怪兽电影,都对潘慕文的作品产生了很大的影响。他的艺术作品从来不只是为了创作而创作,用他自己的话说,“我只是一个画画的宅男”。

From the The Loyal Retainers series. / 来自《The Loyal Retainers》系列
From the The Loyal Retainers series. / 来自《The Loyal Retainers》系列
From the Ten Drawings series. / 来自《Ten Drawings》系列

As an artist who tells stories of epic, large-scale battles, war is one of Mu’s primary inspirations. He shares, “War, to some degree, is a beautiful thing to me. War creates great characters, and it also writes history. You’ve got to be a great artist in order to fight a war as a commander. There are so many arts you have to master in warfare, such as the formation, the economic concern, the time, the strategy, the geographic advantage, the numbers difference between you and your enemy, the art of brainwashing for loyalty, and the sense of mission. It costs a great amount of patience, and it also requires a high level of charisma and intelligence. Whether it is for invading or defending, to me it is just beautiful to see how a person can unite people’s individual strengths to become one great power to fight against the opponent.”


作为一个描绘史诗、大规模军事场面的艺术家,战争是他创作的主要灵感之一。他解释道:“对我而言,战争某种层面上是一件美丽的事情。战争创造了伟大的人物,也书写了历史。要成为战争中的指挥官,首先你必须是一位出色的艺术家。在战争中,必须掌握的艺术非常多,编队、经济问题、时间、策略、地理优势、我军与敌军在人数上的差异、关于忠诚与使命感的洗脑式说话艺术等等。这些都需要很大的耐心,同时也需要极大的魅力和智慧。无论是侵略还是防守,对我来说,看着一个人如何团结其他个体,凝聚成为对抗对手的巨大力量,这个过程真是充满了美感。”

Loyal Retainer: Final Chapter
Dinoasshole Chapter 3
Dinoasshole Chapter 5

Mu often draws from the theatre of modern events to find inspiration for his work. “Usually, when I’m excited about something I saw or read on the media, or from my daily life, I first associate the subject with a monster or some creatures on a large scale, then think about who it will be fighting with.”


潘慕文经常从现代事件中汲取创作的灵感。 “如果我从媒体、日常生活中看到或读到一些令我感兴趣的东西时,我会把这个主题延伸联想出某个怪物或是一些体型庞大的生物,然后去构想这只怪物开战的对象。”

From the Ten Drawings series. / 来自《Ten Drawings》系列
My Name is Charlie: Yellow
My Name is Charlie: Red

With regards to his creative process, Mu is about spontaneity and creating in the moment. He never creates preliminary sketches for a painting, preferring to work freely and make changes on the fly. As each painting progresses, it reflects the emotions and events of his daily life. “I let the piece flow with whatever is happening in my life,” he explains. “This gives me the motivation to keep going day after day.”


谈到自己的创作过程,潘慕文说主要都是自发性和即兴的创作。绘画时,他从来不会先画草图,而是更喜欢自由地创作,随心所欲地作出改变。每幅画在完成的过程中,反映出的正是他平日生活里的情绪和经历。他解释说:“我把作品与我生活中发生的一切交织在一起,这给了我继续前进的动力。”

From the Frog Wars series. / 来自《Frog Wars》系列

For Mu, art is a way to channel man’s energy, destructive power, and warlike disposition within the constraints of modern society. “I worship the strength of men and animals,” he tells us. “I dream to have the dominating power to rule, to destroy, and instill fear into my enemies. Of course, it’s impossible. No one can have this kind of power in today’s world. So I created my own world for myself with my images. In my images, I can be whatever I want to be and eat whoever I hate. Every monster I draw is actually a self-portrait.”


对潘慕文来说,艺术是在现代社会的制约下,人们得以发泄内心能量、破坏力和战争倾向的一种方式。他解释道:“我崇拜人和动物的力量。我梦想拥有支配权力来统治、摧毁,让敌人畏惧我。当然,这都是不可能实现的。今天的世界上没有人能拥有这样的力量。所以我用画像来为自己创造这样一个世界。在我的画里,我可以做任何我想做的事情,吃掉我讨厌的人。我画的每个怪物其实都是一幅自画像。”

From the Monkeys series. / 来自《Monkeys》系列
From the Ten Drawings series. / 来自《Ten Drawings》系列
Big Bad Wolves

Website: mupan.com
Instagram: @mupan1911

 

Contributor: George Zhi Zhao


网站mupan.com
Instagram@mupan1911

 

供稿人: George Zhi Zhao

Billie’s Boys Charm 夏季、怀旧和太空

February 19, 2018 2018年2月19日

Billie Snippet is a Korean-American illustrator and the co-founder of Uchuu Summer, an apparel and accessories label inspired by summer, nostalgia, and space. Similar to the aesthetic of Uchuu Summer, her illustrations are bright and colorful, featuring a world of (mostly male) character who like to show off their playful, nostalgic, and sensual sides. Her inspiration comes from many sources – including manga and anime from the 80s and 90s, cartoons from her childhood, children’s illustrations, vaporwave music, and fashion photography.


Billie Snippet 是一位美籍韩裔插画家,同时也是 Uchuu Summer 品牌的共同创始人,这个时尚品牌充满了夏季、怀旧和太空的意象。Billie 的插画风格与 Uchuu Summer 品牌相似,同样明亮而多彩。在她的插画世界里,主角大部分都是一些乐于展现其俏皮个性、怀旧情绪和感性一面的男性角色。她的灵感来源很丰富,包括了 80、90年代的漫画和插图、小时候看的动漫和漫画、儿童插画、蒸汽波(Vaporwave)音乐和时尚摄影等等。

Billie wasn’t always set on becoming an artist. She shares with us, “When I was in elementary school, I was the quiet child in my class that was always drawing. However, until high school, I only treated it as a hobby, because I was undecided between being an artist or a writer.”

After deciding to pursue a career in the arts, she first went into a program in Fine Arts at the University of California Santa Barbara, and then transferred to a program in Illustration at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) after two years. During her college days, she began selling her illustrations at anime conventions, mostly offering books, goods, and her self-published doujinshi works. Building on her entrepreneurial success, In 2016, she founded the Uchuu Summer label with friend and fellow illustrator Gabrielle Howitz.


Billie 不是从小就立志成为一名艺术家。她与我们分享道:“小时候,我是班上比较安静的小孩,总是埋头在画画。在高中之前,我一直只是把画画当作一种爱好,因为我还未决定好要成为一名艺术家还是作家。 ”

下定决心从事艺术工作之后,她先是进入加州大学圣巴巴拉分校修读艺术专业,然后在两年后转到马里兰艺术学院(MICA)攻读插画专业。大学时期,她开始在动漫大会上出售自己的插图作品,主要是一些书、商品和自己出版的同人志作品。有了这些初期创业的经验,2016 年,她与她的插画家朋友 Gabrielle Howitz 一起创立了 Uchuu Summer 品牌。

While Billie works mostly digitally in Adobe Photoshop CC nowadays, she’s equally adept with traditional mediums like watercolor and ink. Regardless of medium, the images she creates have a distinct aesthetic with an overarching theme of male vulnerability.

“Vulnerability is a trait I find attractive and fascinating in people because it exposes their true self,” she shares with us. “It’s bare and alluring. And it is easier to trust a person that shows vulnerability.” For Billie, her depiction of male characters is a way to break away from stereotypical gender roles. “We live in a world where men are discouraged to show vulnerability. Instead, there is an abundance of vulnerable women in art – to the point where it became a cliché. So it’s more interesting for me to draw vulnerable men.”


虽然 Billie 现在主要采用 Adobe Photoshop CC 创作,但她同样善于使用水彩和墨水等传统材料。无论是用何种媒介创作,她的作品都有一个共同的特别之处:展示男性脆弱的一面。

她解释道:“我觉得,脆弱是一种特别有吸引力和迷人的特质,因为它暴露了每个人最真实的自我,赤裸又诱人。况且, 一个愿意展现出脆弱那一面的人往往比较可信。”对于 Billie 来说,她对男性角色的描绘是摆脱性别偏见的一种方式。“我们生活在一个男性不愿意表现出脆弱的社会里。与此相反的是,在艺术中经常能看到大量女性脆弱的形象。虽然感觉已经有点陈词滥调,但我觉得画脆弱的男性会更有趣。”

Billie continues to self-publish her illustrations, comic books, is currently working on projects for the Uchuu Summer label, which will include a comic that’s planned to be released next year. Uchuu Summer apparel, products, and zines are currently available for purchase at shops in Los Angeles and Tokyo, as well as on Uchuu Summer’s web shop.


除了继续独立出版插画书和漫画书,Billie 目前还正在制作 Uchuu Summer 品牌的项目,其中包括预计明年发行的漫画。想要购买 Uchuu Summer 的服装、产品和杂志,除了可以在洛杉矶和东京的门店里现场购买,也可以到 Uchuu Summer 的在线商店购买。

Websiteuchuusummer.com
Instagram: @bsnippet

 

Contributor: George Zhi Zhao


网站uchuusummer.com
Instagram: @bsnippet

 

供稿人: George Zhi Zhao

Looking Back, Going Forward 你的我的我们的 2017

February 15, 2018 2018年2月15日

For Asians of all ethnicities around the world, the Lunar New Year is an important holiday. For China, it’s the largest and most important celebration of the year. The Chinese New Year represents a fresh new beginning and is a chance for many people to spend time with friends and family members.

With the approaching New Year celebrations, we revisit some of our favorite illustrators, photographers, musicians, and more from China and nearby regions to find out what they’ve been up to this past year, what they accomplished in the past year, and what they’re wishing for in the upcoming year.


对所有亚洲地区的人来说,农历新年(春节)的来临,也就是到了一年大团圆的时候。在中国,这是规模最大也最隆重的节日。人们在走亲访友、辞旧迎新的同时,也一样都会添岁许愿。

在迎新年的这一期,我们回访了一些来自中国及周边地区的插画家、摄影师、歌手和更多文化创意人,聊了聊在过去一年中,他们各自的收获与成长,以及对新年的计划和期许。


Pigo Lin / 皮哥

  • Don’t Touch My Ship, a new painting by Pigo / 皮哥新作 《Don’t Touch My Ship》
  • Mating Snake, a new painting by Pigo / 皮哥新作 《Mating Snake》
  • Alligator, a new painting by Pigo / 皮哥新作 《Alligator》

Illustrator / Pigo Lin

This past year, my paintings have made their way around the world thanks to avid art collectors. In the upcoming year, I plan to create even more erotica.

New Year’s Wish: Lose some belly fat.

 

Based in Taipei, illustrator Pigo Lin isn’t someone who shies away from the topic of sexuality. Instead, he intends to use his art to open a candid dialogue on the subject. To see the full story from earlier this year, click here.

 

“The Lunar New Year is one of the most important holidays in Asia, and with it coming up, I want to first and foremost wish for good health and happiness to all of Neocha’s readers in the year ahead. For me, this past year was a year filled with personal achievements, especially considering that I’m not a full-time illustrator. My full-time job is as a watch designer, so I had to work on my illustrations in my spare time. It’s been an incredibly rewarding feeling to see so many art collectors around the world become interested in my art. This year, I need to bunker down and work even harder.”

“During the Chinese New Year celebrations, I’ll gather with family to eat dinner on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. I don’t plan on traveling anywhere during the break and will most likely be in my studio working away. Or maybe I’ll clean my house. My wish for the New Year is to lose some of my belly fat. I guess I’ve really been lacking in the exercise department, my entire physique has been downhill.”

“Going forward, I’ll be continuing to create even more provocative erotica. I still have a ton of drawings that are works in progress.”


插画家 @皮哥

去年 我的作品增加了许多来自世界各地的藏家 ,来年 会持续情色创作

新年愿望瘦小腹 

 

来自台北的插画家皮哥Pigo Lin),并不害怕敏感的“性欲”话题,他更倾向于用画面表达出来。往期报道请戳这里

 

春节新年是亚州文化重要的节日,新年到了,在这里先通过 Neocha 祝世界的读者们身体健康万事如意。去年是非常充实的一年,我并非全职创作者,手表的设计工作和情色绘画同时进行,最大的收获是作品增加了许多来自世界各地的藏家,今年要更加努力了。

“(过年)除了除夕夜我会回家和家人团聚吃年夜饭外,我不打算出游,会待在工作室继续创作吧。或是整理房间也有可能。个人的新年愿望是瘦小腹,因为运动量不足的关系,身材都有些走样了呢。在来年(我的)情色创作一样会持续,还有很多尚未完成呢。”


Zhang Yalan / 张雅岚

[姽 guǐ] Meaning: Describing a female's elegance and beauty.

"God is dead. Rethink everything".

[娜 nà; nuó] Meaning: - 1. [nà] A common character used in Chinese first name for females. - [nuó] 1. Graceful, willowy 2. Describing a gentle complexion of a woman.

"Even if life is a theatre of tragedy, I'll see this performance to the end with grace."

Illustrator / Zhang Yalan

This past year, I experienced the challenges of finding a stable job after graduation. In the upcoming year, I plan to continue my female-focused illustration series.

New Year’s Wish: Financial independence.

 

Chinese illustrator Zhang Yulan’s graduation project was an illustration series that examined the Chinese character  (女), which translates to “female” in English. The project dissects other Chinese characters that use the word as a radical and their connotations. To see the full feature from earlier this year, click here.

 

“This past year has been filled with challenges. Finding a job right after graduating is difficult, but the most rewarding accomplishment of the past year is that I finally started setting goals for myself. I do plan on continuing my illustration series. There are so many more Chinese characters using the  character as a radical, so there are plenty more interesting subjects for me to discover and create. As for what I’ll be up to during the Chinese New Year break, I’ll be spending it with family. My wish for the upcoming New Year is to financially independent. I also want to wish everyone a Happy New Year!”


插画家 @张雅岚

去年 面临了毕业和找工作的压力和挑战 ,来年 想继续“女”字旁的创作
新年愿望做个有钱人

 

张雅岚的毕业设计是一系列以“女”字旁部首为灵感的作品,通过插画形式重新诠释了这些汉字和其中的女性性别观。往期报道请戳这里

 

过去的一年中我面临了毕业和找工作的压力和挑战,最大的收获就是有了目标。未来的一年会继续字旁的创作,字旁的汉字还有很多,有更多有意思的内容值得我去发掘和创造。然后,新年当然要和家人一起过啦,我个人的愿望是,希望能做一个有钱人,哈哈。也祝大家新年快乐!”


Inkee Wang / 王颖琦

An illustration for Inkee Wang's collaboration with V&A museum / Inkee Wang 为 V&A 创作的活动册封面

Illustrator / Inkee Wang

This past year, I was busy working on a collaboration with London’s V&A Museum. In the upcoming year, I want to spend more time reflecting on the work I put out.

New Year’s Wish: To waste less time.

 

Currently based in Shanghai, Inkee Wang is an illustrator with a unique style that’s colorful and chock-full of quirky humor. Check out our full feature on her by clicking here.

 

“I’m pretty satisfied with the amount of work I produced in 2017. I’ve honed in on a cohesive aesthetic that I’m happy with. The most rewarding achievement of my past year was my collaboration with V&A. They asked me to submit more work with a contemporary context, and when we reviewed my submissions, they offered a lot of feedback on how I can introduce more complexity into my drawings. This was immensely helpful. Prior to this, I think I didn’t spend enough time contemplating on how to develop my work. I now think there’s a lot more untapped ways for me express myself through art.”

“I’ll most likely be spending the Chinese New Year in a fairly traditional way, relaxing and getting together with family. But I’ll still be working on my art. As for my plans for the coming year, I want to create two comics in the first half and the year and think about how my work can incorporate even more contemporary concepts.”


插画家 @Inkee Wang

去年 在一次跟 V&A 的合作中收获颇丰 ,来年 想更多地“反省”
新年愿望: 少浪费点时间

 

目前工作和生活在上海的 Inkee Wang,已经是小有名气的插画艺术家,她的插画风格诙谐有趣,形成了独特的风格。往期报道请戳这里。

 

“(我)2017 年的出图量还可以,尝试了一种相对来说比较稳定的风格。最大的收获在于一次跟 V&A 的合作,他们要求我的供稿能有更多当代的语境。并且每次过稿都要求我的画面能更佳繁复和混乱一点。这让我反思了很多,觉得我之前还是反省得太少。其实可以挖掘到更多的表现方式。”

“新年过年我应该会和家人团圆,形式比较传统,也会继续创作。来年的计划是,上半年我想要画两篇漫画,并想以当代的语境来更多审视作品。”


Bohan Phoenix

Rapper / Bohan Phoenix

This past year, I did my first-ever Asia tour. In the upcoming year, I’ll be busy working on my “OVERSEAS” project and trying to do things better than the last year.

New Year’s Wish: Listen to more music.

 

Born in Hubei and raised in Brooklyn, Bohan Phoenix is a Chinese American rapper who’s on the up-and-up in both China and the U.S. Thematically, his music is tied to an exploration of identity, but is expressed using universal messages of love, acceptance, and pride. To see our full feature on Bohan, click here.

 

“In 2017, I spent the first half of the year in New York and put out the JALA EP, which was heavily influenced by the last couple years of coming to and from Asia. 2018 should get busy as well. As of now, I have a project called OVERSEAS,’ which will be ready in March. Some visuals already finished include a one-shot music video that I’m super excited about.”

“For the New Year, the original plan was to spend it with the family in Chengdu, but as of last week, something came up, and I’ll actually be on tour during Chinese New Year with the Higher Brothers and 88Rising in the states. But I’ll definitely be making calls to my family back home. In the upcoming year and beyond, I plan on to doing even bigger and better things. Hopefully some more projects with Neocha! On a personal level, I had my head buried in making content last year so I didn’t get as much time digging through the vast number of records I’ve yet to hear. I definitely want to do that more in 2018.”


说唱歌手 @Bohan Phoenix

去年 我举办了首次亚洲巡演 ,来年 有个《OVERSEAS》项目,希望能做得更好
新年愿望: 听更多音乐

 

出生于湖北、在美国成长的说唱歌手 Bohan Phoenix,以身份认同作为他音乐的核心主题,因而在美国和亚洲地区也越来越受欢迎。 往期报道请戳这里

 

“2017 的前半年我都在纽约,推出了深受亚洲影响的《加辣》EP。接下来 2018 年应该会很忙,因为现在我有一个名为《OVERSEAS》的项目,有些视频已经做完了,其中包括一段让我非常兴奋的一镜到底的 MV。

新年的话,我原来过年打算和家人在成都团聚的,但上周确定下来春节期间我要在美国演出……但我一定会打电话给家里的!我想在来年做得更好,也希望与 Neocha 合作的更多项目!(比心)个人来说的话,因为去年(我都在)埋头创作,所以在 2018 年,我想多听点音乐。


Chiu Pi / 邱比

Producer / Chiu Pi

This past year, most of my time was spent producing the SPLENDOR album, and I also signed to ROKON. In the upcoming year, I want to release a new album that’s still only titled using two Chinese characters.

New Year Wish: To fall in love.

 

Chiu Pi is a Taiwanese musician who creates “mystical” and minimalist soundscapes. Within the span of two years, he’s released seventeen albums amongst numerous commercial collaborations. To find out more about him, check out our full feature by clicking here.

 

“I pretty much spent the entirety of last year working on SPLENDOR. My biggest accomplishment during that time was signing with ROKON; they helped me a lot by providing additional resources so that I could finish the album. As for upcoming projects, I plan to focus on the manipulation of the human voice. Looking further ahead, I want my productions and sound to be more unpredictable. I’d like to find new people to collaborate with and create something completely original.”

“This Chinese New Year, I’ll be staying in Taiwan and spending time with family. I hope to find someone to fall in love with in this coming New Year, but it’s not looking likely at the moment because I have so many tour dates coming up. After my tour ends, I’ll probably be jumping right into the production of my next album. I want to maintain the trend of titling my next album using only two Chinese characters so that there’s some sort of cohesion to my work. Oh yeah, just a side note, the physical release of the SPLENDOR album will involve a lot of red.”


音乐人 @邱比

去年 忙了整年《大放》的制作、签约了滚石电音 ,来年 想死下心来创作一张还是两个字的专辑
新年愿望恋爱

 

来自台湾的音乐人邱比,他的音乐常被贴上“仙气”或是极简前卫这样的字眼,两年间他创作了十七张唱片,也创作了一些商业合作作品。往期报道请戳这里

 

2017 一整年几乎都在忙《大放》的制作,最大的事情大概就是签约滚石电音,也使得我有更多资源去完成《大放》。接下去新的作品可能会在人声上做一些改变,可能以后会弱化邱比的声音,想要找人合作去调出一个新的音色。”

“过年我会留在台湾,跟家人一起度过。新年愿望是想要恋爱,可是现在看起来好像也没有办法的样子,因为之后好像一直在演出。忙完演唱会的事情,可能就要开始新专辑的创作,想要死下心来创作一张还是两个字的专辑,让我的作品有一个规格感。另外有个小讯息是,这次《大放》实体会是红色的。”


Sean Marc Lee / 李子仁

Photographer / Sean Marc Lee

This past year, I had the opportunity to develop my skills through shooting in ways I haven’t shot before. In the upcoming year, I want to shoot more quirky portraits of my dad.

New Year’s Wish: To shoot more playful portraits.

 

Born in San Francisco and now based in Taipei, Sean Marc Lee is a professional photographer whose quirky portraits of his family and friends have become a hallmark of his work. See more of his photos by clicking here.

 

“Last year started off with a bang with my first billboard for Nike being up all over China. There was a steady mix of travel editorial and collaborations with some locals brands here in Taiwan as well, which let me shoot in ways I haven’t before, but still in my own style. I think the main takeaway this past year is just being more confident in my own style and running with it. Last year, the biggest highlight was getting my family in the States out to Taiwan and traveling with them to Japan. It was also great helping my father meet relatives he hasn’t seen since he was two.”

“For Chinese New Year, I’ll spend a few days down south in Kaohsiung with my girlfriend’s family. I’ll be mostly eating and relaxing! My wish for the New Year is to shoot more portraits that straddle the playful style of my own work but with a style and fashion-orientated direction. I’d also love to get my family out here in Taiwan again and spend more time shooting more quirky portraits of my father. As for my plans for this year, in March, I’ll be in Vietnam; in April, I’ll be in Tokyo; and in June and July, I’ll be in the U.S. on my annual family trip to Yosemite. Of course, I’ll also keep shooting!”


摄影师 @李子仁

去年 我以从未有过的方式稳步发展 ,来年 想给我爸拍更多 
新年愿望: 拍更多好玩的人像照

 

李子仁是一名生于旧金山而定居于台北的美籍摄影师,他钟爱用胶片来拍摄自己所爱的人们。往期报道请戳这里

 

从年初给耐克拍摄了挂满大街小巷的广告牌之后,去年我旅行内容采编和与当地品牌的合作兼有,这让我以从未有过的方式稳步发展。最重要的是,我对自己的风格更有信心并坚持下来了。去年我还有个很大的个人项目,就是让我的家人去台湾和日本旅行,让我的父亲见到了他从两岁起就没见过的亲戚,我希望这系列能继续拍下去。最近我也刚刚和 Neocha 有合作一个很有趣的项目,预计在 3 月面世?

新年期间,我会和我女友的家人去高雄南部住几天,主要是吃喝玩乐!新年愿望是想拍更多好玩的人像照,有可能的话多一些时尚风格。我也想让我的家人再次来到日本,给我爸拍更多古怪的照片。 3 月我还会飞越南,4 月在东京,6 7 月会在美国加州约塞米蒂有个家庭年度旅行!当然,以后我也会继续为工作为爱好继续拍下去的。


Wenjun Chen & Yanmei Jiang / 陈文俊 & 江演媚

Photographers / Wenjun Chen & Yanmei Jiang

This past year, we wrapped up a commissioned project that explored on the port cities of China. In the upcoming year, we hope to start making documentary-style and commercial videos.

New Year’s Wish: Live in the States and create new works.

 

In 2014, this photographer couple turned their lens on each other and began an intimate photography project titled Me & Me. Check out the full story on their work by clicking here.

 

“This year, we just finished a project commissioned by the China Port Museum about the various port cities of China. Lately, we’re hoping to transition from photography into videography and capture stories in a documentary style or tackle commercial projects. As with every Chinese New Year, we’ll be at home in Guangzhou and spending it with family. Our New Year’s wish is to find opportunities to make more videos, and we also have plans of moving to the U.S. so that we can experience life there while we continue to create new works. The plan is already in motion. Hopefully, everything will go without a hitch.”


摄影师 @陈文俊 & 江演媚

去年 我们完成了中国港口城市的项目 ,来年 希望有更多机会拍记录和商业性质的视频
新年愿望: 去美国体验新生活、进行新创作

 

这两位摄影师从2014 年起,就开始有意识地互拍、自拍和一起自拍,并合力完成了摄影项目《我与我》。往期报道请戳这里

 

今年我们在创作上完成了一个由中国港口博物馆委派的关于中国港口城市的项目。而工作上,我们开始将重心由静态摄影转向了拍视频,记录性质的,也有商业性质的视频。过年我们都在广州的家,和家人一起过。新年愿望是有更多机会去拍摄记录性质的和商业性质的视频,以及我们计划到美国去获得新的生活体验和进行新的创作,已经在进行中了,希望进展顺利,成功启程。”


Su Wukou / 苏五口

  • 苏五口新作系列“龙虎豹”
  • 苏五口新作系列“龙虎豹”
  • 苏五口新作系列“龙虎豹”

Fashion Designer / Su Wukou

This past year, I released a new clothing line and helped other designers to start up their labels. In the upcoming year, I’ll be hosting an exhibition of some new work.

New Year Wish: Form a strong team and create with more efficiency.

 

Su Wukou is a designer who’s deliberately refused to put together a statement about his fashion brand. His unique designs and outlook on fashion has led to countless unexpected creations in recent years. Find out more about his work by clicking here.

 

“What people have seen from me in 2017 is only a small part of what I’ve actually worked on during the year. What they don’t see is the amount of work I invested in helping other designers launch their own labels. But I feel like these two endeavors are one in the same, it’s work that’s being produced from my soul, but they’re just expressed differently. But to be honest, I haven’t spent as much time creating as I like in the past year; it actually feels like I haven’t truly made anything new in a long time. However, in April, I plan to debut an exhibition in Shanghai’s West Bund and showcase some new works. As for the Chinese New Year, I’ll definitely be with family. In this coming year, I hope to build my team up, make it even stronger, and create new work in a more efficient manner.”


独立设计师 @苏五口

去年 我做了新系列、帮一些设计师起步做品牌 ,来年 会有个展览
新年愿望稳固团队、高效创作

 

设计师苏五口一直没有刻意写品牌介绍去传达他的设计价值观,但是做了很多有趣的服装设计概念。往期报道请戳这里

 

“2017 年(我)做的东西,大家能看到的部分是我做了几个新系列,没看到的部分是我有在帮一些设计师起步去做自己的品牌。我感觉这两件事是一样的,仅仅是表达,一种发自内心的输出。其实我放给创作的时间非常少,感觉好久没有创作了。(但)新年 月份在上海西岸应该会有一个展览,会展出一些新的东西。然后新年一定是会跟家人一起过,来年希望可以好好稳固自己的团队,更加有效率地去创作。”


ROARINGWILD

ROARINGWILD 人物预告合集

Streetwear Brand / ROARINGWILD

This past year, we opened our brick-and-mortar store in Shenzhen. In the upcoming year, we plan to unveil exciting new projects that go beyond streetwear and fashion.

New Year’s Wish: Peace and joy for the world.

 

Shenzhen-based brand ROARINGWILD understands what makes a piece of clothing “streetwear” is more than its aesthetics alone – it’s the attitude and spirit behind the garment that truly makes it streetwear. They’ve worked tirelessly to advance their vision of creating a streetwear brand that not only represents their ideals but can also inspire an attitude shift in the Chinese youth. Check out our full story on them by clicking here.

 

“This past year, we’ve been busy releasing new collections every season. Of course, we also launched our first brick-and-mortar location. It’s been a great learning experience as it’s something we’ve never done before. While challenging, our entire team found the whole process to be an enjoyable one. As for newer projects, we’re working on something about urban culture, and we’ll be releasing even more interesting projects in this upcoming year. On the streetwear front, we plan to open a new flagship store and move our studio to an even better location. Aside from that, we’re planning to expand our creative efforts into projects unrelated to fashion, such as making installation art and working with other mediums. We just want to experiment and see what we come up with.”

“For the New Year, we wish for peace and joy to our friends and family as well as the rest of the world. We’re all pretty traditional when it comes to Chinese New Year so we’ll be spending it with family, but we’ll still be working. No matter what happens in this upcoming year, we won’t lose sight of our goal, which is to bring more creativity into the world and have fun doing it.”


街头品牌设计团队 @ROARINGWILD

去年 开了第一家品牌店 ,来年 除了服装上还有很多新的项目
新年愿望平安喜乐,世界和平

 

来自深圳的时装品牌 ROARINGWILD,鼓励人们张扬地生活,无畏追逐自己的梦想。他们创造一个不仅代表了他们自己的理想,同时能够激发中国青年改变态度的街头品牌。往期报道请戳这里

 

“(去年一年)主要是忙创作,新季度的系列设计和创作。然后还有开了第一家店,我们从来都没有试过,学习了很多,团队内部也很享受整个过程。近期的话,就在忙一个关于城市文化的企划,新年也会有很多很有意思的企划出现。会开设新的旗舰店,工作室也会搬到一个更棒的地方。未来我们不仅服装上有很多新的项目,还会涵盖很多方面,偏装置、偏艺术的东西都会有,去尝试新的不同领域的碰撞。”

“新年愿望是平安喜乐,世界和平吧。过年一边会和家人团聚,过一个传统的中国式新年;一边也不会中断创作,一直以来都在想新的东西并且把它实现出来。希望玩得更开心吧。”


Yoyo / 无敌宥先生

Fashionista / Yoyo

This past year, we were hard at work establishing our brand and vintage fashion project. In the upcoming year, we plan to keep exploring the world with our son Yoyo.

New Year’s Wish: Peace and joy for all of our family and friends.

 

Styled and photographed by his parents, Yoyo is a young fashion icon from Hangzhou who’s attracted a large following with his fashionable yet adorable looks. See the original story, including an original video, by clicking here.

 

“2017 has been a busy one, but also quite a joyous year. We’ve been working hard to establish an online store for our fashion brand UNSME, and at the same time, we’re also trying to do something with vintage accessories and clothing. Yoyo has grown up a lot since we last caught up as well, so we treasure every shoot we do with him. We see these photos as documentation of his childhood.

“We don’t have that many plans set in stone for this upcoming year, but we do intend on spending even more time to hang out with Yoyo and discover the world around us. We’re also looking forward to getting started on a shoot that we’ve been commissioned to do by a fashion brand. Whatever happens, our goal is to just have a good time.”

“Every year, we go back to our hometown and spend Chinese New Year with our families. This year, we’ll be bringing a GoPro, and we plan to shoot some snapshots of our family getting together and parts of our daily life. We not only want to capture our good times with Yoyo but want to create memories with the entire family. For the New Year, our wish is for our family and friends to stay in good health and have a joy-filled road ahead!”


时髦 Icon @无敌宥先生

去年 一直在忙线上服饰品牌和复古街头服饰 ,来年 会拿出更多时间和 yo 一起去发现
新年愿望 亲友平安喜乐 

 

这位酷酷的时尚界新鲜血液名叫 Yoyo,爸妈在社交网络上晒出了独特的穿衣风格,加之 yoyo 天生的超强镜头感立即吸引了大批粉丝。往期报道请戳这里

 

“2017 年特别开心且忙碌,一直在忙我们的线上服饰品牌:UNSME。也一人多职地在做关于复古街头服饰的方方面面。yoyo 又长大了很多,和 yo 一起的每一次拍摄都在记录这一年的变化和成长。新的一年,新的创作还没有具体规划,但会拿出更多的时间来跟 yo 一起去进行新发现吧。也很期待明年的品牌邀约及创意拍摄,一切未知,期待始终是‘有趣’进行时!”

“每年都会回老家跟家人一起过春节,今年带了一台 GoPro,想着能在家拍一些日常,不止是 yoyo,也有跟家人一起的记录。新年愿我们的家人和好友依然平安喜乐,身体健康,万事如意,也希望身边的朋友和认识的人都快乐每一天。”

Contributor: Chen Yuan
Original Contributors: 
David Yen, Shou XingGeorge Zhi ZhaoChen YuanYe Zi


Poetics of Light & Shadow 光影交错间

February 14, 2018 2018年2月14日

Jusung Hyung is a freelance director and photographer based in Seoul, South Korea. He first became introduced to film and photography as a young boy when his father brought home a DSLR and a film camera. Awestruck by these devices, the ability to manipulate time by recording and playing back images would become a lifelong subject of fascination for Hyung.


Jusung Hyung 是来自韩国首尔的一位独立导演兼摄影师。小时候,他的父亲带了一台数码单反相机和电影摄影机回家,从那时起,他就开始接触到电影制作和摄影。Hyung 为这些器材的魅力震慑不已,通过录制和回放图像来操作时间的能力也成为了他一生的热情所在。大学的时候,他就修读了电影和广告专业。

While interested in both, Hyung clearly defines his personal relationships to the parallel mediums of film and photography – filmmaking is his profession, while photography is his hobby. His approach and philosophy towards these two mediums are interconnected, but also fundamentally distinct from one another. Hyung tells us, “When speaking of the difference in method of approach between filmmaking and photography, it’s first important to understand that because film is photographs in motion, the camera’s movements, the storytelling, and the chemistry with the actor are important. Photography is about trying to deliver the message shown in the photograph. If I was to use literature or the act of writing as an example, filmmaking would be like writing a novel or an essay, while photography could be viewed or expressed as a poem.”


虽然同时涉猎摄影与电影,但对Hyung来说,这两种媒介有着截然不同的意义:电影是他的职业,而摄影则是他的爱好。在他的创作方式和理念中,这两种媒介相互关联,但也有着根本性的区别。Hyung告诉我们:“当谈到电影制作和摄影方法的差异时,首先要了解的是,电影其实是动态的照片,相机的移动、故事的讲述以及与演员之间的化学反应都非常重要。而摄影则是要试图传达出照片中显示的信息。如果以文学或写作来比喻,可以说电影制作就像写一篇小说或散文,而摄影则是一首诗。”

Deeply reflective on the philosophical implications of capturing images, Hyung muses on the differences between English and Korean when it comes to how language shapes our everyday perceptions of photography: “It’s something I think about everyday. When I think of the origin of the word photography, in English, the word ‘photography’ can be broken down into two parts to mean light and illustration. However, in Korean calligraphy, the word means to express and show a real scene in its original form. I find the difference in interpretation and understanding of the word very interesting. Personally, the Korean interpretation of expressing and showing an image in its original form is a little bit closer to what I believe.”


Hyung 深刻反思着摄影背后的哲学含义,同时也试图探讨英语和韩语之间的差异,了解语言是如何影响我们平时对摄影的感知:“这是我每天都会思考的事情。譬如摄影的英文 ‘photography’,这个词可以分解成两个部分,分别表示光线和图像的意思。然而,在韩文中,摄影的字面意思是指以其本来的形式展现一个真实的场景。我觉得不同语言对摄影这个词的解释和理解上的差异很有意思。就我个人而言,韩语的字面解释更接近我对摄影的理解。”

Instead of being limited by preconceived notions of personal style, Hyung views his photography as a developing process: “Rather than seeking my own person style or aesthetic, I would say that I wait and observe to see the results of the capture. I would say that until now, I’ve still been in the process of discovering my own photographic philosophy and themes while taking pictures. For me, the important thing is mostly in becoming a photographer with a deep and nuanced eye for pictures.”


Hyung 没有受限于个人风格这种先入为主的观念,在他看来,自己的摄影本来就是一个不断发展的过程:“与其说是追求自己的个人风格或美学,我觉得我更像是在等待和观察,看自己作品会呈现怎样的结果。直到现在,我仍然在探索自己的摄影哲学和主题。对我而言,重要的是成为一名对影像有深入细致的眼光的摄影师。”

Despite the positive exposure that he has recently received for his photography via social media, Hyung remains humble and stays devoted to refining his craft. He says, “Many people call me an artist of photography. However, I don’t feel I’m good enough to deserve that title just yet. When I establish my personal photographic philosophy in detail, I’ll be happy to be called and to call myself an artist.”


尽管他的作品最近在社交媒体上大受欢迎,但 Hyung 仍然保持着谦虚的心态,努力提高自己的摄影技术。他说:“许多人称我为摄影艺术家。不过,我觉得我的能力还不配得上这个头衔。当我能够真正地建立属于自己的摄影哲学时,我很乐意被称为或自称为一名艺术家。”

Websitejusunghyung.com
Instagram: @jusunghyung

 

Contributor: George Zhi Zhao


网站jusunghyung.com
Instagram: @jusunghyung

 

供稿人: George Zhi Zhao

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The Life of a Leaf 叶子的前世今生

February 13, 2018 2018年2月13日

If you take the time to observe the beautiful colors, shapes, and textures of individual tree leaves, it becomes clear that they’re nothing less than wondrous works of art created by Mother Nature herself. But however beautiful, their lives are short-lived. Come winter, Mother Nature wipes the canvas clean – leaves fall from trees and are swept away by the wind, destined to wither into nothingness in her preparations of starting anew in the springtime.

But under the masterful touch of Indonesian artist Adek Dimas Ajisaka, the ephemeral beauty of leaves are not only preserved but amplified to new levels. Ajisaka breathes a second life into fallen leaves by using them as canvases for his impossibly detailed works, which range from standard portraits to replicas of Frida Kahlo’s iconic paintings.


“零落成泥碾作尘”,这大概是大多数凋零的花瓣与叶片的最终归宿。随之消逝的,也有那浑然天成的色彩、形状、纵横交织的脉络。而在来自印尼的年轻的叶雕艺术家 Adek Dimas Ajisaka 的手中,脆弱的叶片肌理被完美地利用起来,甚至精雕细琢地剪刻出梵高、弗里达和更多肖像画。行将消失的枯叶,竟宛若重生。

“It all started from my desire to explore a variety of mediums,” he recalls of his initial inspirations. “I wanted to create on unexpected canvases, so I began considering what could be used as substitutes. Through experimenting, I finally began using leaves in 2014. I only drew on them in the beginning, but I wasn’t quite satisfied by that. Then, the idea to carve images onto them happened.”

While it’s possible for many different types of leaves can be used, Ajisaka favors teak leaves. Their wide surface area, inherent texture, and sturdiness have made it an ideal medium for him.


Adek 用以剪刻的树叶是柚木叶的一种,平坦柚木叶的表面大到足以画出一个物体,而质地又不软不硬,便于作为剪刻的“画布”。对此,Adek 说:“我渴望探索各种艺术媒介,因此想到了许多可以用来代替画布的绘画媒介。用树叶创作的方法始于 2014 年。但若单纯在树叶上作画,我会觉得呈现上还略有欠缺,所以我以剪刻树叶来创作成品。”

Ajisaka attributes the project’s success to a willingness to experiment and receiving the encouragement to do so. But like many other talented individuals, Ajisaka’s ambitious nature continues to expand his personal creative boundaries. He tells us, “It was helpful that the project was strongly supported by my school, the Indonesian Institute of the Arts Yogyakarta, but I experimented a lot. I still try to find new and interesting subjects all the time. I want to make even more art outside of this medium. On the side, I’ve also been practicing a bit of traditional illustration, sculptures, and other various crafts.”


在利用树叶作为艺术媒介的过程中,Adek 受到的启发来自他平时所看到的实验艺术和对身边生活环境的观察结果。在创作的过程中,我做了大量的实验,试图找到有趣的新事物。它也得到了来自我学校 ISI YOGYAKARTA 的主题项目的有力支持。我还会练习绘画技巧,做雕塑和工艺品。”

Being that leaves are such a brittle medium, it may come as no surprise that the toughest aspect of the creation process is for Ajisaka to maintain a steady hand. Any mistake, however minor, can result in the entire leaf being damaged and the work ruined. Aside from the meticulous care that needs to be taken during the creation process, preserving the completed artwork can be equally difficult – he employs special chemicals to embalm each leaf after he’s done with cutting. The chemical hardens it and prevents the leaf from further decay. “It’s similar to how paintings are finished off,” he tells us. “I also layer it with a varnish for extra protection so my leaves can last a long time.”

Despite the painstaking process behind each piece of leaf art, Ajisaka has no plans of stopping. “For me, creating with leaves just feels way more enjoyable,” he tells us. “It’s a unique medium and finishing something feels really rewarding.”


用树叶创作最困难的部分之一,自然就是在细节制作时要非常“小心翼翼”,才不至于被扯破和毁坏。其次就是如何保存树叶——Adek 在这个过程中会添加特制的化学药水,这种药水能够让树叶硬化,且具有防腐作用。“另外我还会给树叶上一层保护层,像画油画那样,使其经久不衰。”

纵使制作叶雕精细且繁琐,树叶却在这个过程中被赐予了另一种生命的力量,Adek 表示这样的创作让他很满足。“最值得称道的是,当树叶制成的作品完成后,较之其他艺术作品,它就显得如此与众不同,拥有着浑然天成的独特性。”

Instagram: @adekdimas_ajisaka

 

Contributor: Chen Yuan


Instagram: @adekdimas_ajisaka

 

Contributor: Chen Yuan

Backs 背影

February 12, 2018 2018年2月12日

Seeing a person from behind can elicit different emotions in different individuals. For many, it’s a perspective that’s commonly associated with farewells, with watching a person walk away, and with the feelings of loneliness and sadness that follow. Gwen Yip is a Hong Kong-born painter and illustrator whose ongoing project, Backs, attempts to capture these emotions through a series of paintings that depict faceless strangers in various cityscapes. Using minimal compositions and a palette of subdued colors, the three-part series gently ushers viewers into the streets and subway stations of Hong Kong, London, and New York, cities where Yip have once called home. Aside from serving as the backdrop of the series, Yip cites the unique energy of these three metropolises as having largely contributed to her artistic process as a whole. Humbly, she tells us, “I paint what I see and feel.”


说到背影,我们或许会想到那一幕幕离别的车站,或者课本中那蹒跚老去的父母亲人,他们渐行渐远消失于某个路口,万千情绪随之涌上心头。这就是 Gwen Yip 2010 年起就创作至今的系列,名为《背影》。她捕捉到了这些城市中人们形形色色的背影,并佐以简洁又沉郁的背景,如空荡荡的街道和地铁站台。辗转在伦敦、香港、纽约生活和工作的 Gwen 淡然地说,我画下我所看到的、我所感受到的一切。它们都是我生活中重要的一部分。

Since the series began in 2010, Yip has maintained an atmosphere of purposeful ambiguity in each painting. The subjects she portrays carry a sense of familiarity yet are vastly unique in their own right. Her use of muted color is deliberate, designed to not overpower the scene. The ambivalence is meant to invite viewers to fill in the blanks with their own imagination and draw on their own personal experiences to come up with their own interpretations of the work. Yip’s artist statement sums it up: “We all carry things on our backs. Some shoulder burdens and regrets and others carry dreams and hopes. Some scarcely bear them and others delightedly bring them wherever they go. What do you carry on your back? For me, I’d like to not carry anything around. I want to be completely free.”


细细端详画中人的背影,分明很相似,却又各不相同。或明或暗的色调也给人以不同的遐想。我们每个人都会背负着一些东西。有些人肩负着遗憾和悔恨,而有些人承载着梦想和希望;有些人几乎什么都不带,而有些人无论去哪都会兴高采烈地带着它们。你在肩头又扛着些什么呢?而我想什么都不带,轻装上阵。

Backs is a depiction of the anxiety and existential angst that arises from living in urban environments; it confronts the issue of loneliness, a feeling that’s often amplified in populated cities. To visualize these alienating feelings, Yip places her subjects into quiet, barren locations that are normally abuzz with activity. “In big cities, like most people, I find myself surrounded by a lot of strangers every day,” she comments. “Everyone is in such a hurry. Seeing them from behind, I wonder where they came from and where they are going. I capture these moments because I’m curious about their untold stories, and I want to invite my viewers to feel a similar sense of curiosity about the strangers in their lives.”


画的主旨在于城市存在主义,亦关乎人们城市生活中的孤独感。城市的背景随着 Gwen 个人行迹的改变而改变。Gwen 说,在大城市里,我也像大多数人一样,每天都被包围在很多陌生人的环境中。人们来来去去,行色匆匆。在背后看着他们的时候,我很想知道他们是从哪里来的,又想要到哪里去。背影蕴含的未知故事,让我想捕捉下这样的瞬间,再留给看画的人们一并去遐想。” 

Website: www.myyip.com
Instagram: @gwen.yip

 

Contributor: Chen Yuan


网站: www.myyip.com
Instagram: @gwen.yip

 

供稿人: Chen Yuan