Monthly Archives: March 2016

Stacking Hasami Ceramics

March 31, 2016 2016年3月31日

25,000 pieces of Japanese crockery – consisting of bowls, plates, and cups, all stacked neatly on top of another, layer upon layer. This was how this magnificent elevated floor, built solely from ceramics, was created. Wooden tables sit on top, with a selection of ceramic tableware available for purchase neatly arranged on them. A small set of brick steps leads visitors up onto the platform, where they are able to walk freely on this stunning installation. High heels, however, are not recommended. This display of engineering ingenuity can be found at the flagship store of the renowned Japanese ceramics company Maruhiro.

層を成して整然と積み重ねられた鉢、皿、茶碗からなる25,000個の日本の陶器。こうして、陶器だけで組み立てられたこの素晴らしい高床が作り出されました。その上に置かれた木製のテーブルには、販売用の陶器の食器がきちんと並べられています。レンガ製の小さな階段を登って壇上に上がると、この見事なインスタレーションの上を自由に歩くことができます。但し、ハイヒール着用でのご利用はご遠慮ください。この工学的創造性にあふれた展示作品は、有名な陶器会社マルヒロの旗艦店でご覧いただけます。

Maruhiro is located in Hasami, Japan, at the junction between Nagasaki and Saga prefectures. This area has a 400 year history with manufacturing ceramics, and is well known for its pottery and porcelain. Hasami is considered to be a central hub for quality Japanese porcelain – the rural but famed town has, in fact, become synonymous with Japanese ceramics. In April of last year, Maruhiro unveiled the complete overhaul and redesign of their flagship store. Through a contemporary reinterpretation of traditional ceramics design, the store has become one of the most unique and must-see destinations in the area.

マルヒロは、長崎県と佐賀県が交差する波佐見町にあります。この地域は、陶器の制作に400年の歴史を誇り、陶磁器で広く知られています。日本の高級磁器の中心といわれる波佐見町は、田園地帯にありながらも高名な町であり、事実上日本の磁器の代名詞となりました。マルヒロは昨年4月、同社の旗艦店の修整作業および再設計を発表しました。伝統的な陶器デザインの現代的な再解釈を経て、この旗艦店はこの地域で屈指のユニークかつ必見の場所となりました。

Japanese designer Yusuke Seki is the mastermind behind the store’s redesign. He was inspired to pursue a career as a professional designer after the Great Hanshin earthquake, when his hometown had to be rebuilt after the disaster. His creative approach is to reinterpret and rethink the essential aspects of a particular design, embracing simplicity and minimalism above all else. Yusuke’s inspiration often comes from things which already exist, such as material, location, and history. The function is, of course, essential in the conceptualization of his designs, but he also takes the surrounding environment and space into careful consideration. He likes to include the traditional tried-and-true design techniques from the past, and bring it together with completely modern elements.

建築デザイナー関祐介氏は、この旗艦店再設計の影の立役者です。関氏は、阪神淡路大震災で大きな被害を受けた故郷の再建を目の当たりにしたのち、プロのデザイナーとしてのキャリアの追求に目覚めました。関氏の独創的なアプローチは、何よりも簡潔性とミニマリズムを活用しつつ、特定のデザインの本質的側面を再解釈および再考することです。関氏のインスピレーションは、物質、場所、歴史など、既存の物事から得られることが多いものです。当然、機能が氏のデザインの概念化に不可欠なものとはいえ、周囲の環境や空間も慎重に考慮しています。関氏は、過去から受け継がれ、実証された伝統的なデザイン技術を取り入れ、まったく現代的な要素と組み合わせる手法を好んで用いています。

For this project, Yusuke decided on using tableware deemed to be flawed and unusable after the initial bisque-firing. He managed to acquire these unwanted objects, which are also known as shinikiji, from some local production facilities in bulk amounts, and after collecting enough of it, Yusuke began filling them up with cement to transform them into the building blocks to be used for the elevated platform. Through his creativity, he managed to give these discarded elements a second life, and showcase their inherent beauty in a new way. The end result is a gorgeous piece of installation art that compliments the store space and reflects the brand’s ethos perfectly. Yusuke Seki’s design marries architectural knowledge with the artisanal expertise of the Hasami region, and in so doing, created a unique location and situation-specific experience. The next time you are in Japan, be sure to give the Maruhiro store a visit!

このプロジェクトに際し、関氏は、死に生地とも呼ばれる、最初のビスク焼成後に傷が入り、使いものにならないと判断された食器を使うことにしました。氏はこれら不要の物体を地域の生産施設から大量に買い取り、十分な量を集めた時点で、それらの器にセメントを詰め、高床を構成するブロックに変えたのです。その創造性を通じて、関氏はこれらの廃棄物に第二の命を吹き込み、本来の美しさを新たな形で展示することに成功しました。その結果、店舗の空間を引き立たせ、ブランド精神を完璧に反映する見事なインスタレーション作品となりました。関祐介氏のデザインは、建築知識と波佐見地方の職人の専門技能を融合するものとなり、ユニークな場所とその場所ならではの経験を作り上げます。お近くにお越しの際は、マルヒロの旗艦店に是非お立ち寄りください。

Address:
775-7 Toyaotsu, Arita,
Nishimatsu-ura, Saga 844-0014
Japan

Hours:
10:00am ~ 5:00 pm
Closed Wednesdays & Every 3rd Saturday and Sunday

Website:
hasamiyaki.jp
yusukeseki.com

住所:
日本佐賀県西松浦郡有田町戸矢乙775-7

営業時間:
10:00～17:00
定休日: 毎週水曜，第3土・日曜

ウェブサイト:
hasamiyaki.jp
yusukeseki.com

Contributor: Banny Wang
Photographer: Takumi Ota
Images Courtesy of Yusuke Seki

寄稿者: Banny Wang
カメラマン: Takumi Ota
Images Courtesy of Yusuke Seki

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On the Road with Kenzo Ejiri

March 30, 2016 2016年3月30日

Kenzo Ejiri is a Japanese-Australian photographer, graphic designer and architect. He is currently a designer by profession, but his passion for photography has led him to become the award-winning photographer he is today. In 2015, Kenzo’s portrait entitled My Father and Mother, part of the series Tokyo Revisited, was included in the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize at London’s National Portrait Gallery, one of the country’s high-profile photography prizes. He recently spoke with us about his prolific career as a photographer.

ケンゾー・エジリ氏は、日系オーストラリア人の写真家であり、グラフィックデザイナーであり、 建築家でもあります。多文化の家庭で育ったエジリ氏の受け持つ分野も多様です。エジリ氏の職 業はデザイナーであり、娯楽として行う写真撮影は、受賞歴があります。2015 年、Tokyo Revisited シリーズの一部であるエジリ氏の肖像写真「My Father and Mother」は、ロンドンナシ ョナルポートレートギャラリーのイギリス有数の写真賞である、テイラー・ウェッシング・ポー トレート写真賞(Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize)受賞作品の一つとなりました。最近、写真家としての豊富なキャリアについて、エジリ氏に話してもらいました。

Neocha: You work across several different disciplines, from web and application design to photography and architecture. How did you get started with these different disciplines along the way?

Kenzo: I think it’s down to me being a “grass is greener” kind of person, meaning I have a short attention span. I like to continuously learn new things without ever really knowing what I want to be in the long run. I have a good feeling that I will always be like this. I don’t mind bouncing between different disciplines. I knew from relatively early on that I wanted to be doing something design related or just something in the creative field. So while I was in university, I thought that I would choose a subject which would allow flexibility, something in creativity, design, or architecture. I knew that if I trained as an architect, I would be able to go into other creative fields if I wanted to change my mind. It also helps that both my parents are architects.

Neocha: あなたの作品は、ウェブ・アプリケーションのデザイン、写真、そして建築というように、いくつかの分野にわたっています。異なる分野を習得した経緯をお聞かせください？

Kenzo: それは、自分自身に理由があります。私は、「他人のものが何でもよく見える」と思うタイプの人間であり、注意力が持続する期間が短いのです。長続きするかどうかあまりわからずに新しいことを学び続けることが好きです。新しいことを絶え間なく学ぶことは、心地よいことです。キ ャリアの比較的初期から、デザイン的なことや、単に創造的なことをしたくなるだろうと思って おり、大学では創造やデザインでかなり柔軟になれる建築を選ぶだろうと考えてはいましたが、 異なる分野をあれこれと試すことを厭いません。建築家としての訓練を受ければ、気が変わると 他のクリエイティブな分野に転向するだろうということは、わかっていました。また、両親が建 築家であったことも助かりました。

Neocha: How do you describe the importance of all those disciplines for you as an artist? For example, how do you differentiate what you do for the sake of art and what you do toward developing your career?

Kenzo: To be honest, I like to keep them separate. I’ve never really focused on photography as a career role because I didn’t want to taint it or rely on it. As soon as there’s pressure or a goal with photography, it can be easy to start to not enjoy it, so I’ve always kept it as my hobby that I can resort to and enjoy. I design for my career and take photos for enjoyment or as you said for “the sake of art”.

Neocha: 芸術家として、これら全ての分野の重要性について述べていただけますか?例えば、芸術のための仕事と、どちらかというとキャリアのための仕事をどう区別しますか?

Kenzo: 率直に言うと、自分はそれぞれを別々のことにしておく方です。写真撮影に染まることや、そ れを頼ることはしたくはないので、職業の役割として写真撮影に集中したことは全くありませ ん。写真撮影は、プレッシャーや目標ができるとすぐに楽しいものではなくなってしまうことで しょう。このため、写真は常に趣味の一つとして楽しんでいます。したがって、デザインはキャ リアのために行い、写真は楽しみのため、先ほどおっしゃった「芸術のため」に撮影していま す。

Neocha: You like traveling – what does the term “on the road” mean to you?

Kenzo: On the road to me means a good thing. It means travelling without really knowing or minding where you’ll end up. I did this around China and through Tibet, hitchhiking and going wherever the car, bus, bike would go.

I take pictures of places that I get inspired by, Tokyo definitely has a certain appeal that come across well in photos. A lot of it is down to the simple fact that I travel there every year to see family. If I travel anywhere, I’ll probably be taking pictures. If I’ve never been somewhere before that’s when I take the most pictures, like a true tourist.

Neocha: 旅行がお好きですよね。「旅に出る」とはあなたにどのような意味があるのでしょうか?

Kenzo: 旅に出ることは、良いことです。つまり、目的地を把握したり考えたりせずに、旅行をするこ とです。中国のあちこちやチベットの至るところでヒッチハイクや車、バス、自転車で行き先を 気にせずに、旅行をしました。

インスピレーションを受けた場所で写真を撮ります。東京は、写真を上手く撮れるような特定の 魅力があることは確かです。こうしたことの多くは、ただ私が毎年家族に会うために東京を訪れ るという単純なことが理由です。どこへでも旅行をするとしても、きっと写真を撮っているでしょう。初めて訪れる場所にいたとしても、その時は、まさしく旅行者のようにほとんどの写真を 撮影するでしょう。

Neocha: How people usually react to your camera in a strange place?

Kenzo: I get the same reaction anywhere I take photos. I try not to invade people’s space or privacy, but it’s all relative to the person you’re taking a picture of. So I wouldn’t say there’s any difference. Of course, the more touristy a city or place is, the harder it is to take photos. I guess all the locals are kind of tired of having their photo taken. This was definitely the case in Morocco. Most of the time wherever I take photos I can get away with taking the photo by giving them a big smile. But it doesn’t work every time.

Neocha: 変な場所であなたのカメラを向けられる人達は、普通どう反応しますか?

Kenzo: どこで写真を撮る時も、反応は同じです。他の人達の心理的縄張りやプライバシーに踏み込も うとはしませんが、反応は全て被写体となる人によるので、反応が違うとは言えないと思いま す。もちろん、街や場所が観光地化されるほど、地元の人達は皆、写真を撮られることに少々う んざりしていると思うので、写真を撮るのは難しくなります。疑いなく、モロッコは、そういう ところでした。どこで撮影しても、ほとんどの場合、笑顔をすれば写真をただで撮らせてもらう ことはできますが、毎回それが可能ではありません。

Neocha: What’s your most memorable experience of confrontation between you and your subjects?

Kenzo: The most confrontational time was when I was taking pictures of the London riots that took place in the summer of 2011. I remember being surrounded, and I managed to talk my way out of a situation by deleting a lot of my photos, as people were worried I would report them to the police. I still managed to get some good shots, but I was a lot younger and more naive then.

Neocha: あなたと被写体の間での最も記憶に残っている対立は何でしたか?

Kenzo: 最も対立したのは、2011 年夏に起きたロンドンの暴動を撮影していた時でした。人々は警察に 通報されることを懸念しており、私は囲まれ、多くの写真を削除して、何とか話してその場を逃 れたことを覚えています。それでも、良く撮れた写真を何枚か得ることはできましたが、その 頃、私は今よりずっと若くナイーブでした。

Neocha: Have you ever felt in-between cultures and how do you handle it? How do you interpret this feeling in your work?

Kenzo: I always feel in-between cultures but I’ve never seen it as a bad thing. I’m half Australian and half Japanese, and the way I see it is I’m getting the best of both worlds and perspectives. It’s a key thing in my photography, I like to take pictures of things that are very different to what I’m used to and I try to make it interesting with little tricks. The tricks could be with lighting, or where I put my subjects. All in all, what I’m technically doing with my photos is reflecting what I am already seeing – which is something different. I try to avoid taking the photo that everyone else is taking or has taken. That’s always something that I’ve done and my friends encourages me and tells me I have to be different. Sometimes that’s a good thing, sometimes it’s a bad thing.

Neocha: 異文化の間にいると感じたことはありますか?また、そうしたことをどう扱いますか?仕事で そのような感覚をどう捉えますか?

Kenzo: 文化の間にいるということは、常に感じていますが、それをネガティブにとらえたことは一切 ありません。私は半分オーストラリア人で半分日本人であるので、そうした生き方を常にしてき ました。しかし、双方の世界または視点の最も良いところを持っているという見方をしていま す。それは、私の写真撮影における重要な点です。これまで慣れ親しんだこととかなり異なる物 の撮影をすることが好きで、ちょっとしたトリックを使い面白く見えるように撮るのです。その トリックとは、光や被写体の置き方かもしれません。技術的に言えば、私が写真で行っている全 ては、どこか他とは異なった自分が既に見ていることを反映させることです。他の誰もが撮影し ている写真や、既に撮影した写真の撮影は避けようとします。これは、私がこれまで行ってきた ことであり、友達が指摘することです。他と違うように撮影しなければならないのです。それは 時により良いことであったり、悪いことであったりします。

Website: kenzokenzo.com


Contributor: Shanshan Chen

ウェブサイト: kenzokenzo.com


寄稿者: Shanshan Chen

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Uttaporn Nimmalaikaew

March 29, 2016 2016年3月29日

Uttaporn Nimmalaikaew is a Bangkok-based painter who uses netting to create unique works of art. His portraits, suspended on layers and layers of mosquito nets, tulle, and thread, appear three-dimensional in a very analog and tangible way. As a student, he accidentally discovered this technique when paint splashed on a nearby mosquito net. The material gave way to new dimensions of painting. Using this technique, Uttaporn painted mostly portraits of his family members – especially his mother, who is an important source of inspiration for him. Neocha spoke to him recently about his process and the themes behind his work.

อัฐพร นิมมาลัยแก้วเป็นศิลปินจากกรุงเทพมหานครผู้ใช้ตาข่ายในการสร้างงานศิลปะที่เป็นเอกลักษณ์ ภาพใบหน้าของเขาซึ่งแขวนอยู่บนผ้าขาวบางหลายชั้น มุ้งกันยุงและด้ายดูเหมือนเป็นภาพสามมิติซึ่งมีความหมายในเชิงอุปมานเป็นอย่างมากและสัมผัสได้ เมื่อสมัยที่เขาเป็นนักเรียน เขาได้ค้นพบเทคนิคนี้โดยบังเอิญเมื่อมีสีสาดใส่มุ้งกันยุงที่อยู่ใกล้เคียง วัสดุนั้นมอบมุมมองในการสร้างภาพแบบใหม่ให้กับเขา ด้วยการใช้เทคนิคนี้ อัฐพรวาดภาพส่วนใหญ่ของสมาชิกครอบครัวและแม่ของเขาผู้ซึ่งเป็นแรงบันดาลใจหลักของเขา เราได้พูดคุยกับเขาเมื่อเร็ว ๆ นี้ถึงกระบวนการการทำงานของเขาและธีมภายหลังงานของเขา

Neocha: How did you first get started as an artist? When did you decide to experiment with mosquito net and tulle? Why did you choose these materials instead of more traditional painting media?

Uttaporn: I started in 2001 when I sent my work to art competitions. I am not only an artist, but also a full-time lecturer at the university. At the time, I was painting, but I thought that just painting on canvas wasn’t enough. I needed a way to make it unique. I tried many new techniques, and experimented with using different materials until I discovered painting on tulle by accident. I was sleeping in the mosquito net at my studio and I noticed a spot of paint on it. I saw the special properties of the material. Mosquito net is sparse: it wavers, it’s movable, and the layers can create the illusion of popping out. Nobody used this technique at the time. I found painting on tulle can represent emotions and senses very well because of the materials’ own properties. It is transparent and dimensional, which results in a mystical and attractive look. I’ve been developing both this technique and the concepts behind my work ever since then.

Neocha: คุณเริ่มเป็นศิลปินได้อย่างไร? คุณตัดสินใจเริ่มทดลองใช้มุ้งกันยุงและผ้าขาวบางเมื่อใด? ทำไมคุณถึงเลือกใช้วัสดุเหล่านี้แทนวัสดุการวาดภาพแบบดั้งเดิม?

Uttaporn: ผมเริ่มในปี 2001 ตอนที่ผมส่งงานของผมไปร่วมการแข่งขันศิลปะ ผมไม่ได้เป็นเพียงศิลปินแต่ยังเป็นอาจารย์ประจำในมหาวิทยาลัยอีกด้วย ในขณะนั้นผมได้วาดรูปแล้วแต่คิดว่าการวาดรูปบนผืนผ้าใบนั้นยังไม่เพียงพอ; ผมต้องการวิธีที่จะทำให้มันเป็นเอกลักษณ์ ผมทดลองเทคนิคอันหลากหลายโดยใช้วัสดุต่าง ๆ มากมายจนกระทั่งผมค้นพบการวาดภาพบนผ้าขาวบางโดยบังเอิญ ผมกำลังหลับอยู่ในสตูดิโอของผมและผมสังเกตเห็นจุดสีบนนั้น ผมเห็นลักษณะพิเศษของวัสดุ เส้นของมุ้งกันยุงแต่ละเส้นนั้นห่างกัน มันพลิ้วไหว มันเคลื่อนไหวได้ และเมื่อซ้อนกันเป็นชั้น มันสามารถสร้างภาพลวงตาว่ามันนูนขึ้นมาได้ในขณะนั้นไม่มีใครใช้เทคนิคนี้ การวาดภาพบนผ้าขาวบางสื่อถึงอารมณ์และความรู้สึกได้เป็นอย่างดีเนื่องด้วยลักษณะของวัสดุ มันโปร่งแสงและมีมิติ ซึ่งสร้างรูปแบบที่ลึกลับและน่าสนใจได้ หลังจากนั้นผมก็ได้พัฒนาทั้งเทคนิคและแนวคิดภายหลังงานของผม

Neocha: Can you tell us about your work process? How do you work from initial concept to the finished piece of art? Since your work is so layered and multi-dimensional, how do you envision the final creation beforehand? Do you use photography, sketching, modeling, or any other methods?

Uttaporn: My work processes differs depending on the project and artworks themselves. Sometimes, I print out the base layer, and on top, I paint to create the first layer. Sometimes, I only paint on the fabric for all the layers, and put them together until they create a 3D illusion. Sometimes I don’t paint, but instead use scissors or a soldering pen to cut on the fabric in order to have more diverse pieces of work.

Generally, I do plan my work and how I will paint it by sketching first. I will check the sizes and dimensions of the objects that should be on each layer. On the first layer, I paint the subject clearly and complete the configuration of the overall shape. On the next layers, I only paint the particular areas that I want to focus on and pop out. On the last layer, I paint the details of the subject such as the nose, mouth, fingers and feet.

Neocha: ช่วยบอกเราถึงขั้นตอนการทำงานของคุณได้หรือไม่ – คุณเริ่มจากแนวคิดไปจนถึงการทำผลงานให้เสร็จสิ้นอย่างไรบ้าง? เนื่องจากผลงานของคุณมีหลายชั้นและหลายมิติมาก คุณจินตนาการถึงผลงานเมื่อเสร็จสิ้นได้อย่างไร? คุณใช้การถ่ายภาพ การร่างภาพ การสร้างโมเดลหรือวิธีการอื่น ๆ หรือไม่?

Uttaporn: ผลงานของผมแตกต่างกันไปตามโปรเจกต์และผลงานศิลปะนั้น ๆ บางครั้งผมก็พิมพ์เลเยอร์พื้นฐานออกมาก่อน แล้วก็วาดลงไปบนนั้นเพื่อสร้างชั้นแรก บางครั้งผมก็วาดบนผ้าอย่างเดียวเพื่อสร้างทุกชั้นขึ้นมา แล้ววางมันซ้อนกันให้เกิดภาพลวงตาแบบ 3D บางครั้งผมก็ไม่ได้วาดเลย แต่จะใช้กรรไกรหรือปากกาบัดกรีในการตัดผ้าออกมาเพื่อให้ผลงานศิลปะนั้นดูมีเทคนิคที่หลากหลายยิ่งขึ้น

โดยรวมแล้ว ผมมีการวางแผนการทำงานและวิธีการวาดมันก่อนด้วยการร่าย ผมจะตรวจสอบขนาดและมิติของวัตถุที่ต้องอยู่บนแต่ละชั้น ในชั้นแรก ผมจะวาดวัตถุนั้นให้ชัดเจนและทำให้ส่วนต่าง ๆ ของรูปทรงรวมนั้นสมบูรณ์ ในชั้นถัดไป ผมจะวาดเฉพาะพื้นที่เฉพาะที่ผมต้องการใส่ใจและอยากให้มันโดดเด่น ในชั้นสุดท้าย ผมจะวาดรายละเอียดของตัวบุคคลนั้น ๆ เช่น จมูก ปาก นิ้วและเท้า

Neocha: Through your unique work process, what is the biggest challenge? What piece was the most difficult to conceive of?

Uttaporn: The most difficult part is measuring the distance between the layers which need to be placed correctly to create the 3D illusion for the viewer. This takes some time for me to plan out. The pieces which challenge me the most are the ones which incorporate objects, such as a chair or a bed. I also have to plan how to have them match up and incorporated into the illusion. For many pieces of my artworks, I do a lot of trials beforehand. I would say my artwork is a mixture of painting and sculpture.

Neocha: ในขั้นตอนการทำงานอันพิเศษของคุณนี้ มีอะไรเป็นความท้าทายที่ยิ่งใหญ่ที่สุด? ผลงานชิ้นใดเป็นชิ้นที่ผลิตออกมายากที่สุด?

Uttaporn: ส่วนที่ยากที่สุดคือการวัดระยะทางระหว่างแต่ละเลเยอร์ ซึ่งมันต้องได้รับการวาดให้ถูกต้องเพื่อที่ผู้ชมจะได้เกิดภาพลวงตาแบบ 3D ผมต้องใช้เวลาสักเล็กน้อยในการทำความเข้าใจจุดนี้  ผลงานที่ท้าทายตัวผมมากที่สุดคือผลงานซึ่งประกอบไปด้วยวัตถุต่าง ๆ เช่นเก้าอี้หรือเตียง ผมยังต้องวางแผนให้กับมันเป็นอย่างมาก เพื่อให้มันเข้ากันได้ดีและประกอบกันเป็นภาพลวงตา สำหรับผลงานส่วนใหญ่ ผมจะทดลองเป็นจำนวนหลายครั้ง มันเป็นส่วนผสมระหว่างการวาดและประติมากรรม เพื่อก่อให้เกิดผลงานศิลปะขึ้นมา 

Neocha: Birth, life, and death are prominent themes in your work. What attracts you to these themes and who are the characters you portray?

Uttaporn: I am personally interested in the truth of life, which is referred from Buddha’s teaching, but I represent his teaching in my own way. I use my own experiences and feelings to interpret his teachings, but I’m open for others to interpret my work in their own way as well. My art is inspired by seeing my family members, such as my father, mother, sister and other beloved ones – and how they are changing in bodies and in minds. My parents are getting older and older. My sister who fights to live, which makes me aware, concerned, worried and even scared of that change. These feelings motivate me to create the artworks using this tulle technique. This truth, called dhukka, is something that happens to everybody. After seeing my work, I hope people will consider it more, and even begin to accept it.

Neocha: ช่วยบอกเราถึงขั้นตอนการทำงานของคุณได้หรือไม่ – คุณเริ่มจากแนวคิดไปจนถึงการทำผลงานให้เสร็จสิ้นอย่างไรบ้าง? เนื่องจากผลงานของคุณมีหลายชั้นและหลายมิติมาก คุณจินตนาการถึงผลงานเมื่อเสร็จสิ้นได้อย่างไร? คุณใช้การถ่ายภาพ การร่างภาพ การสร้างโมเดลหรือวิธีการอื่น ๆ หรือไม่?

Uttaporn: ผลงานของผมแตกต่างกันไปตามโปรเจกต์และผลงานศิลปะนั้น ๆ บางครั้งผมก็พิมพ์เลเยอร์พื้นฐานออกมาก่อน แล้วก็วาดลงไปบนนั้นเพื่อสร้างชั้นแรก บางครั้งผมก็วาดบนผ้าอย่างเดียวเพื่อสร้างทุกชั้นขึ้นมา แล้ววางมันซ้อนกันให้เกิดภาพลวงตาแบบ 3D บางครั้งผมก็ไม่ได้วาดเลย แต่จะใช้กรรไกรหรือปากกาบัดกรีในการตัดผ้าออกมาเพื่อให้ผลงานศิลปะนั้นดูมีเทคนิคที่หลากหลายยิ่งขึ้น

โดยรวมแล้ว ผมมีการวางแผนการทำงานและวิธีการวาดมันก่อนด้วยการร่าย ผมจะตรวจสอบขนาดและมิติของวัตถุที่ต้องอยู่บนแต่ละชั้น ในชั้นแรก ผมจะวาดวัตถุนั้นให้ชัดเจนและทำให้ส่วนต่าง ๆ ของรูปทรงรวมนั้นสมบูรณ์ ในชั้นถัดไป ผมจะวาดเฉพาะพื้นที่เฉพาะที่ผมต้องการใส่ใจและอยากให้มันโดดเด่น ในชั้นสุดท้าย ผมจะวาดรายละเอียดของตัวบุคคลนั้น ๆ เช่น จมูก ปาก นิ้วและเท้า

Website: uttaporn.blogspot.com
Facebook: ~/Uttaporn-Nimmalaikaew

 

Contributor: Jia Li

เว็บไซต์: uttaporn.blogspot.com
Facebook: ~/Uttaporn-Nimmalaikaew

 

ผู้สนับสนุน: Jia Li

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The Playful World of Ina Jang

March 28, 2016 2016年3月28日

Ina Jang is a photographer from South Korea whose work incorporates collage, paper, and sketches. Often surreal and minimal, there is a playfulness to her work which makes viewers look twice. Although she was born in South Korea, she’s lived in Japan and New York, graduating from SVA with a degree in photography. Her work is shown in galleries worldwide and she is recognized as a promising emerging young photographer to watch. We spoke to her about her inspiration and conceptual process.

장이나는 대한 민국 출신의 포토그라퍼로 콜라주, 종이, 스케치를 혼합하여 작품 작업을 합니다. 자주 초현실적이고 미니멀적이어서, 그녀의 작품은 관람객들이 두 번 보게끔 하는 장난스러움이 포함되어 있습니다. 대한 민국에서 태어났으나, 일본과 뉴욕에서 살았고, SVA에서 사진학의 학위를 받으며 졸업했습니다. 그녀의 작품들은 전세계의 갤러리에서 전시되고 있으며, 그녀는 촉망받고 떠오르는 젊은 포토그라퍼로 인식되고 있습니다.  그녀에게 그녀의 영감과 개념적인 과정에 대해 물어 보았습니다.

Neocha: Can you tell us a bit about your background and how you got started in photography?

Ina: I was born and raised in Seoul, Korea and then I spent a little while in Japan before eventually moving to New York. My mother gave me a Lomo LC-A camera as a birthday gift, and taking photographs immediately became my daily routine. At first, I started photographing almost everything that interested my eyes as if I was using a cameraphone. Later, when nothing was left to be photographed, I started planning photoshoots with my younger sister, who then lived with me in Tokyo. When I noticed that photography became a huge part of my daily life, I decided to study photography and applied to the school in New York.

As I grew up in metropolitans entire my life, it never really felt like that there is a huge difference between Seoul and Tokyo or Tokyo and New York. With or without my realization, I believe that having lived in these three big cities, they must have an influence on everything I do. After living in New York for almost ten years, now whenever I visit Seoul or Tokyo, I get inspired by little details that I had not noticed before from each city; such as interesting graphic quality of Hangul or pristine and clear afternoon light in Tokyo. Recently, noticing these mundane values started creating a strange relationship between me and old memories which is a great source of inspiration.

Neocha: 당신의 배경과 왜 사진을 시각하게 되었는지 말씀해 주시겠습니까?

이나: 저는 대한 민국 서울에서 태어나고 자라났습니다, 그리고 뉴욕으로 옮기기 전 일본에서 잠시 살았습니다. 저의 어머니는 저에게 Lomo LC-A 카메라를 생일 선물로 주셨고, 즉시 사진을 찍는 것이 하루의 일과가 되었습니다. 처음에는 제가 카메라폰을 사용하는 것처럼, 저의 눈에 흥미로로운 거의 모든 것을 사진 찍기 시작했습니다. 이후에는 더이상 사진을 찍을 것이 남아있지 않을 때, 당시 도쿄에서 저와 함께 살고 있던 제 여동생과 사진을 찍을 계획을 세우기 시작했습니다. 제가 사진찍는 것이 제 하루 일과 중의 중요한 부분이 되어있는 것을 알아차릴 때, 그 순간 저는 좀더 사진을 공부하기로 결심했고, 뉴욕의 학교에 지원을 했습니다.

저는 평생을 대도시에서 자라났기 때문에, 서울과 도쿄 또는 도쿄와 뉴욕 사이에 큰 차이가 있다는 것을 느껴 보지 못했습니다. 깨닫던 깨닫지 못하던 간에, 제가 이 세개의 큰 도시에서 살았다는 사실이 제가 하는 모든 것에 영향을 틀림없이 주었을 것이라고 믿습니다. 뉴욕에서 거의 10년 가까이 살아온 이후에, 이제 서울 또는 도쿄를 방문할 때 마다, 제가 이전에 각 도시에서 발견하지 못했던 작은 싱세한 것들에 의해 영감을 받습니다. 예를 들면,  흥미로운 한글의 그래픽적인 품질이라던지 도쿄의 말끔하고 깨끗한 오후의 빛입니다. 최근에 이러한 일상적인 가치들을 발견함으로, 저와 큰 영감의 근원이 되는 예전 추억들간의 이상한 관계를 만들기 시작했습니다. 

Neocha: Your work has a very strong and distinct aesthetic. Visually, what are you drawn toward?

Ina: Simply put, I am drawn to minimal, elegant and obscure things. It’s hard to describe further in words as they seem to be intuitive. I like seeing blank papers, wooden craft blocks, and colorful ambiguous shapes just to name a few.

Neocha: 당신의 작품은 매우 강하고 뛰어나게 심미적입니다. 시각적으로, 무엇을 그리고자 합니까?

이나: 간단히 말해서, 저는 미니멀하고, 우아하며, 모호한 것들을 그립니다. 그것들은 직감적으로 보이기 때문에 좀 더 말로 표현하기는 어렵습니다.  저는 두 서너가지 예를 들면, 텅빈 종이, 나무 공예 토막, 알록달록한 여러가지 모양의 모양들을 보는 것을 좋아합니다.

Neocha: Can you tell us a little bit more about your work process? How do you translate your ideas from your mind into a sketch, then into a photographic composition, onto real people, models or friends?

Ina: My ideas are already very visual even before translating them into sketches. Sketching started as a reminder for myself to remember what the ideas are. It works as a type of language to me. There isn’t much of a huge transition from my mind to sketches. Usually, since the sketches are made for, and to be replaced by, photography, they aren’t too different most of times. So I always try to cast right people, and find the right location to realize these ideas. But I do enjoy making unforeseen decisions in the shoot or during post. As I work with people mostly, there are always unexpected circumstances. To be able to make images in those situations, I always need to be open-minded and be able to deal with problems quickly. Sometimes, I walk out the shoot with better images when things weren’t written in the script and I had to improvise some ideas.

Neocha: 당신의 작업 과정에 대해 좀 더 말씀해 주시겠습니까 – 어떻게 당신의 마음속에 있는 아이디어를 스케치, 사진 구성, 실제 사람들, 모델들 또는 친구들로 옮길 수 있습니까?

이나: 제 아이디어는 스케치로 그것들을 옮기기 이전에 이미 매우 선명하게 보입니다. 제가 어떤 아이디어를 가지고 있는지 기억하기 위해, 제자신을 위한 기억나게 하는 것으로 스케치를 시작했습니다.  그것은 저에게 일종의 언어로서 역활을 합니다. 그래서 제 마음으로부터 스케치로 옮기는데 커다란 변화는 없습니다. 그리고 일반적으로, 스케치가 사진을 위해(사진에 의해 대체되도록) 만들어 지기 때문에, 어느 쪽이던지 대부분 큰 차이점이 없습니다. 그래서 저는  항상 알맞은 사람을 배정하고, 이러한 생각을 실제화하기 위해 알맞은 위치를 찾고자 노력합니다. 그러나 사진을 촬영을 하거나 촬영대에 서 있는 중에 뜻밖의 결정을 하는 것을 즐기기도 합니다. 제가 대부분 사람들과 함께 일하기 때문에, 항상 예상치 못한 상황들이 있습니다. 이러한 상황에서 이미지를 만들 수 있기 위해, 저는 항상 개방적이고, 빨리 그 난제를 풀 수 있어야 합니다. 때때로, 저는 어떤 아이디어를 즉석에서 작성해야 하는 원고가 완전히 끝나지 않았을 때, 보다 좋은 이미지를 위해 야외로 촬영을 나갑니다.

Neocha: In terms of photographic technique and complexity, do you have any special rituals or strict guidelines as to what camera, lighting conditions, film or computer, or time of day? Any type of insight into your work process?

Ina: I respond to certain lighting conditions. I prefer shooting with natural light personally. Other than that, I don’t think about the tools so much when I work. Film, digital, scan, screenshot, iPhone, anything works for me as long as if I can create something interesting out of it.

Neocha: 사진의 기술과 복합성에 대해서, 당신은 어떤 특별한 의례적인 일이나 엄격한 가이드라인이 있나요, 어떤 카메라, 조명 상태, 필름이나 컴퓨터 또는 그날의 시간에 관해서.. 당신의 작업 과정으로 어떤 종류의 통찰력같은?

이나: 저는 어떤 조명 상태에 반응합니다. 개인적으로 자연광에서 촬영하는 것을 선호합니다. 그거 이외에는, 제가 작업할 때 그렇게나 많은 도구들에 관해 생각하지 않습니다. 필름, 디지털, 스캔, 스크린샷, 아이폰…  제가 그것에서 뭔가 흥미로운 것을 창조할 수 있는 한,  저는 어느 것과도 작업합니다.

Neocha: What are you working on currently and are you looking forward to anything in the future? Is there an artist you would like to collaborate with?

Ina: I was working on my first book and a new approach in image making in the past year. Naturally, In the process of making those projects, I came up with bunch of other ideas that needs some treatment. So I am excited to work on these new ideas which I cannot share yet (sorry!). I’ve never thought about collaborations, but recently I started putting some thought into making ceramic work in relation to my photography. So there might be 3D works in the near future.

Neocha: 현재 무엇을 작업하고 있으며, 미래에 무엇을 지향하고 있습니까? 공동 작업하고 싶은 작가는 있습니까?

이나: 저느 저의 첫번째 책을 작업하고 있었고, 과거에 이미지 만드는것에 대한 새로운 접근을 하고 있습니다. 이 작업을 진행하는 과정에서, 자연스럽게, 어떤 처리를 필요로하는 다른 아이디어가 무더기로 생겨났습니다. 그래서, 저는 이 새로운 아이디어를 작업할 것에 흥분했고 아직은 말씀드릴 수 없습니다 (죄송합니다!). 저는 공동 작업에 관해 생각해 본 적이 없지만, 최근에 사진과 관련하여 도자기 공예 작업에 대해 어떤 생각을 하기 시작했습니다. 그래서 아마도 가까운 미래에 보여줄 3D 작품이 있을 것입니다.

Website: inaphotography.com



Contributor: Jia Li 

웹 사이트: inaphotography.com



기부자: Jia Li 

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The Art of Feifei Ruan

March 25, 2016 2016年3月25日

Feifei Ruan is an artist born and raised in Shenzhen, China. She entered the New York School of Visual Arts in 2013, and is now a member of the New York Society of Illustrators and Art Directors Club. Now living in Brooklyn, she continues her exploration of using illustration as a storytelling device. Her collection of work includes illustrations, prints, storybooks, and graphic designs. The Chinese proverb san sui kan da, an old saying that states how a person will turn out as an adult can be foretold by the time they’re three years old, is perfectly exemplified by Feifei. She was already doodling short stories of her own during her manga and cartoon-filled childhood. After seeing the positive reactions of people that saw her art, Feifei was instilled with a sense of accomplishment which would carry on into her adult life. These feelings of achievement developed into a long-term love affair with illustration and led her onto her current career path as a visual artist.

阮菲菲出生成长于中国深圳，2013年前往纽约视觉艺术学院读研，现为纽约插画家协会会员和纽约艺术指导俱乐部会员，居住在布鲁克林，进行有关视觉叙事的艺术创作。她的作品主要包括插画、故事书、手工印刷以及平面设计。中国人相信的“三岁看大”在她身上似乎一点不假。在卡通和漫画中度过的童年时期，她就开始涂涂画画一些小故事，并以此为娱乐。将这些小故事和小伙伴们分享并引起大家的情绪反应为菲菲所带来的成就感，大概就是她这个长期兴趣和未来职业的原始动力罢。

Finding inspiration in the people and events in her life, Feifei’s work touches on themes related to humanity and the universe at large. Her skill lies in her ability to use visual narratives to explore abstract topics, and also in her ability to create a unique atmospheric mood in her illustrations. The images she creates contains oriental charm, but at the same time, is very different from the style of traditional Eastern art. Feifei is able to evoke a sense of mystery in her artwork that piques the curiosity of viewers and draws them into her immersive creations. Whether it’s commercial work, like a huge wall mural commissioned by a ramen restaurant, or her personal works like Welcome to Chinatown and Sashimi, her style is distinct and easily recognizable. Neocha recently spoke to Feifei about her inspirations and storytelling approach.

以身边的人和事为灵感，菲菲作品的内容大多围绕着人文与宇宙。她善于用视觉语言表现抽象话题，用画笔营造特定的氛围和感觉。她的画面沁透着异于传统的东方韵味，有着某种悠远的神秘感，一笔一划都是戏，令读者深深沉浸其中。不管是为拉面馆绘制的大型壁画这种商业作品，还是像《Welcome to Chinatown》和 《Sashimi》这样的个人故事绘本创作，她的风格都显而易见。阅读我们以下对她的采访，了解更多。

Neocha: How did the two stories Welcome to Chinatown and Sashimi come about? What are you trying to convey through them?

Feifei: I always find New York’s Chinatown to be very interesting. It’s like a cup of yuanyang made with coffee and tea. It tastes like both of them but neither of them. Sometimes, I just grab a newspaper, get some dimsum, and listen to the elders tell stories about their past. The comic Welcome to Chinatown is an adaptation of the stories I have heard. They are a bit funny, a bit absurd, and a bit heavy all at the same time.

The picture book Sashimi is also an absurd story with a depressing tone. It’s about a boy who works at a sashimi restaurant and then a mysterious event occurs in the fishing village. This project was actually inspired by my own nightmares. I tried to visualize the feeling of standing at the gap between dream and reality. Since many of my nightmares were related to the ocean, this book illustrates the waves and the stories these waves carry with them.

Neocha: 《Welcome to Chinatown》和《Sashimi》这两个故事是怎么来的呢? 在这两部作品的背后你想表现的是什么呢？

Feifei: 我一直觉得纽约唐人街非常有意思。就像一杯中美文化冲撞出来的鸳鸯茶，有着独特的社会关系以及浓浓的人情味。平时没事我都喜欢到这里转转。夹份报纸，叫个点心，听老一辈讲“旧阵时”。而《Welcome to Chinatown》就是由一些听回来的故事改编而成的小漫画。有点好玩，有点荒诞，也有点沉重。

绘本《Sashimi》也是一个荒诞的故事，但基调更为压抑。内容是关于一个在刺身店工作的小男孩与小渔村里发生的离奇事件。灵感主要来源于自己以往的梦境。并尝试把那种在梦境与现实中游离的精神状态视觉化。由于过去许多梦境都和大海有关,所以创作下了这一个充满海腥味的故事。

Neocha: Why did you decide to illustrate both of your stories with only two colors?

Feifei: When I read stories I prefer simple colors. I believe reading something in monochrome makes it easier to take in, compared to something with a lot of colors. Viewers can be easily distracted from the story by glaring images, so to keep the viewers focused on the story, I minimized the amount of colors.

Neocha: 这两个故事都是用双色完成的，为什么？

Feifei: 当我自己阅读故事的时候我比较偏好简单的颜色。我觉得单色在阅读体验上比全彩要顺畅。读者可以不被过多的细节干扰从而把注意力集中到故事的本身。所以在创作自己作品的时候我也会尽量控制颜色的数量。

Neocha: Your work has a suspenseful and mysterious feel. Why do you have this predilection?

Feifei: I enjoy translating abstract feelings into visual images that could be interpreted as suspense, fear or sorrow. Finding the right language is a big challenge here. Rather than merely using words, it instead requires the use of atmosphere to speak. I’m still practicing.

Neocha: 你的作品总给人一种神秘悬疑的感觉，为什么你有这种偏好呢？

Feifei: 我主要偏好于将一些抽象的感觉转化成视觉图像，像是悬疑、恐惧或忧伤。而视觉语言在这里是个很大的挑战。因为除了用“言语”更多的是要用“气氛”说话。而我也一直在做各种尝试。

Neocha: Which artists or illustrators are your favorites? Which do you consider to have inspired you the most? 

Feifei: There are many artists I like. I think James Jean and Tomer Hanuka inspired me the most in the early years. It’s always impressive to see James Jean’s art. It feels like those drawings all have souls, which can touch the hearts of people. Seeing Tomer Hanuka’s work is like seeing a movie. His images are always full of stories and energy. Since both of them along with many other artists I like are all from the School of Visual Arts, it influenced my decision to study at SVA and it’s also what brought me to New York.

Neocha: 哪些艺术家对你有着最深的影响？ 

Feifei: 早期影响我最大的艺术家是James Jean和Tomer Hanuka。好看的作品很多，能触动人心的却不多。James Jean的作品就充满了灵性，能带给人一种感动的感觉。另一位艺术家Tomer Hanuka的作品叙事性非常强，看他的插画就像是看一场电影，非常带感。由于他们以及其他一些我喜欢的艺术家都是纽约视觉艺术学院毕业的，这直接影响我作出了来SVA学习的决定。也是促成我来纽约的原因。

Neocha: How would you define good storytelling?

Feifei: The first thing is being able to draw the viewer’s attention and intriguing them at the very beginning. Second, it’s being able to motivate and stimulate them at the end. When it comes to storytelling, a lot of people consider the most important thing is what to say. But I believe how you tell a story is even more important, since the same message can be delivered in many different ways. Figuring out the best method is what all storytellers should strive for.

Neocha: 你怎么定义好的叙事呢？

Feifei: 一是在一开始能快速引起人们的关注并让人有往下看的兴趣；二是能让人看完后意犹未尽，有所触动或是行动。很多人认为讲故事最重要的是“讲什么”，但我认为“怎么讲”其实更为重要。同一个信息能有无数种传达方式，而我们需要做的就是找到一个最合适的方式。

Photo Credit / 图片来源: Aline Müller

Neocha: Do you consider Asian culture an influence in your work? Does New York inspire you as well?

Feifei: New York is the blood of my work, which regenerates everyday. The whole city is a great inspirational fair. You can easily discover something when you stroll around. What interests me most is New Yorkers – everyone lives crazily and does crazy things. It’s hard not to be inspired by them.

Asian culture is the bone of my work. Growing up in an Asian culture influenced my thoughts, values, and tastes. After coming to New York and learning about many different cultures, I found that I’m still more obsessed with Asian culture than the others. Currently, I’m working on a new story about Shanghai back in the 1900s. It’s a graphic novel that’s being created in collaboration with writer Mark Sable. I’m very excited about it, it will be a challenge for me.

Neocha: 亚洲文化对你的作品有很大的影响？你现在所住的城市对你也有所启发吗？

Feifei: 纽约就像是我作品的血液，每天都在不断更新再造。整座城市就像是个灵感集市，随便走走逛逛都会有新发现。其中最有意思的是纽约人 – 几乎每个人都在疯狂地干事或干着疯狂的事。而你很难不被他们感染。

亚洲文化就像是我作品的骨骼。由于从小就在亚洲文化下长大，无论思想审美价值都 离不开这个框架。来美国后接触了很多不同的文化，在对比下发现自己还是对亚洲文化感触最深。我最近在准备的一个新故事就是关于中国老上海的题材。这将是一本和脚本作家Mark Sable合作的长篇漫画。虽然对我来说是一个很大的挑战，但还是蛮期待的。

Photo Credit / 图片来源: Aline Müller
Photo Credit / 图片来源: Aline Müller

Website: feifeiruan.com
Instagram: @ruan0v0

 

Contributor: Banny Wang
Images Courtesy of Feifei Ruan & Aline Müller

网站: feifeiruan.com
Instagram: @ruan0v0

 

供稿人: Banny Wang
图片由阮菲菲和Aline Müller提供

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Pencil & Ink

March 24, 2016 2016年3月24日

Born in Jinan in Shandong province, Li Shuai is a graphic designer and illustrator who is now currently based in Shanghai. She works full-time as a graphic designer, but in her free time, she creates colorful pencil and ink illustrations as a means of expressing her personal emotions and views. Her artwork is often a reflection of her daily life, inner thoughts, as well as feelings towards various worldly issues. Li Shuai’s goal is to make people think more with her visual stories. Her collection of work includes Someone and FLASH ACTION, along with her educational children’s books Veruca’s Home and A First Book of Hairstyle.

来自山东济南的李帅，现在是一名居住在上海的平面设计师和插画师。在平面设计工作之外，她喜欢用颜色来表达自己的情绪和观点；用画面记录自己生活中的故事、内向的想法，或者是对于自己不能触及到事物的感受；用讲述故事引发读者更多的思考。她的作品包括《Someone》、《FLASH ACTION》等，以及《Veruca’s Home》和《A First Book of Hairstyle》这样的儿童教育绘本。

After graduating from Northeastern University in 2011 with a degree in graphic design, Li Shuai decided to move to the UK. There, she continued her studies of graphic design and illustration – first at Kingston University, and then later at the Edinburgh College of Art. In her first year of living abroad, she met a Portuguese illustrator. This new acquaintance showed her a side of painting she’s never seen before. She no longer dwelled on the techniques of other artists, their content matter, or subject, but rather started creating from her heart with a focus on feelings and emotions rather than the technical aspects. Her mentality shifted and saw the process of creating art more as a means of self-expression, which led to her following a mantra of “BE MYSELF!” Around this time, she began to sit in on illustration classes and attending more workshops. This was when Li Shuai met Robin Harris, a professor of illustration, who then became a mentor to her. “He provided me a lot of information, and a back-and-forth with him through e-mail helped me solve a lot of problems,” she says. It was during this time when Li Shuai first began her official foray into the world of illustration.

2011年从东北大学的平面设计毕业后，李帅前往英国，分别于金士顿大学和爱丁堡艺术学院研读平面设计和插画艺术。来到英国的第一年，她认识了一位葡萄牙插画师。这位插画师的作品以及他讲的诸多故事，让原本就喜欢画画的李帅看到了绘画不一样的一面。她不再只一味研究别人的绘画技法、内容以及题材，而是开始跟随感觉用插画去表达自己，简而言之，“ BE MYSELF! ”。而后，她开始经常去插画系蹭课，参加他们的workshop，在那认识的插画系教授Robin在后来的日子里更是给予她很多指导。“他给了我很多资料，和他的邮件来往帮我解除了很多疑问”李帅说道。自此，她踏上了插画的创作之路。

In the beginning, children’s picture books were the first thing that appealed to her. She says, “The picture books for young kids in England are really interesting. They explore a variety of subjects, and some even tell strange and horrific stories in a cutesy and charming way. This was what attracted me to them.” At the same time, she was interested in hairstyles, and researched the interesting characteristics of different styles of hair in Egypt, Greece, France, among other European countries. And thus her interactive children’s illustration book A First Book of Hairstyle came into being. This project made her realize she enjoys illustrative projects that takes a lengthier amount of time to complete. “This way, I can dig deeper into my own mind and produce something that more people will find interesting,” she explains.

儿童绘本是最先吸引到她的一种插画。她说:“英国的儿童绘本很有意思，各种题材都有。有的居然可以用很可爱的方式讲述略恐怖诡异的剧情，当时对于我来说很有吸引力。”出于对发型的兴趣，对埃及、希腊、法国等欧洲国家有趣且特殊的发型进行一番研究后，她创作了一本适合给小朋友看的互动插画书籍，于是有了《A First Book of Hairstyle》。这个项目也让她意识到自己喜欢时间稍微长一点的插画项目，“这样子我可以发掘且自产很多能让大家觉得有意思的东西”。

Later at Edinburgh, she invested a year towards studying the subject of humans that eat dog meat to fully develop her emotions, views and opinions towards the matter. Eating Dogs in China was the project that resulted from this period of time, which involves two illustrated storybooks, a graphic map, and four zines. She says, “In this project, my favorite piece of work was the graphics map which I sketched out with pencils. At the time, the creepy scenes in the Hannibal television series really inspired me.” This project ignited her interest with creating art based on her observations of current societal issues. Another theme Li Shuai started exploring was the single child policy in China and how it ties into the way Chinese parents spoil their kids. Despite the extreme nature of the topic, she succeeded by going with a tactful approach and painting it into a meaningful narrative that explored ideas beyond the original topic. She says, “everyone loves seeing beautiful things, but in reality, the ugly things that people don’t want to see is way more thought-provoking. To present the complexities of societal issues in a simple and quirky way is actually really fun for me.”

之后在爱丁堡的时候，她花了一年时间来发掘自己对于“人吃狗肉”这个事情的感觉、看法和观点。《Eating Dogs in China》项目就是这样诞生的，是李帅对于社会问题的关注的起点。这个项目包含了两本插画故事书籍，graphic map，四本zine。她说: “在这个项目中，我自己最喜欢的是用素描来表现的graphics map。当时美剧《汉尼拔》里面的一些恐怖场景也给我了很多灵感。”此外，独身子女政策下中国家长对孩子的溺爱也是她表现的另一个主题。 她成功地以一种委婉的方式，用自己的画笔为这些具有极端倾向的话题注入叙述性，从而让画面超越她所表达的主题。她认为:“大家都喜欢美好的事物，但是其实不美好的事物更加会引起大家的思考。把复杂的社会性问题用比较简单且有趣味的形式表达出来也是很好玩的。”

Like many artists, Li Shuai unashamedly reveals she also started by imitating the style of her favorite illustrators. But now, having found her own artistic voice, she has begun experimenting with different types of paint and techniques. As a way of training her sensitivity to colors, she started combining colored pencils with ink to create some of her recent artwork. She says her favorite artist and a big inspiration is Australian architect and illustrator Hundred Wasser. His selective use of colors and shapes creates surreal dream-like scenes that have left a deep impression on her. As far as storytelling goes, she shares, “I don’t like the traditional storytelling style, I like it when an artist might have a personal interpretation of their work, but viewers are able to extract their own meaning out of it.”

固然也曾和很多人一样，选择模仿自己喜欢的插画师以及插画风格，但现在她倾向于基于自己的想法，探索不同绘画材质碰撞出的火花。为了锻炼自己的色彩敏感度，她使用彩色铅笔结合ink创作。说到色彩，李帅说她最爱奥地利艺术家和建筑师Hundert Wasser，他的色彩以及运用形状来表现的画面营造出近乎梦境的景象给了她很多启发。 至于讲故事，她是这么看的:“我自己不是很喜欢传统意义的讲故事风格。我喜欢那种自己给画面某种特殊定义，但是每个人又会有自己的不同理解的画面。 ” 

As a versatile multi-disciplined designer, Li Shuai has also revealed some plans of wanting to dabble in different mediums. She expressed interest in playing around with textile design, and also experimenting with 3D illustration techniques used in exhibition design. According to Li Shuai, being creative is as easy as “identifying what interests you – then actually working towards creating it after forming the idea, maintaining an open mind to keep a fresh perspective on things, and trying things you’ve never tried before.”

自诩多技能设计师的她，表示近期她还想创作一些印花设计，以及应用于展示设计中的3D插画创作。总之，创作于她就是“发现自己喜欢的感兴趣的点， 想到然后再做到， 保持对于新鲜事物的感受，然后尝试自己未曾尝试的东西。”

Website: cargocollective.com/shuaili0808
Behance: ~/azurali
Instagram: @shuaion

 

Contributor: Banny Wang

网站: cargocollective.com/shuaili0808
Behance: ~/azurali
Instagram: @shuaion

 

供稿人: Banny Wang

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The Slowest Train

March 23, 2016 2016年3月23日

 

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The rapid growth of Yangon into a sprawling metropolis contrasts sharply with the many rural areas of Myanmar. The air there is thick with exhaust fumes, the streets are congested with traffic, and the lack of a well built public transport system means commuting can often be treacherous and expensive. One of the oldest methods of traveling through Yangon still remains the cheapest: the Yangon Circular Railway, a local commuter network that covers 30 miles and runs in a three-hour loop around the city of Yangon. This rail system offers a unique way to take in the city’s rapidly changing landscape.

The circular slow train loops around Yangon and runs 20 times daily through 39 stations, passing boisterous wholesale markets, slums, garbage dumps, and farmlands. It is a relic of colonial times, built by the British in 1954, and operated today by Myanmar Railways. At its fastest, the train chugs along at ten miles per hour.

Passengers can hop on and off at any station. Riding the train is a warm and breezy way to while away an afternoon with monks, vendors, kids, and Yangon residents from all walks of life. Snacks are sold throughout the cars or outside the windows as the train approaches each station. While some complain that the train is impractically slow, there is no doubt that life on the Yangon Circular Railway is a part of local culture that is slowly disappearing.

Address:
Platform 7, Yangon Railway Station
Pansodan & Bogyoke Aung San Rd
Yangon, Myanmar

Trains depart every 45 to 60 minutes.

Ticketing Info:
100 – 200 Kyats non-A/C
500 – 800 Kyats A/C coach

Passports are required for ticket purchase.

 

Contributor, Videographer & Photographer: Jia Li

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The Art of Qi Mengli

March 22, 2016 2016年3月22日

At first glance, Qi Mengli’s artwork seems to be only comprised of overtly sexual images. Upon a closer inspection, viewers will discover that sex serves only as a small part of a bigger picture, yet is a necessity for what the work seeks to convey. Her recent project Xiao Ren Shu, tells candid tales about some of the men she has encountered in her life. It is considered to be a very personal piece of work and is presented like a monologue. It explores love and relationships, among many other themes. Born in Nanjing, China, Qi Mengli utilizes the familiarity of her birthplace as the backdrop in Miss Known and Sister Known. These two projects transport the viewers to the sites of some well-known Nanjing landmarks, such as the old Chinese presidential quarters and Dr. Sun Yatsen’s Mausoleum.

戚梦莉的作品，让人乍一看会以为是一些以性为主题的绘画，可是细读过后便能发现性在这些作品里只是一些插曲，当然也是必不可少的工具。《小人书》系列是梦莉近年的项目，主要围绕着作者与不同男性、不同人接触的一些故事，可以说是“私房”画，类似一种独白，近期还在发展亲情和其他主题。梦莉是南京人，作品《懂姐姐》和《懂妹妹》等都是以南京为背景，里面涉及到总统府、中山陵等地。

Miss Known is a story about the founding of the Republic of China. Sister Known, on the other hand, has a visual style reminiscent of the music video Ninety-nine Roses, by the famous Chinese singer Samuel Tai. “For example, when someone I meet is giving off a Samuel Tai-style vibe, then that might inspire a story that fits the vibe,” she explains. “The entirety of Xiao Ren Shu follows the traditional comic creation process. But my narrative style is closer to the style of older movies. I like to envision them as old-fashioned music videos.”

《懂姐姐》是关于民国穿越的故事，《懂妹妹》则是受到歌手邰正宵的歌曲《九十九朵玫瑰》MV的启发。谈及创作过程，她说：“比如我遇到的这个角色像邰正宵style，那么我就给他们模拟成那样的故事。”她创作的所有小人书都以传统的连环画形式构成，其叙事上应用了老电影的形式，可以其称之为old-fashioned MV。

Mengli’s work is greatly influenced by the filmmakers Wong Kar-Wai and Tsai Ming-liang. In her comic art, every frame has a cinematic feel instilled in it. That particular style is especially common in Japanese manga and Western comics.

梦莉的作品在故事模式上大有王家卫与蔡明亮二位导演电影的风格。她连环画中的每一页都应用了电影式的镜头，这种现代手法不管是在日本漫画还是欧美漫画中都被普遍地使用。

The Xiao Ren Shu series had previously been displayed in an exhibition hosted in the US, but the reception it got didn’t meet Mengli’s expectations. She feels this series mostly contains Chinese influences and themes, and thus would be more suitable for the exhibition to be held in China. She sees the exhibit more fittingly being hosted in an older Chinese building with a historic past; for example, she envisions architecture such as the historic old Shanghai buildings near Yuyuan. Mengli also considers an intimate and artsy café space to be a suitable place to exhibit her work. In the future, she hopes that her collection of picture books can have a spot on bookshelves for interested readers.

此前，《小人书》系列曾在美国展出一次，当时效果并未达到梦莉的期待。梦莉认为，这样一个很“中国”的系列更应该放在国内展出。至于展览场所，梦莉表示像豫园之类的历史老建筑自是最合适不过，当然文艺小资的咖啡店也可。这些小人书将是一整套的作品，是届时可以放在书架一角供人阅读的小故事。

Mengli reveals that she is currently working on a series of black-and-white comics, as well as being in the process of turning the Xiao Ren Shu series into a puppet animation. The decision to use puppets is mainly because of her personal interest and childhood nostalgia towards them. She explains, “I loved Afanti when I was a child. The textures and colors in that world are what I seek to recreate with my future animation.”

目前梦莉正在制作一批黑白版本的小人书，也正在筹划将《小人书》的故事拍成木偶动画。选择木偶来做动画纯粹是因为个人喜好，她说：“小时候看过阿凡提的故事，里面的颜色和质感也是我追求的一种环境。”

Similar to Mengli, plenty of other artists in China pay out of their own pocket and publish independently. In doing so, it makes it incredibly difficult for the artists to make any profits. Fortunately, there are now more and more channels from which talented creators can be discovered. Many artists, including Meng Li, believes the future for them will hold a more nurturing environment for their craft. Xiao Ren Shu is now available for purchase in the New York Printed Matter store and select book fairs in the United States.

如同梦莉的做法一样，很多艺术家都选择了独自出版自费印刷。这其中的经济利益是很低的，对于艺术发展也并不良性。好在这些年我们对于这些艺术家的了解方式越来越多，也涌现了很多如戚梦莉一般的优秀艺术家相信往后的创作环境会更好。《小人书》在纽约的Printed Matter等一些外国小众书展已经开始出售。

Website: ~/qimengli

 

Contributor: Sonic Yuan

网站: ~/qimengli

 

供稿人: Sonic Yuan

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Have a Nice Day 来自寒冷冬天的治愈力

March 21, 2016 2016年3月21日

 

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Jennis Li Cheng Tien is a multidisciplinary artist whose work explores ideas of interaction, public space, and identity. Born in Taiwan, she studied interactive media design in Singapore, and went on to work in advertising for many years. While working in the industry, Jennis honed her skills as a retoucher, and now wields Photoshop as her weapon of choice. This eventually led to the creation of Have A Nice Day. 

Jennis Li Cheng Tien是一位涉及多领域的艺术家，她的作品探讨有关互动、公共空间及事物特征的想法。她出生于台湾，在新加坡研读互动媒体设计，此后在广告行业工作数年。在这个行业中，她通过担当图片修图师磨练自己的技能，使用Photoshop作为自己的利器。这最终促成她的系列作品，《Have A Nice Day.》。

On first viewing, Have A Nice Day appears to be a collection of hazy images that evoke a molten version of the Internet. Cerebral, visceral, flesh-toned and fuzzy, the images in this project are achieved by fusing many Google images together into an unrecognizable, but yet vaguely familiar, form.

《Have A Nice Day》给人的第一印象 ，是一堆让人联想到融化版网络的模糊图片。脑部，内脏，肉色调和失真，这个项目中的图片是通过将许多Google图片融合成一体，形成既难以辨认又富有熟悉感的产物。

After quitting the advertising industry, Jennis moved from Asia to Berlin to pursue her studies into art in public spaces. Using the retouching tools in Photoshop in a freestyle and formless way is therapeutic, says Jennis, adding “It was like therapy for me in the darkest times of winter.”

退出广告行业后，Jennis从亚洲移居到柏林，以研读公共空间中的艺术。可以随心使用Photoshop修图工具会产生治疗效力，Jennis说，“这仿佛是在冬天最黑暗的时刻治愈了我。”

When gathering images for her project, Jennis normally looks for photos that have colors and faces which have a strong identity and visual presence already. Often, people react to Have A Nice Day by recognizing the features of someone familiar. However, Jennis says the pieces are purposefully abstracted and are not meant to represent any one specific person.

在为项目收集影像时，Jennis坚持寻找具有浓烈色彩的照片，以及饱含强大特征的外表形态。通常，人们观看《Have A Nice Day》时会有认出熟悉人物特征的反应。然而Jennis表示这些作品中任何一个具体个人都经过刻意的抽象化。

Her sparse and sunlit studio is filled with materials and textures which seem the opposite of the entirely digitally conceived Have A Nice Day series. In Jennis’ other work, she uses sculpture, hair, ink, and public spaces to create thought-provoking distillations of our modern interactions and experiences together.

她简洁明亮的工作室里挤满了各种材料和材质， 看起来与她那完全数字化的《Have A Nice Day》系列恰恰相反。在Jennis其他作品中，她通过使用雕塑、毛发、墨水和公共空间来创作现代社会语境下的行为互动和经历感受的无形融合，并引人深思。

Website: jennislichengtien.de
Tumblr: dasplayhaus.tumblr.com

 

Contributor, Videographer & Photographer: Jia Li

網站: jennislichengtien.de
Tumblr: dasplayhaus.tumblr.com

 

供稿人、視頻與照片攝影師: Jia Li

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Sony World Photography Awards 2016

March 18, 2016 2016年3月18日
Photographer: Sai Aung Main, 3rd Place: Myanmar National Awards

Local photographic talent has been given a global platform by the world’s biggest photography competition, the 2016 Sony World Photography Awards. The awards, produced by the World Photography Organisation, present this year’s winners of its National Awards programme, which have been designed to uncover the best single shot taken by a local photographer across 60 countries.

Photographer: Longxiang Xie, 1st Place: China National Awards
Photographer: Kazi Mushfiq Hossain, 3rd Place: Bangladesh National Awards
Photographer: Taehoon Kim, 2nd Place: Korea National Awards
Photographer: MD Tanveer Rohan, 1st Place: Bangladesh National Awards

Individual National Awards ran across the four corners of the world – from Argentina to Australia, Russia to Vietnam – and the entries were all taken from the ten categories of the Sony World Photography Awards’ Open competition. An expert panel of judges led by the World Photography Organisation has rewarded a huge variety of work from across the 60 winners: from stunning shots of wildlife to beautiful portraits, classic architectural images to recognisable scenes of daily life.

Photographer: Buncha Parnboonlue, 2nd Place: Thailand National Awards
Photographer: Mohammad Ponir Hossain, 2nd Place: Bangladesh National Awards
Photographer: Alex Chang Chee Choy, 2nd Place: Singapore National Awards
Photographer: Hu Weiguo, 2nd Place: China National Awards

All the 2016 National Awards winners have received the latest digital imaging equipment from Sony to help them continue their photographic journeys, and will also be exhibited as part of the 2016 Sony World Photography Awards Exhibition at Somerset House, London from 22nd April – 8 May. In addition, over half of the winners will be flown to London to attend the Sony World Photography Awards gala ceremony to see their work exhibited and extend their photographic networks.

Photographer: William Chua, 3rd Place: Singapore National Awards
Photographer: Noguchi Shin, 4th Place: Japan National Awards
Photographer: Abhijit Banerjee, 1st Place: India National Awards
Photographer: Kyaw Bo Bo Han, 1st Place: Myanmar National Awards

Since launching in 2012, the National Awards programme has grown from eight participating countries to sixty, making it unique in its scope and reach. Previous winners of the National Awards have also had their work published around the world and have used this recognition as a path into the photographic industry.

Photographer: Changhun Lee, 1st Place: Korea National Awards
Photographer: Swee Choo Oh, 3rd Place: Malaysia National Awards
Photographer: Tugo Cheng, 3rd Place: Hong Kong National Awards
Photographer: Minh Thanh Ngu, 1st Place: Vietnam National Awards

The Sony World Photography Awards is free to enter for all. The 2017 edition, which will also be the 10th anniversary of the competition, will open on 1st June 2017.

Photographer: Kei Nomiyama, 1st Place: Japan National Awards
Photographer: Ho Wing Ka Jimmi, 1st Place: Hong Kong National Awards
Photographer: He Len, 2nd Place, Myanmar National Awards

Website: worldphoto.org

 

Contributor: Leon Yan
Images Courtesy of World Photography Organisation

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