The Ruins of Angkor

July 29, 2016 2016年7月29日

On what turned out to be one of the hottest days of the year in Cambodia this past April, I along with my guide set out to explore the atmospheric ruins of Angkor, the former glorious capital city of the Khmer Empire. While the intense heat, reaching a scorching 40°C by mid-afternoon, is immensely unpleasant for exploring, it is a deterrent that helps keep the usual hordes of tourists away. During those days in Siem Reap, bats were reportedly falling out of the sky – and in Battambang, dead monkeys were found by the roadside, many of them expired from dehydration.

ចំពោះអ្វីៗដែលបានបញ្ជាក់យ៉ាងច្បាស់គឺថ្ងៃមួយក្នុងចំណោមថ្ងៃដ៍ក្តៅខ្លាំងបំផុតក្នុងប្រទេសកម្ពុជាកាលពីខែមេសាកន្លងទៅនេះ ខ្ញុំរួមជាមួយនឹងមគ្គុទេសក៏របស់ខ្ញុំ បានចាប់ផ្តើមគយគន់បរិយាកាសនៃប្រាសាទអង្គរវត្ត ដែលជាអតីតកាលនៃរាជធានីដ៏រុងរឿងនៃចក្រភពខ្មែរ។ ក្នុងខណៈពេលដែលមានកម្តៅយ៉ាងខ្លាំងដែលក្តៅហែងមានកម្រិតរហូតដល់40 អង្សារនៅពាក់កណ្តាលពេលរសៀល គឺវាមិនគួរឲ្យជាទីពេញចិត្តទាល់តែសោះដើម្បីធ្វើការគយគន់។ វាគឺជាអ្វីៗដែលធ្វើឲ្យរាញញើតដែលជួយរារាំងក្រុមទេសចរទាំងឡាយឲ្យចាកចេញឆ្ងាយ។ ក្នុងកំឡុងថ្ងៃទាំងនោះនៃទីរួមខេត្តសៀមរាប សត្វប្រជៀវទាំងឡាយត្រូវបានគេរាយការណ៍មកថាមានពាសពេញមេឃ ហើយចំណែកឯនៅខេត្តបាត់ដំបងវិញ គេឃើញមានស្វាទាំងឡាយងាប់នៅតាមដងផ្លូវ និងសត្វស្វាជាច្រើនបានស្លាប់ដោយ កង្វះទឹកនៅក្នុងខ្លួន។

Angkor, which is a Khmer word, originally derives from the Sanskrit word nagara, which means “city”. It also refers to the former Khmer capital city, located about five kilometers north of present-day Siem Reap. The ancient city contains the ruins of thousands of spectacular religious temples, including its most famous temple, the magnificent Angkor Wat. The Khmer Empire was one of the most important civilizations of southeast Asia; its territory once included all of Cambodia, parts of southeast Thailand, and northern Vietnam. Angkor boasts an impressive medieval hydraulic system built by the city’s engineers, beautifully ornate architecture, and an extensive network of roads – but today all that is left are the ruins of structures, sometimes surreally overrun by large trees or left in a state of disarray.

អង្គរ ជាភាសាខ្មែរដែលពីដំបូងកើតចេញពីពាក្យសំស្ក្រឹត ណាហ្ការា ដែលមានន័យថា “ទីក្រុង”។វាសំដៅទៅលើអតីតរាជធានីខ្មែរ ដែលមានទីតាំងប្រហែលប្រាំគីឡូម៉ែត្រភាគខាងជើងនៃខេត្តសៀមរាបនាបច្ចុប្បន្ន។ ទីក្រុងបុរាណមានប្រាសាទរាប់ពាន់ក្នុងប្រាសាទសាសនាដ៏អស្ចារ្យនេះ រួមមានប្រាសាទល្បីបំផុតរបស់ខ្លួនជាអង្គរវត្តដ៏ល្អឆើតឆាយ។ អធិរាជាណាចក្រខ្មែរជាផ្នែកមួយនៃភាពស៊ីវិល័យសំខាន់បំផុតនៃតំបន់អាស៊ីអាគ្នេយ៍; ទឹកដីរបស់ខ្លួននៅពេលដែលរួមបញ្ចូលទាំងអស់មកជាប្រទេសកម្ពុជា ដែលរួមមានបណ្តាផ្នែកភាគខាងត្បូងឆៀងខាងកើតនៃប្រទេសថៃ និងភាគខាងជើងនៃប្រទេសវៀតណាម។ អង្គរមានប្រព័ន្ធធារាសាស្ត្រនាមជ្ឈិមសម័យគួរឱ្យចាប់អារម្មណ៍បានសាងសង់ឡើងដោយវិស្វកររបស់ក្រុងនេះ ស្ថាបត្យកម្មតុបតែងលម្អស្រស់ស្អាត និងមានបណ្តាញផ្លូវថ្នល់ធំទូលាយ– ប៉ុន្តែអ្វីទាំងអស់ដែលនៅសល់នោះគឺសំណង់ប្រាង្គប្រាសាទ ពេលខ្លះមានការខូចខាតយ៉ាងពិតប្រាកដដោយសារដើមឈើធំៗ ឬស្ថិតក្នុងស្ថានភាពច្របូកច្របល់។

I started the day walking around the ancient Buddhist temple at Banteay Kdei and Ta Prohm with my guide, who made frequent stops to explain to me the meaning of etchings in the walls and the functions of the different chambers and enclosures we passed through. There were some visible signs of ongoing restoration work at Ta Prohm, but over the years, a lot of it has quietly been left in ruins – admittedly by the École Française d’Extrême-Orient, who led the early efforts to restore the dilapidated structures, as a “concession to the general taste for the picturesque.” With the passage of time, giant and imposing silk-cottom and fig trees have eerily and spectacularly blended into and grown on top of the structures.

ខ្ញុំបានចាប់ផ្តើមថ្ងៃនេះដើរនៅជុំវិញប្រាសាទព្រះពុទ្ធសាសនានៅសម័យបុរាណនៅឯប្រាសាទបន្ទាយក្តី និងប្រាសាទតាព្រហ្ម ជាមួយអ្នកនាំផ្លូវរបស់ខ្ញុំ ជាអ្នកដែលបានឈប់ជាញឹកញាប់ដើម្បីធ្វើការពន្យល់ខ្ញុំពីអត្ថន័យនៃចម្លាក់ ក្នុងជញ្ជាំង និងមុខងារតាមបន្ទប់ និងតាមប្រាង្គផ្សេងៗដែលយើងបានឆ្លងកាត់។ មានសញ្ញាដែលអាចមើលឃើញមួយចំនួននៃការងារស្តារឡើងវិញដែលកំពុងត្រូវបានគេធ្វើបន្តនៅឯប្រាសាទតាព្រហ្ម ប៉ុន្តែច្រើនឆ្នាំមកហើយ វាមានច្រើនទៀតណាស់ដែលបានសេសសល់យ៉ាងស្ងៀមស្ងាតក្នុងប្រាសាទ – ដែលបានរកឃើញដោយសាលាស្រាវជ្រាវបារាំង, ជាអ្នកដែលបានដឹកនាំកិច្ចខិតខំប្រឹងប្រែងដើម្បីស្តាររចនាសម្ព័ន្ធទ្រុឌទ្រោមដើមឡើងវិញ ដូចជា “ការប្រគល់ឱ្យ ដើម្បីសាកល្បងទូរទៅសម្រាប់វិចិត្រកម្មគំនូរ។” ជាមួយនិងការកំណត់នៃពេលវេលា, ប្រៀបដូចជាយក្ស និងកប្បាសសូត្រ និងឧទុម្ពរបានលាយបញ្ចូលគ្នាទាំងស្រុងក្នុងភាពប្លែកៗគ្នា និងការដាំដុះនៅលើកំពូលនៃសំណង់នេះ។

Originally built as a Mahayana Buddhist monastery and school, Ta Prohm was eventually abandoned after the fall of the Khmer Empire in the 15th century. Like the rest of Angkor, it prospered for centuries but, after the mysterious collapse of the Khmer Empire, was abandoned and neglected for centuries. The overgrowth of vegetation at Ta Prohm has made it a popular destination for photographers – in many places appearing as if the surrounding jungle has swallowed up the entire complex of ancient temples.

បានកសាងដំបូងជាវត្តអារាមសម្រាប់អ្នកកាន់ព្រះពុទ្ធសាសនាមហាយាន និងសាលារៀន នៅទីបំផុតប្រាសាទតាព្រហ្មត្រូវបានគេបោះបង់ចោលបន្ទាប់ពីការដួលរលំនៃចក្រភពខ្មែរនៅក្នុងសតវត្សទី 15 ។ ដូចជានៅសល់នៃអង្គរ វាបានរុងរឿងជាច្រើនសតវត្ស ប៉ុន្តែបន្ទាប់ពីការដួលរលំដ៏អាថ៍កំបាំងនៃអាណាចក្រខ្មែរ វាក៏ត្រូវបានបោះបង់ចោល និងការធ្វេសប្រហែសជាច្រើនសតវត្ស។ រុក្ខជាតិនានាដុះព័ទ្ធពាសពេញប្រាសាទតាព្រហ្មនេះបានធ្វើឱ្យវាជាគោលដៅពេញនិយមសម្រាប់អ្នកថតរូប – ក្នុងកន្លែងជាច្រើនបានលេចមុខចេញ ក៏ដូចជាប្រសិនបើព្រៃនៅជុំវិញនោះបានលេបយកសំណងខ្វាត់ខ្វែងទាំងមូលនៃប្រាសាទបុរាណ។

To the west of Ta Prohm is Angkor Thom, meaning “great city”, the last effective capital city of Angkor – and in the 12th century, it was then also the world’s largest city. At the exact center of Angkor Thom is the Bayon, the famous Khmer temple, which at the top of its towers, features a multitude of serene, smiling stone faces. Reportedly there are over 2000 carved faces on this structure. The baroque style and compressed claustrophobic spaces of the Bayon in Angkor Thom would be a stunning contrast with the classical ornate architecture and grand open spaces of Angkor Wat, which we head over to explore next.

ទៅភាគខាងលិចនៃតាព្រហ្មគឺអង្គរធំមានន័យថា “មហានគរ” ដែលជារាជធានីដែលមានប្រសិទ្ធិភាពចុងក្រោយនៃអង្គរ – ហើយនៅក្នុងសតវត្សទី 12 វាជាទីក្រុងធំបន្ទាប់បំផុតរបស់ពិភពលោកផងដែរ។ នៅកណ្តាលពិតប្រាកដនៃអង្គរធំគឺបាយ័នជាប្រាសាទខ្មែរល្បីដែលនៅលើកំពូលនៃប៉មរបស់ខ្លួនមានលក្ខណៈពិសេសដែលមានមុខថ្មមួយញញឹមយ៉ាងស្ងប់ស្ងាត់។ តាមរបាយការណ៍ថាមានចម្លាក់មុខជាង 2000 ចម្លាក់លើរចនាសម្ព័ន្ធនេះ។ រចនាបថប្លែកៗ និងចន្លោះបង្ហាប់ទីចង្អៀត នៃប្រាសាទបាយ័នក្នុងអង្គរធំនឹងក្លាយជាវត្ថុគួរឱ្យភ្ញាក់ផ្អើលជាមួយ និងស្ថាបត្យកម្មបុរាណនិងចន្លោះតុបតែងបើកចំហរនៃប្រាសាទអង្គរវត្តដែលយើងបានធ្វើដំណើរទៅស្វែងរកក្រោយ។

Now midday, at the height of the day’s intense heat, I have lunch just outside of Angkor Wat: a Cambodian fish amok, sticky rice mango with coconut milk, and fresh coconut water to drink. Although reluctant to head back into the heat, my guide and I are eager to continue exploring our last stop of the day – and so we cross over the famed moat of Angkor Wat and enter the temple complex from the main causeway. Once inside, I am amazed by the sheer scale and grandeur of the place. The best preserved temple of all in Angkor, Angkor Wat represents the high classical style of Khmer architecture. The amount of detail in its bas-reliefs and wall etchings is staggering.

ឥឡូវថ្ងៃត្រង់ នៅកម្ពស់នៃការកំដៅយ៉ាងខ្លាំងនៅថ្ងៃនេះ ខ្ញុំហូបអាហារថ្ងៃត្រង់នៅខាងក្រៅនៃប្រាសាទអង្គរវត្ត: ត្រីអាំង ម្ជូរស្វាយ បាយដំណើបខ្ទិះដូង និងទឹកដូងស្រស់ដើម្បីផឹក។ ទោះបីជាស្ទាក់ស្ទើរក្នុងការធ្វើដំណើរត្រឡប់មកក្រោមកម្តៅវិញក៏ដោយ ក៏មគ្គុទេសក៍របស់ខ្ញុំហើយនិងខ្ញុចង់បន្តការរុករកកន្លែងឈប់ចុងក្រោយរបស់ពួកយើងនៃថ្ងៃនោះ – ដូច្នេះយើងបានឆ្លងកាត់គូរទឹកល្បីល្បាញនៃប្រាសាទអង្គរវត្ត និងច្រកចូលប្រាសាទពីច្រកឆ្លងកាត់គូរទឹកសំខាន់ៗ។ ពេលដែលនៅខាងក្នុង, ខ្ញុំភ្ញាក់ផ្អើលយ៉ាងខ្លាំងដោយទំហំបរិមាណនិងភាពអស្ចារ្យនៃកន្លែង។ ប្រាសាទត្រូវបានថែរក្សាយ៉ាងល្អបំផុតទាំងអស់នៅក្នុងអង្គរ ប្រាសាទអង្គរវត្តតំណាងឱ្យរចនាបថបុរាណជាន់ខ្ពស់នៃស្ថាបត្យកម្មខ្មែរ។ ចំនួនរៀបរាប់ក្នុងចម្លាក់លៀនស្រាលៗ និងតាមគែមជញ្ជាំងគឺគួរឱ្យភ្ញាក់ផ្អើល។

The largest religious monument in the world, Angkor Wat was originally built as a Hindu temple, then later transforming into a Buddhist temple and mausoleum for the Khmer King Suryavarman at the end of the 12th century. Today, shrines for both Vishnu and Buddha co-exist on the site and can be found at different locations in the complex. Because it is low season, I am fortunate to encounter fewer tourists in the temple and more religious pilgrims. Climbing up to the highest point of the temple, I am taken back by some of the views overlooking Angkor. Standing from up there, it felt like time stood still – and it was easy to imagine what the former Khmer Empire may have looked like many, many centuries ago. It was the perfect ending to an unforgettable day in the heat.

វិមានសាសនាធំជាងគេបំផុតនៅលើពិភពលោកដែលអង្គរវត្តត្រូវបានសាងសង់ឡើងជាប្រាសាទហិណ្ឌូមួយ បន្ទាប់ក្រោយមកបានផ្លាស់ប្តូរទៅជាព្រះវិហារព្រះពុទ្ធសាសនានិងព្រះសុសានសម្រាប់ព្រះបាទសូរ្យវរ្ម័នខ្មែរនៅចុងសតវត្សទី 12។ សព្វថ្ងៃនេះទីសក្ការៈបូជាសម្រាប់ទាំងព្រះវិស្ណុនិងព្រះពុទ្ធមាននៅលើសហតំបន់ និងអាចត្រូវបានរកឃើញនៅទីតាំងផ្សេងគ្នានៅក្នុងអគារខ្វាត់ខ្វែង។ ដោយសារតែវាជារដូវទាប, ខ្ញុំពិតជាសំណាងណាស់ដែលបានជួបប្រទះនៅព្រះវិហារមានភ្ញៀវទេសចរតិចតួចអ្នកធម្មយាត្រាសាសនា និងមនុស្សជាច្រើនទៀត។ ឡើងដល់ចំណុចខ្ពស់បំផុតនៃប្រាសាទនេះ, ខ្ញុំបានថតយកមកវិញនូវទេសភាពមួយចំនួននៃប្រាសាទអង្គរទាំងមូល។ ក្រោកឈរឡើងនៅទីនោះ វាមានអារម្មណ៍ដូចជាពេលវេលាដែលបានឈរនៅទីនោះដែរ – ហើយវាគឺជាការងាយស្រួលក្នុងការស្រមៃនូវអ្វីដែលជាអតីតកាលនៃអាណាចក្រខ្មែរ ប្រហែលជាមើលទៅដូចជាមនុស្សដ៏ច្រើនសតវត្សរ៍មកហើយ។ វាជាការបញ្ចប់យ៉ាងល្អឥតខ្ចោះមួយនៅក្រោមកម្តៅថ្ងៃដែលមិនអាចបំភ្លេចបាន។

Contributor & Photographer: Leon Yan

អ្នករួមចំណែក & អ្នកថតរូប: Leon Yan

You Might Also Like你可能会喜欢

The Dancing Strawhats

July 28, 2016 2016年7月28日

In the rain-slicked and neon-lit streets of Tokyo, three masked dancers are introduced by the melancholic sounds of the Chinese song “What the Pipa Says”. Wearing matching silk-woven traditional Chinese attire, black boots, and straw hats, the veiled trio performs a brilliantly choreographed routine in the empty street. The fluidity and finesse of their movements almost appear to be giving a subtle nod to movements seen in Taichi and Chinese kung-fu. This unique street dance performance was the debut appearance of the Dancing Strawhats.

雨夜，招牌林立的日本东京街头，一曲凄清婉转的中国《琵琶语》，三个蒙面人藏身斗笠之下，一身锦缎唐装加黑靴，舞蹈动作行云流水，隐约还可见太极拳和中国功夫的影子在其间，完全不同于通常所见的街头舞蹈……这些看似相差十万八千里的各种元素放在一起，却也和谐、优美得得令人赞叹并深深享受。这就是Dancing Strawhats在正式命名前的一支视频。

无法观看？前往优酷

As their name suggests, the conical straw hats are an integral part of the Dancing Strawhats’ image; combined with their perpetually masked faces, the dancers are purposefully shrouded in an air of mystery. The only thing immediately obvious about the group are the Asian influences in all of their performances. Their outfits, location choices, music, and movements all borrow from various Asian cultures. For example, in “Kimono”, they collaborated with famous Japanese choreographer Koharu Sugawara and his dance crew to create a surrealistic video set in Kyoto’s Shaolin Temple. In “The Heroes”, the Dancing Strawhats collaborated with Korea’s Jingo Crew and performed in front of Seoul’s Gyeonghuigung Palace.

Dancing Strawhats，顾名思义，以斗笠为标志性形象元素，总以神秘的蒙面形象现身。从服饰到场景，从音乐到动作，他们的舞蹈作品里融合了众多东方元素。例如: 《Kimono》中与日本舞者以及编舞师菅原小春以及她的团队一起，在京都少林寺中身着和服进行了一场完全超现实的尬舞；在《The Heroes》中与韩国舞蹈组合Jinjo Crew在首尔庆熙宫崇政殿前的合作…….

无法观看? 前往优酷

The most surprising aspect about the Dancing Strawhats might be where they’re from – all three team members are actually Norwegian. The trio consists of two brothers, Suleman Malik and Bilal Milik, along with their friend Nasir Sirikhan. Under the name Quick Crew, the three won Norway’s Got Talent in 2009 and established Quickstyle Studio shortly after and subsequently were often invited to teach and perform all over the world. So by 2015, when their Dancing Strawhats video went viral, the three were already no strangers to fame.

但出人意料的是，这个组合里的三位成员，Suleman Malik和Bilal Malik两兄弟，以及好友Nasir Sirikhan，均来自北欧的挪威。事实上，他们在2015年开始Dancing Strawhats这个三人舞蹈项目之前便早有名气。在2009年的Norwegians Got Talent电视节目中，他们以Quick Crew之名一举夺得冠军，并于随后成立了Quickstyle Studio，获邀至世界各地进行表演和教学。

无法观看? 前往优酷

But besides just dance, their music choices also sets them apart from other street dance crews. For example, in their “Tokyo Night” video, they decided to use “What the Pipa Says”. The song features a Chinese lute as the primary instrument, with other traditional Chinese instruments playing supporting roles. Chinese musician Linhai composed the song using elements from many different of genres, and by incorporating Western musical instruments, this contemporary reinterpretation of traditional Chinese music was born. In the “A Concept” video, the trio went with the song “Wamono” produced by Japanese breakbeat musical duo Hifana. The electronic heavy sounds are mixed with traditional Japanese instruments, like the samisen. The song even features Japanese festival drums, imbuing an even more authentic traditional Japanese feel throughout. At the same time, the song still retains its modern vibes.

在Dancing Strawhats这个项目中，这个团体在音乐的选择上，也是十分有趣和高明。比如《Tokyo Night》中那支《琵琶语》，虽是中国传统乐器琵琶为主，其它传统乐器为辅，但是音乐家林海应用了多种音乐流派的编曲手法，并结合了诸多西洋乐器，可谓是一次相当成功的传统的当代演绎。又如《A Concept》舞蹈中，日本电子音乐组合HIFANA的《WAMONO ~和モノ~》，利用电子乐配合人声再加入传统的三味弦等乐器，甚至还有祭典伴奏，可谓和风十足，又不失当代节奏。

无法观看? 前往优酷

Under the name Quick Crew, they never considered themselves to be solely a hip-hop dance crew. Instead, they believe in being open to all kinds of dancing and finding inspiration in it. This belief clearly extends to their performances under the Dancing Strawhats name. Their performances are closer to storytelling than mere choreography. Every performance not only showcases them as skilled dancers, but truly presents them as artists, and a breath of fresh air in the stale state of modern street dance.

作为Quick Crew，他们声称从不自称为hip hop舞蹈组合，相反，他们信仰的是从各类舞蹈中汲取灵感创作的自由。显然在Dancing Strawhats这个项目中，这个信仰也得以贯穿。相比时下主流的街舞，Dancing Strawhats以带有故事情节的编舞和演出、独到的技艺和创意的概念成为街舞团队中的一股清流，他们的作品总能让人惊叹尖叫。

Website: thequickstyle.com
Facebook: ~/dancingstrawhats
YouTube: ~/dancingstrawhats
Instagram: @thestrawhatz

Contributor: Banny Wang
Images and Videos Courtesy of Dancing Strawhats

网站: thequickstyle.com
脸书: ~/dancingstrawhats
YouTube: ~/dancingstrawhats
Instagram: @thestrawhatz

供稿人: Banny Wang
图片和视频来自Dancing Strawhats

You Might Also Like你可能会喜欢

ONEQ’s Evocative Illustrations

July 27, 2016 2016年7月27日

ONEQ is a Japanese illustrator who’s most well known for her illustrations of vintage pin-up girls. Her drawings seamlessly blend Western and Eastern styles – think 1900s American poster art, with the curvy sexualized female form, mixed together with the flawless skin and delicate features of the females portrayed in Japanese manga. ONEQ says she’s endlessly fascinated with women and the female body. This fascination is mirrored in all of her work, where she draws captivating images of voluptuous hourglass-shaped women, powerful and seductive. Her illustrations are proud celebrations of femininity and sexuality.

ONEQは、ヴィンテージピンナップガールのイラストで特に知られる日本在住のイラストレーターです。彼女の絵は西洋と東洋の美人画のスタイルを見事にブレンドしたものです。曲線美が強調された女性の肉体にあふれた1900年代のアメリカのポスターアートが、日本の漫画の様式で描かれる女性の完璧で繊細な容貌の融合点を想像してみてください。ONEQは、女性とその肉体が持つ不思議な曲線美に魅せられていると語ります。そんな魅惑の影響が、妖艶にウエストがくびれ、たくましいほど極度に誘惑的な女性のイメージをとらえた彼女の作品すべてに反映されています。これらの作品は、女性らしさとセクシュアリティを高らかに称賛しているように見えます。

ONEQ was born, raised, and is currently based in Kumamoto, the capital of Kyushu island. As a completely self-taught artist, ONEQ’s love affair with illustration, like most illustrators, can be traced back to her childhood. Manga books were a big part of that childhood. Generally, Japanese manga is separated into different categories, some cater to a female audience and others cater to a male audience. Having an older brother allowed her the opportunity to be exposed to both worlds.

ONEQは、九州の熊本で生まれ育ちました。完全に独学のアーティストであるONEQと絵との親密な関係は、多くのイラストレーター同様、彼女自身の幼少期に遡ります。日本人である彼女にとって漫画文化は子供時代の大きな割合を占めるものでした。日本の漫画は、女性向けと男性向けという2種類に大きく分類する事ができるでしょう。年の近い兄がいる彼女は、その両方の持つ世界感に浸るチャンスに恵まれたわけです。

She cites three major influences that pushed her along the path to becoming an illustrator. The first is the famous manga artist Rumiko Takahashi, the illustrator behind Ranma 1/2 and InuYasha, who she says is her biggest influence. The second is Rockin’ Jelly Bean, a famous Japanese pop artist, whose use of colors captivated her and changed the way she looked at how colors could be used. The third is Simon Bisley, a British comic artist that portrays women in equal parts femininity and equal parts strength. All of these influences came together and evolved her artwork into what it is today.

彼女は、自身を振り返りイラストレーターの道へと歩ませた影響力の高い3人の作家を過去に挙げています。１人目は、『らんま１/２』や『うる星やつら』の作者として著名な日本の漫画家、高橋留美子で、ONEQにとって子供時代に強力な影響を初めに受けたとのこと。２人目は、鮮やかな色使いや完成度の高さが彼女を魅了し、色彩への見方を変えるきっかけとなった有名なポップアーティスト、ロッキン・ジェリー・ビーン。そして３人目は、女性の女らしさと力強さを濃厚に描きあげるイギリスのコミックアーティスト、サイモン・ビズリー。これらの素晴らしい影響力すべてが一体となり、今日見られる彼女の作品に昇華したわけです。

Having just turned thirty-four earlier this year, ONEQ is working full time as a freelance artist, but just recently reallocated one day out of every week to work at her friend’s bar. Her motivations behind this aren’t financial. The bar is stimulating and the atmosphere inspires her art, she says. “Many unique and powerful ladies go there on weekends. Their energy is captivating.” Not a stranger to this lifestyle, she recalls being mixed up in Japan’s night life scene as a teenager. Often missing school, ONEQ would find herself spending time in the more dubious parts of town. Even though she prefers the slow-paced and quiet life in Kumamoto, she considers Japan’s night life to be another aspect of Japanese culture that has influenced her artwork and style. She says, “In that regard, I consider my past to be both good and bad.”

ここ最近の彼女は、フリーランスアーティストとして制作に専念するかたわら、週に一度だけ友人のとあるバーへ手伝いに出かけるそうです。この不思議なライフスタイルのきっかけとなったのは経済的なものからではなく、その空間には彼女の制作を刺激し手助けする雰囲気やパワーがあるのだと言います。「週末になると、ユニークでミステリアスな女性が多く遊びに来ます。そのエネルギーや感触が制作の刺激になっている。」と彼女は語ります。そんなライフスタイルに無縁ではない彼女は、夜の繁華街で遊んでいたティーンエイジャーの頃を回想します。彼女はたびたび学校を休み、夜の妖しい繁華街で友人達と日常を過ごしたものです。熊本の静かでのんびりとした生活を好むとはいえ、夜の怪しげなネオン達が自身の作品にも少なからず影響を与える日本文化の側面でもあると考えています。「自分の過去は良い面と悪い面、両方の要素で成り立っていると思っています。」と述べています。

ONEQ’s creation process is a mix of both traditional and modern techniques. She first begins with rough sketches to flesh out the initial concept. Once the idea has been clearly thought out, she will then draw a refined version in monochrome by using mechanical pencils. If the image is intended to be a colored piece of work, it gets scanned and digitally colored in Photoshop. Her pieces that involve color could take upwards of two weeks to fully complete.

彼女の制作プロセスは、伝統と現代の技術をカジュアルに組み合わせたものです。まずラフスケッチから始め、最初のコンセプトを肉付けしていきます。アイデアやイメージが明確に浮かんだ段階で、今度はシャープペンシルを使ってモノクロで精密な線画を描いていきます。作品が彩色画となる場合は、Photoshopでデジタルに彩色を施します。色彩を用いた場合の彼女の作品は、最終的に完成までに2週間を超えることもあります。

Besides only working on paper and computer screens, she has also completed numerous murals and is keen on creating even more in the near future. She says, “I want to create more murals. It would be great if I could create murals in different places all over the world. Shanghai is definitely on my list.” ONEQ elaborates by saying that she doesn’t approach her art with any intentions of being famous; her sense of artistic accomplishment comes from creating artwork that she personally finds meaningful. This sincerity that she approaches all her illustrations with is undoubtedly another aspect of what makes her artwork so alluring.

スケッチブックやデジタルで描く作品のみならず、多数の壁画も手がける彼女は、近い将来さらなる壁画制作に意欲を見せています。彼女は、「もっと多くの壁画を制作したいと思っています。世界中のいろんな場所で壁画を制作しながら旅ができたら素晴らしく楽しいでしょうね。上海にもいつかぜひ描いてみたい」と言います。ONEQは、有名になりたいという欲求のみで作品に取り組むわけではなく、彼女自身の芸術的達成感が作品制作自体から同時に湧いてくるものであり、それが最も彼女にとって有意義だと感じる瞬間だと語ります。彼女の制作プロセスにおける誠意が、紛れもなくその作品の魅力を引き出す要素なのです。

Website: kotemufu.exblog.jp
Behance: ~/oneq-japan
Facebook: ~/oneq.pinup
Instagram: @negiyakisoba

Contributor: David Yen

ウェブサイト: kotemufu.exblog.jp
Behance: ~/oneq-japan
Facebook: ~/oneq.pinup
Instagram: @negiyakisoba

寄稿者: David Yen

You Might Also Like你可能会喜欢

Lanka Lanka

July 26, 2016 2016年7月26日

无法观看？前往优酷

Filmmaker Jacco Kliesch takes us through Sri Lanka with a stunning video diary of this island nation. Shot using a GoPro HERO4 and a Sony a7S II, the cinematic journey begins with a plane’s descent into Sri Lanka and a rain-filled stormy night. But the rain and darkness quickly gives way to a beautiful sunrise on the beach, and as morning light began pushing through the clouds, the country of Sri Lanka came to life.

Through the use of well-produced sound design, Jacco takes viewers on an immersive trip through Sri Lanka’s forests, mountains, temples, rural backroads, and marketplaces. The film also reveals the vibrance of life in the region – colorful insects, playful monkeys, and charming local Sri Lankans all make appearances in the video. All in all, the short film is a masterfully composed visual narrative that boasts all the marvels of the country.

Neocha Selects is a curated selection of some of the most inspiring and innovative video content from Asia. To see more stories like this, click here. To see original Neocha videos, click here.

Vimeo: ~/jacco

Contributor: David Yen
Video & Images Courtesy of Jacco Kliesch

You Might Also Like你可能会喜欢

Yoshito Hasaka’s Vision of Tokyo

July 25, 2016 2016年7月25日

Tokyo is often associated with the word “dense”, which isn’t surprising considering its status as one of the most populated metropolises in the world; the Japanese capital is a massive melting pot of subcultures and a place where one can find all the latest and hottest trends of Asia. Yoshito Hasaka is one of the millions living in the bustling city. Working as a full-time designer and iOS engineer, his free time is often spent exploring the nooks and crannies of this city with his camera. His Instagram account @_F7, where he presents a unique vision of the city through his signature wintry tones, is considered by many as one of the must-follow accounts in Tokyo.

東京について高密度という言葉がよく引き合いに出されるのは、世界で最も人口の多い大都市の一つという立場上当然のことであろう。この日本の首都は、サブカルチャーの巨大なるつぼであり、アジアで最も話題の最新流行を発見できる場所である。羽坂譲人氏は、この活気あふれる都市の多数の住人の一人である。グラフィックデザイナー兼iOSエンジニアを本業としながら、彼は余暇にカメラを携えて街の隅々を探索することが多い。独自の荒涼とした色調を通してこの街のユニークなビジョンを展開する彼のInstagramアカウント@_F7は、東京で最もフォローすべきアカウントの一つとして広く認識されている。

Yoshito’s passion for photography began simply as a way for him to document his travels. But as a graphic designer, his attentiveness to aesthetics naturally made its way into his photography. Yoshito says he’s also fascinated with the ways that people interact with objects; he’s intrigued by the kinds of reactions or feelings a person might have towards something. This is why he wants to create images that will resonate with viewers. So from taking the actual picture to post-processing, Yoshito works meticulously to craft the perfect image. Recently, Neocha had a chance to speak to him about photography and his vision of Tokyo.

羽坂氏の写真への情熱は、単に旅行の記録方法として始まった。しかし、グラフィックデザイナーである彼の美意識に対する記銘力が、自らを自然に写真へと導いたのである。羽坂氏は、人々が物と相互作用する方法にも感化されると語っている。人が何かに対して抱く反応や感情の様々な形に興味を引かれるのである。そのため、彼は見る者の心に響く画像を作ろうと努めている。そうして、実際の撮影から後処理まで、羽坂氏は完璧な画像制作のため慎重に作業する。Neochaはこのほど、そんな羽坂氏に写真と東京に対する彼のビジョンについてインタビューする機会を得た。

Neocha: What do you like to shoot the most in Tokyo?

Yoshito: I like things that were made by hand. I like seeing why they were made. I’m also a creator, so I feel that there’s always an intention and a meaning behind everything I create. I noticed this recently, but the things I’ve been trying to capture formed a kind of verification process for myself as a designer. There’s no way I can know if it’s correct or not, but when I organize things into a photograph, I’ll look at whatever is in front of my viewfinder and wonder why it was made this way. How did the person who made it want it to be? That’s my main theme, so that’s why a lot of the photos are taken from the front. Sometimes this means looking at the shape of a single building, and sometimes it might mean superimposing several elements, such as the way in which a crowd is walking through a street, the way in which the sun sets on the horizon, etc. I always try to give my own interpretation. It’s interesting for me, if I manage to capture the intentions of the creator with my camera, and if I can go beyond that, then I feel like the work really becomes my own. In Tokyo, there are a lot of different things that attract my interest. The city’s constantly being scrapped and rebuilt. So rather than having to go look for interesting things, interesting things have a tendency to appear in front of me.

Neocha: 東京で撮影する被写体で最も好きなものとは何でしょう？

Yoshito: 人の手によって作られたものが好きなんです。それがなぜそのように作られているのか。自分も作り手ですし、ものを創るひとつひとつのことには、必ず意図と理由があると思っています。最近気づいたのですが、ぼくがキャプチャーしているモノ・コトは、デザイナーとしてのその確認作業だったのです。正しいかどうかは知るべくもないわけですが、イメージとして収めるときに、自分のファインダーの前にあるものはなぜそう作られているのか。作った人はどう作りたかったのか。といったことが最初のテーマです（そのため、正面から撮ることが多いのです）。それはひとつの建物そのものの形であるときもあれば、多くの人がその道を歩く様子や、太陽が沈んでいく様など、複数の事象が重なって見える景色であったりします。そういう自分なりの解釈を常にするようにしていて、それが作った人が作る前に描いていたイメージを当てることができていたらとても面白いですし、さらにそれを超えることができたなら本当の意味で私のオリジナルになると思っています。東京にはそういう興味をひくものが本当にたくさんあります。どんどんスクラップ&ビルドされていますし、撮りに行くよりも出現する数の方が多いのではないでしょうか。

Neocha: What are some of your favorite spots in the city?

Yoshito: I like areas or events where lots of people gather. I like to think about why they gather there. I’m attracted by both indoor and outdoor locations; I want to see what it is about them that draws people there. I like capturing these places in a photograph and interpret it through my own means, and attempt to synchronize my thoughts with the person who created the place. Inevitably, I end up shooting at a lot of famous places. In Tokyo, I like any kind of tourist area, as well as busy areas where many people gather or go to work.

Neocha: 東京で最もお気に入りのスポットをいくつか教えていただけますか？

Yoshito: 人がたくさん集まるところや事象が好きなのです。そこになぜ人が集まるのか。建物が外も中も含めてが魅力的だからなのか、そこに人を引き寄せる何かがあるのか。それを自分なりに解釈して絵に収めることができ、それがその場所を作った人の意思とシンクロできるような場所が好きです。必然的に有名な場所が多くなります。東京であれば、観光スポットは何でも好きですし、多くの人が集まって働くような場所も好きですね。

Neocha: How often do you shoot nowadays?

Yoshito: Whenever I’m out and about in Tokyo, I’ll have my camera. I’ve been on Instagram for five years now though, so it’s harder to find new things to shoot in this city. I’ll post images taken at different famous locations, but I’ll also see other people shoot and post the same vantage. But I feel like it’s different every time I’m out. The weather, lighting, and people are never the same – other unforeseen factors might also affect how the image turns out. I don’t go out every day and night anymore, but it’s always fun to look for fresh angles and think about how to best frame the shot.

Neocha: 最近はどのくらいの頻度で撮影していますか？

Yoshito: 旅行に行きたいなと思った時に旅行ができる、東京は、そういう街だと思っています。5年以上Instagramで遊んでいて、東京という街そのものはたくさん露出し消費されてもう新しくはありません。いくつもの有名な場所のスナップ写真をポストしますが、同じように撮られた写真も多く見かけます。でもひとたびカメラを持って外に出たら、時間、天気、光の感じ、人の混み具合、そしてアクシデントといった環境要因でフレッシュに感じることができます。今となっては毎日毎晩撮りにでかけるわけではありませんが、新しいアングルや構図を探すことはいつだってとても楽しいです。

Neocha: How did you develop your personal style?

Yoshito: I get many comments from people like: “your photos are really Tron-ish,” or like “So Blade Runner!” Many people also tell me the colors in my photos are unique. I actually like Hollywood movies a lot, but they don’t influence me too much. From the point of view of a graphic designer, I like to envision my photos in the same way as a black-and-white photograph. I see them as “just a blue photo”, or “just a green and orange picture”, and so on. I would like the viewer to see it this way too. I reduce the color saturation on my photos for a reason. It’s part of the content – a way to focus on the story. To me, using different colors is like speaking with many unique voices, and I’m very happy with this approach.

Neocha: 独自のスタイルをどのように発展させたのでしょう？

Yoshito: よく、「Tronっぽい」とか「Blade Runnerだ」とか言われます。そして、画像の色使いがユニークだと言ってくれる方がいます。もちろんハリウッド映画は好きですが、そこにどっぷり浸かろうと思っているわけではありません。グラフィックデザイナーとして、モノクロ写真と同じように、ただ「この青の写真」とか、「このグリーンとオレンジのイメージ」とシンプルに認識したいし、見る人にもそう認識していただきたいのです。写真の彩度を下げていくことが多いですが、私の場合はそれは伝えたい内容であったり、ストーリーにより焦点を当てるための手法なのです。ユニークと捉えられている声が多いことは、とてもうれしく思います。

Neocha: What new subject matters or locations do you have plans of shooting in the future?

Yoshito: This year alone, I’ve seen many crazy photos taken of the famous Shibuya street crossing in Shinjuku. Many of the shots had angles I’d never seen before. I was really interested in shooting the crossing in a fresh way, but I never ended up with anything I liked. Experimenting with new things is always interesting and I hope to experiment more and more. Besides that, I’d also want to go to more new places. I’ve seen a few new locations on the internet and on social media that I’d like to visit. These places range from abandoned factories to architecture with impressive facades. It doesn’t matter to me if the location is more traditional or more futuristic. Sometimes when I come across a really great location online, it makes me want to get up and go shoot right away.

Neocha: 今後撮影を予定している新たな素材や場所とは何でしょうか？

Yoshito: 今年、今まで見たことのないアングルで渋谷や新宿の有名なストリートを撮影した、とても多くのすごい写真を見ました。普段自分が撮ってる場所を全くちがうアングルから捉えた写真を目の当たりにして、どうやって撮っているんだろうと興味を覚えましたが、まだそれを自分の手で撮影するには至っていません。非常に新鮮な表現手法で、トライしたいと思っています。そして、少し足を伸ばせばまだたくさんの行ったことがないスポットがあることを、インターネットやメディアを、インスタグラムを通して見ますし、そこへはカメラを持って行ってみたいと思っています。工場地帯もそうですし、クラシックなもの・未来的なものどちらもあるのですが、とても印象的な顔を持った建築物などです。

Website: f7th.com
Instagram: @_F7
VSCO: ~/f7th

Contributor: Banny Wang

ウェブサイト: f7th.com
Instagram: @_F7
VSCO: ~/f7th

寄稿者: Banny Wang

You Might Also Like你可能会喜欢

Spatial Bodies

July 22, 2016 2016年7月22日

无法观看？前往优酷

The city of Osaka, Japan is the backdrop for filmmaker AUJIK’s latest reality-bending video. In the short four-minute video, created with drone footage and 3D renderings, many of the buildings Japan’s second largest city have morphed into monstrous megastructures. Even stranger, these high rises, skyscrapers, and iconic landmarks, like the iconic Tsūtenkaku tower, appear to be moving about, defying the laws of physics. As these structures morph and oscillate throughout the video, the ordinarily mundane cityscape of Osaka turns into a writhing forest of concrete-fleshed organisms. Beneath the bending and twisting architectural impossibilities, the inhabitants of Osaka seem to be carrying on with their lives and unaffected by these anomalies, driving through the streets like any other day.

日本の大阪の街が、映像制作会社AUJIKの現実を歪めた最新動画の背景だ。この4分の短編動画は、ドローンの映像と3Dレンダリングで製作し、日本で2番目に大きな都市にある多くの建物が、怪物のような巨大建造物に変形している。実に不気味に、これらの高層建築物、高層ビル、大阪の象徴通天閣のような目印となる建物が、物理法則を無視して動き回っているようだ。この動画の間、これらの構造物の変形と揺れによって、普通の大阪の街の日常風景が、コンクリートの肉体を持った生物がのたうち回る森になっている。構造上不可能な曲げと歪みの下で、大阪の住人は騒々しく生活を送り、この異常な空間に影響を受けることなく、何事もない日のように街中で車を運転している。

AUJIK cites many influences that inspired him to create this video: from the famous Gunkan building in Tokyo to the Sony PlayStation 2 game Katamari Damacy. But his biggest influence for this video would appear to be Metabolism architecture, the Japanese architectural movement that combines concepts about architectural design with concepts about biological growth.

AUJIKは、有名な東京のGunkanビルからプレイステーション2のゲーム塊魂まで、この動画を制作するきっかけとなった多くの影響について述べている。しかし、彼のこの動画に最も大きな影響を与えたのは、メタボリズム建築かもしれない。それは建築設計の概念と生物の成長の概念を結びつけた日本の建築運動である。

Like previous projects, AUJIK worked closely with a musician to create a fitting score for this new video. In the past, he’s collaborated with a range of talented musicians, from Scottish music producers to American black metal bands. For Spatial Bodies, he worked with Japanese electronic music producer Daisuke Tanabe, who created an eerily calm soundtrack that guides viewers through a contorting cityscape.

これまでのプロジェクトのように、AUJIKはミュージシャンと緊密に作業を行い、この新しい動画に合った音楽を作った。過去には、スイスの音楽プロデューサーからアメリカのブラック・メタルバンドまで、幅広い優秀なミュージシャンとコラボしている。Spatial Bodiesのために、日本のエレクトロニックミュージックプロデューサーDaisuke Tanabeと仕事を行った。彼が作曲した不気味な程静かなサウンドトラックは、歪んだ都市の景観の中で見る人を案内している。

Neocha Selects is a curated selection of some of the most inspiring and innovative video content from Asia. To see more stories like this, click here. To see original Neocha videos, click here.

Neocha Selectsは、アジア各国から届いた最も刺激的で革新的な動画コンテンツから厳選されたセレクションです。さらに同様の話題をご覧いただくには、こちらをクリックしてください。Neochaのオリジナル動画については、こちらをクリックしてください。

Website: aujik.com
Vimeo: ~/qnqaujik
Facebook: ~/qnqaujik

Contributor: David Yen
Images & Video Courtesy of AUJIK

ウェブサイト: aujik.com
Vimeo: ~/qnqaujik
Facebook: ~/qnqaujik

Contributor: David Yen
Images & Video Courtesy of AUJIK

You Might Also Like你可能会喜欢

The Art of Mao Tianhua

July 21, 2016 2016年7月21日

China-born and New York-based illustrator Mao Tianhua has an uncanny ability to effortlessly pull viewers into her imaginative world. Graduating from New York’s School of Visual Arts in 2015, she has been conjuring up otherworldly landscapes, surreal organisms, futuristic architecture, and surreal stories ever since. Tianhua’s role in every piece of her art is unchanging; she plays the role of an omniscient being, a creator of worlds.

中国插画师毛天骅毕业于纽约视觉艺术学院，现居纽约。她的作品似乎总能轻易带读者进入另一个次元的世界。她的一笔一划，冷静又细腻地，描绘着现实世界中不存在的地貌、生物、建筑、故事。这种造物主般的视角，是她作品中的共同点。

In Tianhua’s illustration series, A Brief History of Puffisland, she tells a story about a small barren island. In the tale, the quiet island began experiencing a tumultuous series of events: organisms begin appearing, they evolve over time, but stronger creature come along and began eating the weaker creatures, even more powerful creatures come along and devour everything before finally starving to death. The island then reverts to its original state as a quiet and barren landscape. Like her other works, for example Museum of Tomorrow or The Monsters, Tianhua seems always to be capable of dreaming up new fantastical illustrations filled with an air of mystery, her lively imagination knowing no bounds.

在《噗岛简史》中，她凭空制造了一个“噗岛”，并讲述了噗岛由一片荒土，经历了一场轰轰烈烈的生命演变，最后覆灭回到原点的故事。同样，在《明日美术馆》、《怪物之门》等其他作品中，她也是如此肆意挥洒着自己的想象力，铺展开神秘和未知感。

She attributes her fascination with mystery and the unknown to her childhood days, when she was first exposed to Asian art. When she was a small child, her grandfather already began to teach her about traditional Chinese painting, but at such a young age, she only appreciated how pretty a drawing was, without fully understanding the artistic concepts behind the work. Later in Beijing, she went to Tsinghua University for a BFA in textile and weaving art. She copied and painted countless Dunhuang murals as part of her studies – she felt quite disheartened and passionless. At that time, she also felt that contemporary designs were far superior. Later as she grew older, Tianhua started favoring Asian arts and realized that a deep appreciation for Eastern aesthetics had always been ingrained in her. Elaborating on how the arts from Asia influenced her, Tianhua says, “This influence doesn’t involve me directly using these elements and techniques. It’s more about the way I establish the atmosphere and tell the story.”

关于这种神秘和未知感，天骅认为它们是来自她从小耳濡目染的东方美学。她从小跟随爷爷学习国画，年幼光景除了墨色在宣纸上晕开的美，对其意境领略无多；进了清华美院染织系后，由于专业要求临摹过大量敦煌壁画，却心生抵触，认为新潮的才是好设计。随着年岁渐长，她意识到东方美学的认同已经深入骨髓。她说:“这种影响不只摘取元素和相同的绘画技巧，更多的是画面意境和讲故事的方式。”

Tianhua’s creation process first begins with a hand-drawn sketch. After that is finished, she then transfers the image onto her computer for coloring. She pays close attention to textures, and every illustration is evidence of this. She tells us, “In order to have the right textures, I would have to experiment quite a bit. For example, I once coated my fingers in paint and rolled it until the paint became little balls. I then dipped a sponge in paint and used it to scrub over the canvas. Lastly, I sprinkled ink onto the damp canvas and would let the droplets of ink expand on the surface. This approach led to some surprising results.”

创作过程中，从手绘草图到电脑上色，天骅对质感的表现格外在意，每张画都会运用大量肌理。她告诉我们：“为了取得合适的肌理需要做大量的试验，比如我曾用手指蘸着油画颜料揉出墨团，用海绵蘸墨汁刮擦，在潮湿的纸面撒上墨汁让其沁开。这个过程充满惊喜。”

Originally from Wuxi, a land of many lakes and rivers, it makes sense that Tianhua would be greatly inspired by nature. “The warm color of opals, the many different forms of microorganisms, the soft texture of jellyfishes, and the smooth tactile feeling of snake scales – these are just some of the things that have appeared in my art,” she says. Her vivid imagination is a culmination of different things she has seen in Wuxi. In addition to Wuxi, the other cities she has lived in, such as Beijing and New York, have also left their mark on her. So it is not surprising to see that her art is rather reflective of all her past experiences.

来自中国水乡无锡的她，创作灵感很多时候来自大自然。“蛋白石的温润光彩，微生物的奇异形态，水母的柔软质感，蛇整齐光滑的鳞片感都曾进入我的作品。”她说。也正是这些元素的有机结合塑造出了她画面满满的幻想感。一路从无锡，到北京，到纽约，每一个她去过的地方都改变着她，让她成为现在成为的样子，而她的作品就成了她心里的映射。

Tianhua believes she is still constantly learning. Whenever she encounters new mediums and subject matters, she is keen to experiment and see what she can create. But besides illustrations, Tianhua reveals a fondness for video games. To her, video games are seen as a combination of music, visuals, and story. She likens playing a well-designed video game to appreciating a piece of art, describing the emotions that both activities can induce in a person. Currently, Tianhua working on animating A Brief History of Puffisland so that it can be turned into a playable video game in the near future.

天骅自认为还处于学习的阶段，接触到新的媒介和题材，她就会想去尝试。除了创作插画，天骅也喜欢玩游戏。在她看来，游戏是音乐画面故事的综合体，玩一个制作精良的游戏就想欣赏一个艺术作品一样，情绪也会跟着起落。她现在正在尝试让《噗岛简史》动起来，伺机将其变成一款游戏。

Website: tianhuamao.com
Weibo: @毛天马华
Behance: ~/maoth
Instagram: @tianhua_mao

Contributor: Banny Wang

网站: tianhuamao.com
微博: @毛天马华
Behance: ~/maoth
Instagram: @tianhua_mao

供稿人: Banny Wang

You Might Also Like你可能会喜欢

Zhongshuge by X+Living

July 20, 2016 2016年7月20日

The award-winning Shanghai-based design firm X+Living was commissioned to design book retailer Zhongshuge’s Hangzhou and Yangzhou branch this year. The Hangzhou location was unveiled in April, while the Yangzhou location opened to the public just earlier this month. X+Living approached the Hangzhou location with the ambitious mindset of wanting to design the most beautiful bookstore in the world. As for the Yangzhou Zhongshuge store, X+Living focused instead on tying together the region’s surrounding geography and its cultural history with their design concepts.

落户于上海的设计公司唯想国际屡获大奖，今年为图书连锁店钟书阁在杭州和扬州的分店设计操刀。杭州钟书阁于今年四月揭开面纱，扬州钟书阁在这个月初对外开放。唯想国际旨在将杭州钟书阁打造为全球最美书店，而在设计扬州钟书阁的时候，重点融入这里的地理环境和文化历史元素。

Located within Star Avenue, a bustling commercial center in the Binjiang district, the Hangzhou Zhongshuge greets visitors with a rather simple glass facade. The transparent glass is covered with text and reveals a pure white space inside the store. Once inside, impressive circular pillars are found throughout the lobby, each ascending up to the mirrored ceiling. Bookshelves are integrated into every pillar. A doorway takes visitors out of this surreal white space and brings them into the main hall. The main hall is a quiet reading corridor, and the walls consist of dark wooden bookshelves that extend down the hallway. This area has the identical mirrored ceiling as the previous area, but rather than bright florescent white lights, amber-colored chandeliers hang overhead and provides a soothing glow through the hall. Further down the hall is the main study, a breathtaking oval room where the stairs double as bookshelves and the same mirrored ceiling overhead doubles the size of the already astonishing room. This space allows visitors to rest on the shelved steps and read. Strips of light beneath the shelves and bulbs overhead illuminate the space, but individual lamps are also situated throughout the room next to padded cushions, offering readers a comfortable reading experience.

钟书阁杭州店位于滨江区星光大道繁华的商业中心，首先映入眼帘的是铺满文字的全通透玻璃幕墙，透过玻璃幕墙后是一个纯白色空间。一旦踏入，就能看到一支支直冲镜面天花板的圆形立柱，铺满整个大厅空间，蔚为壮观。书架就嵌入在每根立柱里。通过一扇门洞，人们走出这个超现实的白色空间，来到正殿，一个幽静的读书长廊迎面而来，整面的深木色书架向着端头无尽地延伸。天花板依旧由镜面构成，但不同于一般书店里明亮的白光灯，这里天花上的镜面漂浮着一盏盏琥珀色的吊灯，让整个空间充满了柔和的美感。越过长廊便是阶梯阅读区，阶梯还能兼做书架。这里有着同样的镜面天花板，在这个有着强烈视觉冲击和设计感的空间里，人们可以休憩于高阁阶梯上，静心阅读。环抱式书架配以一道道如漩涡的灯带，配上正殿上的光亮，整个空间明媚敞亮。但每个房间里都设有个性化的台灯与舒适的靠垫，共同营造绝佳的阅读体验。

For the Yangzhou Zhongshuge location, their design revolves around the concept of water and how it is considered as the “cradle of everything, and the breeding ground of culture”. Upon entering, visitors will find themselves in a tunnel with a black reflective ground and bookshelves that curve upwards into a beautiful arc. But instead of the two sides meeting on the ceiling, a zig-zag shaped lightning bolt cuts through overhead; it reflects on the ground and forms a flowing river that beckons visitors to follow it deeper into the space. Venturing inwards, visitors will find themselves in the lobby and main reading room. These two spaces both use dramatic curving arches to support and connect one another, and these curving pillars and walls also form coves of books throughout the space. The recurring appearances of these arcs and curved arches in the space is meant to represent bridges over water, which is an analogy for bridging the minds of readers with the knowledge contained in books. Soft light illuminates the space and fills with it peaceful ambience, even this is a carefully thought-out design element that is meant to invoke images of a river sparkling in the sun.

水，万物滋生的摇篮，更是文化孕育的温床。钟书阁扬州店在设计时，一大特色就是融入了“水”的元素。走入书店，就置身于一条通廊，踏在深色的反光地面上，看着两边的书架向上延伸形成优美的弧线，但在顶端并不是连接在一起，而是形成了一种曲折宛如闪电的结构，反射在地面上，形成河流状前行，似乎在引领者读者深入更加浩瀚的知识海洋。进而向前，来到主厅和主阅览室。设计师利用造型别致的各种拱形来连接各个区域，曲线形的柱子和墙壁贯穿整个空间，形成书籍摆放之地。如此反复出现的弧线和弯曲拱形设计，都是为了呈现“桥立于水”的意向，向人们传递知识立于书本的相同内涵。柔和的光线缓缓照亮所在空间，充满了宁静的氛围，这个精心的设计也是为了让读者联想起桥下水波的粼粼之光。

Both of these bookstores also feature dedicated children’s reading rooms. The children’s rooms in both locations are vastly different from the rest of the store, but both give off an infectiously playful energy. The Hangzhou location is designed just like a playground, with the bookshelves emulating merry-go-rounds, hot air balloons, roller coasters, and even pirate ships. In the Yangzhou children’s room, the bookshelves are built like colorful, disassembled toy blocks. Countless stars twinkle overhead. Both locations are constructed to spark the imagination of children and adults alike.

两个钟书阁都专门设有儿童馆。给孩子们精心设计的儿童馆在书店中显得别具一格，都带着强烈的童趣元素。杭州钟书阁的儿童馆是一个书籍游乐场，书架全部艺化成游乐场设施：旋转木马、过山车、热气球和海盗船，寓教于乐。扬州钟书阁的书架以五彩缤纷的颜色来活跃整个空间，并做成了可拆解移动的玩具形式，配上天花板上数不清的星星之灯，整个氛围很是活泼。

Both of the new Zhongshuge locations are awe-inspiring spaces that are sure to captivate both readers and design lovers. The next time you are in Yangzhou or Hangzhou, be sure to make some time in your schedule and check them out!

无论是爱书之人还是设计迷，都会迷上钟书阁这两家新店的独特魅力。下次有机会到杭州或者扬州时，别忘了在行程中抽出一点时间，到此处一游！

Addresses:

Hangzhou Branch
Xingguang Avenue Pedestrian Street, Building 4-101
Binjiang District, Hangzhou
People’s Republic of China

Yangzhou Branch
492 Wenchang Middle Street
Guangling District, Yangzhou
People’s Republic of China

Website: XL-muse.com
Weibo: ~/zhongshuge

地址:

杭州钟书阁
中国杭州市滨江区
星光大道步行街4号楼-101

扬州钟书阁
中国扬州市广陵区
文昌中路492号

网站: XL-muse.com
微博: ~/zhongshuge

Contributor: David Yen
Photographer: Shao Feng
Images Courtesy of X+Living

供稿人: David Yen
摄影师: 邵峰
图片由唯想国际提供

You Might Also Like你可能会喜欢

Football, the Religion

July 19, 2016 2016年7月19日

British photographer Tony Burns first became involved with photography in his 20s. Initially for him, it was just a hobby but later he was also given a contract to contribute to Lonely Planet as a freelance travel photographer. Soon after, travel photography became his full-time occupation and, much to his delight, he was travelling almost all of the time.

In the process of developing his own style, he decided to start shooting more photo essays and long-term stories. He tells us, “Some advice I had been given at the time was to ‘shoot what you love’, and football was the first thing that immediately came to mind. Like most kids growing up in the 80s in the UK, football was a big part of life and most evenings were spent kicking a ball around either in the street, backyard or a nearby field.”

In his travels abroad, he would be constantly looking for it and one time when he was in Myanmar, he was amazed to see a group of Burmese monks playing the game in their robes on muddy pitches. He knew right away that this would be something that he’d want to shoot a story about. When he first spotted this small group of young monks playing football outside an old teak monastery one afternoon, he was sitting on the back of a motorbike taxi. Seeing this was, as he calls it, “a photographer’s dream”.

Tony shot this project over four short, separate trips, while also visiting some other monasteries in the city. He tells us that the monks generally have long days that start very early at 4am: they first have breakfast; then spend the morning in classes, learning the ways of a Buddhist life; next, they eat lunch usually before noon and then cannot eat for the rest of the day. Afternoons involve more classes and tend to finish around 4pm for the younger monks, which is then often when a game of football might happen.

These games of football aren’t officially organized by the monastery nor are they a part of the monks’ daily routine. The players typically just decide amongst themselves when and if they want to play – and on most days, they do. Tony tells us that they “learn, eat, play and live together for those years that they practice as monks. So they almost form a new brotherhood or family through that experience, and playing football is just a part of that and is just one way (for them) to unwind each day.”

Tony normally shoots with a Canon 5D MK3 and a set of prime lenses: the 35mm 1.4, 85mm 1.2, and 135mm f2. For street photography, he likes to use a Fuji XT1 and a 35mm 1.4 lens. Ultimately his goal is to explore a city and stories as much as he can. He says, “I’m constantly looking at the work as a whole and deciding from there which sorts of images or subjects I need, and how it will all flow and be sequenced.” His creative ideas often come out of that and for the shots themselves, he goes where those particular stories or locations are, hopefully during the right time. Patience is key when shooting and he says that it is important to build towards the right kind of lighting.

Generally Tony tries not to define himself as any specific type of photographer, for example, a photojournalist, street photographer, or documentary photographer. For him, the projects that he shoots can be very different from each other and may incorporate different approaches and styles. Certainly he admits his work is narrative-driven and based on visual storytelling, but he says that he tends to shoot what he finds most visually striking about a place or thing that he feels compelled to explore and show.

Tony also has another football project from Rio de Janeiro, entitled Cidade do Futebol. “There are certainly similarities between street football in the favelas of Rio and the novice monks playing in Myanmar,” he says, “As an observer and photographer, I was struck by how timeless these scenes look. In England for example, street football seems a thing of the past and now kids mostly play organized games for local clubs rather than just have a kick around in the streets with their friends. So that’s why the streets of Rio and Myanmar were so striking, it all looked like it could be happening in any era, and evokes memories of football from the past, rather than the modern day version of the game, which is really influenced by money.” Perhaps it is a bit of a cliché to say, but for Tony when he was shooting in Rio or Myanmar, he admits that he felt he was really witnessing football – the beautiful game – in its purest form.

Website: shootingtheworld.com
Facebook: ~/shootingtheworld
Instagram: @tonyburnsphotos
Twitter: ~/tonyburnsphotos

Contributor: Leon Yan

You Might Also Like你可能会喜欢

Tokyo

July 18, 2016 2016年7月18日

Today’s trend-setting, ultra-modern Tokyo leads the world in many regards. One look at the photos of Tokyo on VSCO Grid® reveal the sleek architecture and bustling shopping districts that characterize the Japanese city. Amidst the images of its fashion-forward youth and neon-lit nightlife, however, we see the cultural elements that distinguish Tokyo from its international counterparts.

現代の流行発信地である最先端の都市東京は、様々な観点で世界をリードしています。VSCO Grid®で東京の写真を一目見れば、日本を代表する都市の特徴であるなめらかに光り輝く建築や活気あふれるショッピング街の様子が手に取るようにわかります。流行に敏感な若者たちやネオンきらめくナイトライフといったイメージの中でも、東京には他の国際都市と一線を画す文化的な要素がうかがえます。

View the city’s busy streets, its distinctive cherry blossoms, or traditional Buddhist temples in the selection of photos below or by searching Tokyo on VSCO Grid®.

以下の写真セレクションで、またはVSCO Grid®で「東京」と検索して、東京の繁華街やこの地独特の桜の花、あるいは伝統的な仏閣をご覧ください。