Monthly Archives: March 2017

To Infinity & Beyond

March 17, 2017 2017年3月17日

 

无法观看？前往优酷

Every little boy dreams of having a room filled with their favorite toys. As we grow older, that dream doesn’t necessarily disappear. In the last decade, the market for derivative toys has exploded in China. From horror flicks to sci-fi films, movie-themed figurines have long been one of the most sought-after categories of toys for collectors and hobbyists. Subsequently, a majority of the collectible figurines in the past were based solely off of characters from American and Japanese pop culture. In China, a few individuals began asking “Why have we never seen action figures based on Chinese culture?” This culminated in their decision to try and create a premium collection of high-quality collectible figurines that are culturally relevant to China. And so, Infinity Studio was born. We recently dropped by their Shanghai studio space and spoke to Dayu, one of the co-founders of Infinity Studio, to find out what goes into each one of their detailed creations.

相信男孩们的共同梦想就是拥有一柜子的玩具，即使长大成人后这个梦想也不曾退去。近十年，衍生品玩偶在中国大幅发展，其中最主要的一类便是电影衍生品，从科幻电影到恐怖电影应有尽有，充分满足了大家的收藏欲望。然而，大家主要购买的还是欧美动画或是日本动画的衍生品玩偶。这时有些人发现了问题：“似乎我们很少看到中国本土形象的衍生产品？”正是因为这个问题的存在，促使了这一群“大孩子”们自己动手，励志创造出最棒的中国元素玩偶雕塑作品，他们便是开天工作室。最近，我们来到开天在上海的工作空间，和他们其中一位创始人大鱼碰面，聊了聊关于玩偶制作的细节和心得。

Neocha: It’s impressive how you guys are leading the charge in producing action figures relevant to Chinese culture, but how do you decide on the stories or subjects that you want to tackle?

Da Yu: In the past, we didn’t put much thought into it and we just made what we personally liked. Going forward, we’d like to toss this question to other hobbyists and collectors. They can decide what sort of action figures they’d like to see. If we face the problem of copyright, we’ll do everything we can to acquire licensing rights and make it happen. We just want passionate collectors to be able to own the action figures they want the most.

Neocha: 开天工作室目前致力于创作中国元素的雕像，那么在选题上你们是怎么决定的？

大鱼: 之前我们在题材选择上是随心所欲，做我们喜欢的东西。今后我们想把这个题材选择权交还给玩家，让玩家决定出什么题材，如果要争取版权的话我们也会去全力争取，让玩家能真正买到心中想要的玩偶。

Neocha: Your creations are digitally designed and 3D printed. What would you say the differences are between using modern technology versus traditional handcrafted techniques?

Da Yu: Regardless if it’s handmade or 3D, the inherent nature of the creation doesn’t change – they both require a keen sense of aesthetics and an accurate grasp of anatomical proportions. The creation method is different, but the advantage with using 3D printing is that we can quickly make changes and adjustments. We also aren’t limited by our workspace, and it’s easy to collaborate together on ideas. We also like the hand-sculpted stuff, but many of the talented artistans who have switched to 3D printing still produce amazing work.

Neocha: 你们的制作方式是电脑设计+3D打印，这样的方式对比传统的手工雕模和翻模制作有什么区别或是优势吗？

大鱼: 无论是手工还是3D，其实本质是一样的，都需要审美，对生物结构的精确把握，区别的只是手段。在这方面3D的优势是可以快速进行修改，和进行比例调整，不太受限于工作环境，便于协作。手雕的东西我们也很喜欢，有很多活好的手艺人，转用3D以后也都做得很棒。

Neocha: The details of your creations are mesmerizing, especially the eyes and the hands. What are some of the obstacles you’ve had to overcome to reach this level of detail?

Da Yu: 3D printing is a new technology that’s only been widespread in recent years. Naturally, there will be many things that we’re still figuring out. In the beginning, we wasted pounds after pounds of raw printing material that cost us 50RMB a gram; we didn’t install proper installation systems, so we unknowingly inhaled lungfuls of the hardener fumes, until we were on the verge of passing out; and when using the spray paint gun, a draft of air sent all of the paint into our mouths. These challenges didn’t matter to us. We were perseverant and willing to do anything if it meant we were a step closer to making our dreams happen.

Neocha: 我发现你们的作品，在细节部分十分的出彩，特别是眼睛和手部，在制作上你们一定经历了不少困难吧？

大鱼: 用3D设计和3D打印制作模型是近年来才出现的一种开发方式，中间肯定是有非常多的未知性，比如50多元一克的3D打印材料，我们打费了好几斤，翻模的时候固化剂刺鼻的味道没几分钟就使人头昏脑涨，一开始涂装间没有通风设备，结果一开喷枪都被风倒灌进嘴里了。但我们觉得这些都不是事儿，比红军长征爬雪山过草地差远了，我们心中有坚定的，可以为之付出一切的目标，为了这个什么困难我们都会克服。

Neocha: In China, how has the action figure and toy figurine scene developed over the years?

Da Yu: A decade ago, the high-end market for action figures was quite niche and completely dominated by overseas brands. In the last two years, domestic brands have started to emerge. Us Chinese people aren’t exactly behind when stacked up against other overseas competitors. In terms of progress, I feel like standardizing regulations, proper licensing, and branding is king.

Neocha: 你觉得目前国内的雕塑这一块发展如何？

大鱼: 雕像这个高端小众市场，前十年基本都是国外品牌，近两年国内品牌逐渐冒头。咱们勤劳的中国人民其实干这种东西是不输国外的。但要说今后的发展，我觉得正规化，正版化，品牌化才是王道。

Neocha: Recently, you guys got the licensing rights for Naruto. Do you feel like this is a deviation from your original goals? Will the products from your Naruto collection be sized the same as your Three Kingdoms figurines?

Da Yu: We plan to establish a separate brand that creates derivative work from anime like Naruto and Neon Genesis Evangelion. Eventually, we hope to turn Infinity into a collective of brands rather than a single brand. Everyone has their own preferences, so we want to satisfy toy figure enthusiasts of all types. We’re still waiting for the production committee before we begin on working on any Naruto merchandise, but we definitely won’t make them as big as our Three Kingdom figurines. They’re too big and difficult for collectors to store them. Our mentality is to make toys that all collectors can easily afford and easily display.

Neocha: 近期开天工作室还拿到了“火影忍者“的版权，这个会不会与你们的初衷不符呢？火影忍者的产品还将会是和三国系列一样的大尺寸雕像吗？

开天: 火影包括，EVA这些日漫二次元IP，我们会演化出一专门的子品牌，未来会形成一个开天工作群的概念，毕竟萝卜白菜各有所爱，我们希望尽可能的满足各种玩家的爱好。火影目前还处于制作委员会监修阶段，但绝对不会做成三国这种大比例的雕像，这种太大了，玩家不好收纳。我们希望做玩家买得起放得下的良心之作。

Neocha: Certain Western large brands are creating their own original designs aside from their licensed derivative products, such as the Court of the Dead collection made by SIDESHOW. Do you guys have plans of doing something similar?

Da Yu: We’re already creating original work, but they won’t just be figurines. The plan is to extend our ideas into different types of content, such as a comic. I feel like different creative fields are all interconnected, so we want to enrich our content through the use of different mediums. We definitely want our creations to be immersive and impactful. But the most important thing of all is to tell a great story.

Neocha: 欧美的一些雕塑大厂比如SIDESHOW的作品除了拿IP做衍生品之外也会出一些原创设定的造像，比如死亡法庭系列。那么你们将来会不会也尝试制作一系列的原创造像?

大鱼: 原创我们已经在做了，不仅有雕像产品，还会配合漫画等内容载体，文化创意行业都是相通的，我们希望用各种丰富的内容载体，让我们的作品更加有代入感，有故事，有张力。

Website: kaitianstudio.com
Facebook: ~/InfinityStudioOfficial
Weibo: ~/InfinityStudio

 

Contributor: Sonic Yuan
Photographer: George Liu Zhen, Sonic Yuan
Videographer: Sonic Yuan, Yang Bingying

网站: kaitianstudio.com
脸书: ~/InfinityStudioOfficial
微博: ~/InfinityStudio

 

供稿人: Sonic Yuan
图片摄影师: George Liu Zhen
视频摄影师: Sonic Yuan, Yang Bingying

You Might Also Like你可能会喜欢

Rala Choi’s Faceless Portraits 是画，还是照片？

March 16, 2017 2017年3月16日

Rala Choi is a Seoul-based photographer who’s best known for his use of rich, saturated colors. The colors and textures of his images often make viewers question whether they’re looking at a photograph or an oil painting. Beyond Choi’s bold use of colors, the unconventional manner in which he poses his subjects has become another trademark of his work: they’re often photographed with their eyes covered up or with their backs completely turned to the camera. Despite his unorthodox approach to shooting portraits, Choi is a purist, in terms of his resolve in using analog film over digital cameras. To him, post production taints the image; he believes that the crux of the creation process is the moment when the shutter button is pressed. Recently, Choi’s portraits of his long-time friend, the famous South Korean singer Zion. T, was published in Dazed Korea. Scroll down and check out more of Rala Choi’s work below.

Rala Choi是一位居住在首尔的韩国摄影师。在他的照片中，你常能看到鲜明的色彩组合，类似油画般的照片质感，他镜头下的人物总是含羞的背对镜头或遮起眼睛，这些标志性特征都使Choi的摄影作品辨识度极高。他喜欢用胶片为媒介来创作，原因是这样产出的照片更忠于按下快门的时刻，而不会受到后期的干扰。与其说是照片，Choi的作品更像是游走在绘画和摄影边界的艺术品。最近，他为好友韩国歌手Zion.T拍摄的系列照片，登上韩国版《Dazed&Confused》，也延续了他一贯的个人风格，下面跟我们一起来看看Rala Choi更多的作品吧。

Website: ralachoi.com
Instagram: @ralachoi

 

Contributor: Ye Zi

网站: ralachoi.com
Instagram: @ralachoi

 

供稿人: Ye Zi

You Might Also Like你可能会喜欢

Translocation of Self

March 15, 2017 2017年3月15日

 

无法观看？前往优酷

In speaking with Taiwanese musician and visual artist Chiu Pi, I observed a sense of humility that’s rarely seen in the youth of today. His worldly outlook and viewpoints appear to be condensed and infused into his art, and only when examining his work as a whole, will people be able to get a better understanding of him as a person. His music has been dubbed as mystical and minimalistic avant-garde, but these classifications don’t quite do justice to his genre-bending work. In the span of two short years, he’s released 17 albums, made various televised appearances, and produced many commissioned commercial projects. Even in his success, Chiu Pi remains quite humble, shy even. For our interview, using the same unconventional wisdom that’s become a trademark of his art, he recontextualized our questions and presented it as a stream of consciousness narrative, which served as the preface to his answer.

邱比身上有一种在青年人身上难得一见的谦恭，好像他对事物的态度他的感官都藏进他的创作中，综上所述你才能得出一个立体的邱比的印象。他的音乐被贴上“仙气”或是极简前卫这样的字眼，但都不足以概括一贯克制的邱比。两年间他创作了十七张唱片，上节目，也创作了一些商业合作作品，但似乎在主流媒体世界里小有成就的邱比依然是那样谦恭与腼腆。回答我们的问题的时候，他总以一个关键词开始，再围绕着这个关键词去阐述他的想法，我想这种意识流的回答方式也正是他潜移默化藏进作品中的东西。

Listen to two selects tracks and read our interview with Chiu Pi below.

 Chiu Pi – PY
 Chiu Pi – Dance Floor (Diamond Lil Remix)

这里先插播两首我们最喜欢的邱比的歌，边听边看下面的访问吧。

 邱比 – PY
 邱比 – 舞池 (Diamond Lil Remix)

Neocha: Your new book was published not long ago. What have you been working on ever since?

Chiu Pi: “Willpower” – Inevitably, I always play the supporting role in life. Real inner peace and harmony doesn’t come from logic, but from faith and from the potential of self, a voluntary system of intuition.

Throughout the month of March, I’ll be at Taipei’s Kyushu Temple Forest for Scout, a solo exhibition tied to my first book End of Comfort. I’m honored to be joined by Huang Chenghuang. At the exhibition, we’ll be discussing George Gurdjieff’s The Fourth Way and I’ll also be teaching five courses on the Gurdjieff movements, which are a series of sacred dances, to help those who might be interested in working towards a deeper understanding of self. I also recently worked on the soundtrack for HTC’s virtual reality space that was exhibited at the National Palace Museum.

Neocha: 你的新书前不久发布了，那你最近在忙些什么？

邱比: “意志” —— 我总是无可避免的成为了人生的配角，真正的内在平静与祥和，不是从逻辑中得到，而是信仰中执行，从自我的潜能中，自愿并执行那份高直觉的力量。

整个三月份，我在台北纪州庵文学森林举行《Scout》，它将是以我的首部书《最后安慰》为核心发展出来的个展。我很荣幸邀请了黄承晃老师谈葛吉夫和第四道，并且我也将在展期内教授五堂神圣舞蹈课，帮助有志于用更深刻的方式工作自己的人，找到一个适应学习的工具。上个月为故宫的HTC虚拟实境合作计画配乐，在后续故宫发表的影片上皆听到。

Neocha: Having dabbled in theatre, music, dance, writing, and other artistic fields, do you prefer any over the rest?

Chiu Pi: “Maps” – Take me on a journey. Take me on your travels. The dying god hangs off a cliff. His last words: “Take me. Go experience the world in place of me. Maybe we can drift ashore together.”

In the seven years between high school and college, I was part of U-theatre and performed in various places like the Taipei Art University. I performed many scripts I wrote myself during this time. The performers I trained, went on and held avant-garde theatre performances in many places. In the past three years, I released an album in Mandarin Chinese, wrote hundreds of sheets of original music, and worked with Rolling Stone Records to establish a Taiwanese electronic music label. When I graduated from high school, I wanted to study philosophy. When I graduated from college, I wanted to establish my own theatre troupe and perform at all the biggest art festivals. None of these dreams happened but I’m not disappointed. I suppose it might be because I don’t know what I’m truly passionate about yet.

Neocha: 尝试了戏剧，音乐，舞蹈，文字等多个艺术领域，你心里会存在偏重的一方吗？

邱比: “地图” —— 带我去游览，带我去游历，垂死的上帝高挂在挣扎之崖。 他的遗言：“带我去吧，尽你所能的代我去经验世界。或许我们能一起靠岸。”

高中到大学七年间，我在优人神鼓，台北艺术大学等学校钻研表演艺术，在当时也搬演了许多自己撰写的剧本，我训练的演员在各地进行前卫剧场的演出，过去三年我发行了华语唱片，写了近百首原创的乐谱，今年滚石唱片更恰好成立了台湾的电子音乐厂。在高中毕业之际我希望念的科系是哲学系，在大学毕业时我希望创立自己的剧团在各大艺术节巡演，这些梦想我通通都没有实现。但我却不应该失望，因为或许我还不知道我真正热爱的是什么。

Neocha: From releasing your first album, to the Shoot For The Stars collaborative album, then to televised appearances – how have these experiences affected you or your creative process? Do you have any revelations regarding independent music?

Chiu Pi: “Environment” – Bring music straight to the consumers. It was a dream at first, but now it’s reality.

Music and environment are intrinsically linked. When something demands to be noticed in the environment, that same thing should translate over to music production. Being able to appreciate your surroundings is the same as being able to appreciate music. I take particular care to the environment when I’m working with vocals, which gives my music a fun and surreal quality to it. In the past, my productions emphasized a sense of space. I feel like the management of virtual spaces and the possibilities of music in the future will be closely related. Space has to become a solid. Space has to become definite. Space must contain levels. The next step is translocation, the translocation of our inner selves. This is my new understanding of music.

Neocha: 从第一张专辑到寻光计划再到后来的电视节目录制，这些经历对你自身以及你的创作有什么影响吗？或者你对独立音乐创作环境有什么新发现？

邱比: “环境” —— 把音乐直接传到消费者的耳里，首先是一个梦想，现在它已成为事实。

音乐跟环境息息相关，也就是说一个环境应该注意的事，正是音乐创作上该注意的事，欣赏一个环境的方式也是欣赏音乐的方式。在人声的处理上我特别在意环境立体感，它让音乐有一种音乐有一种在听觉上进行虚拟实境的趣味，过去的音乐在录音上，混音上强调空间感。我觉得音乐未来的可能性和虚实环境的管理有关。空间必须变得具体下来，空间必须变得明确下来，空间必须变得有层次。接下来，就是易位 – 内心环境的易位，这是我对音乐的新领悟。

Neocha: It’s difficult to imagine you living in an environment that restricts your freedom. Can you talk about your experience with conscripted army service?

Chiu Pi: “Self-discipline” – What’s our plan? I suggest that we stop accepting or presenting ourselves with fear as a tool for self-progression. Please consider this alternative: Let yourself grow. This benefits everyone.

The higher-up officers would impose their dogmatic ideals. But this was an opportunity to develop yourself and test yourself on whether you can adhere to their guidelines. In this sort of environment, your own thoughts become mentors. Your mind is autonomous. In everyday life, negative thoughts are useless. For example, these thoughts might be that I’ve always been a lazy person by default or I’ve always been a quitter. The first step to living freely is to stop consuming, the most negative part of the two examples are the words “always.”

Neocha: 总觉得很难想像制式生活里的邱比，可以说说你当兵期间的生活吗？

邱比: “自律” —— 我们的计划是什么？我建议要停止接受或对自己描绘基于恐惧的进步建议。请选择这一种建议：让你自己进步，这对大家都有好处。

每一个“教条”都是被长官所限制的，因此你可以借此机会发展，并检验你是否能在受限的“教条”下多守规，从这样的关系里面，你让你的每一种念头都成为你的导师，你的念头会告诉你- 你的自律之道。在进行制式生活中，你的负面思维是无用武之地的，例如：我本来就是一个懒惰的人，我本来就是一个以放弃为操守的人。自由生活的第一步是停止消耗。上述句子中最负面的是属“本来”二字。

Neocha: Was there a certain point in time where you felt like you were “complete,” or do you feel like you’ve always been yourself?

Chiu Pi: “Self” – Don’t attempt to prophesize results, but do keep it in mind. If I let you down, it’s a sign, a sign that you need to save me.

When does a person feel happy or content? Most of the time, it’s when a person is able to unleash the full potential of their personal value. But is this value measured? By who and in what ways? When do I know I’ve exerted the most of my value? A person that’s inline with their “self” should not lack integrity, even for a moment. Once a person recognizes that they understand their “self,” then they’re complete. Prayer is something that stops the flow of ideas; it splits two different schools of thought. Praying is the crevice between thoughts, and the response to prayers come from the resolution of your own work.

Neocha: 对你来说有没有一个时刻让你觉得自己完整了，还是说邱比一直是这样的邱比？

邱比: “自我” —— 不去预测结果，只是在意恰当。我让你失望是一个标示，一个你需要拯救我的标示。

人什么时候会觉得幸福，圆满呢？大多数时候是：你能够自如的发挥你的最大价值。但这个最大价值是需要被检验的吗？由谁，怎么检验，我如何知道我是否已发挥了我的最大价值？一个自我的人不应该有一刻缺乏完整，一旦他宣称自己具有“自我”，他就必须是一个持续完整的人。祈祷是一个停止念头的运动，它将两个念头分开，祈祷是念头之间的空隙，对祈祷的回应是根据你工作时候的信念。

Neocha: Does your new book End of Comfort have any special meaning to you? What sort of books do you normally read?

Chiu Pi: “Future” – Love is an endless revelation.

Three messages: 1. I’m worthy of God’s love. 2. Teaching the value of artificial intelligence. 3. Being an authentic version of myself.

The name End of Comfort is meant to be about mysticism. This is my favorite personal work so far. It comes from my soul. Normally, I like to read books that force you to think. I recommend the books Record of Words and Deeds of Wang Fengyi and Biocentrism: How Life and Consciousness are the Keys to Understanding the True Nature of the Universe by Bob Berman and Robert Lanza.

Neocha: 你的新书《最后安慰》对你来说有什么特殊的意义吗？你平时会读什么样的书？

邱比: “未来” —— 爱在无尽启示中。

三种讯息：1. 我是值得上帝爱的那种人。 2. 教导人工智能人类的价值。 3.一个真实不虚的人的氛围。

《最后安慰》是一本“神秘学的书”。它是我目前最欢喜的作品，这本书是我精神的婚恋。我平时喜欢读思考工具类书籍。推荐：《王凤仪言行录》和罗伯兰萨的《宇宙从我心中升起》。

Website: chiu-pi.portfoliobox.me
Weibo: ~/chiupi
Instagram: @chiu.pi

 

Contributor: Shou Xing
Photographer: Lin Junhong
Images Courtesy of Chiu Pi

网站: chiu-pi.portfoliobox.me
微博: ~/chiupi
Instagram: @chiu.pi

 

供稿人: Shou Xing
摄影师: 林俊宏
图片由邱比提供

You Might Also Like你可能会喜欢

The Hand of God 以象为神

March 14, 2017 2017年3月14日

 

无法观看？前往优酷

In August and September of every year, many states in India celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi, one of the most significant Hindu festivals of the year. It celebrates the birth of Ganesha, one of the most-worshipped deities in Hinduism, who’s known as the remover of obstacles, the patron of arts and sciences, and the deva of wisdom. In 1893, the celebration was transformed by renowned social activist Bal Gangadhar Tilak from private household affairs to the gala-style celebration that we see today.

每年八月和九月，印度多地会举办大型庆祝活动，迎接一个盛大的节日——象神节。 这个节日的出现是为了纪念象头神迦尼萨（印度教中一位重要的神明）的诞辰，迦尼萨是创生和破除障碍之神，艺术和科技的灵感之神，也是智慧的象征。这个节日的出现要追溯至1893年，那时印度社会活动家 Bal Gangadhar Tilak 将这个节日从私人的家庭式庆祝活动转变为现如今公众性质的大型庆典活动。

As part of the festival, people bring idols of Ganesha home; build pandals, which are temporary structures specifically made to host larger idols; and gather in public spaces to celebrate over the course of ten days. In the days leading up to the festival, before being stationed at the intended pandal, giant statues of Ganesha can already be spotted around the city. The actual festival is even more of an impressive sight: traffic stands at a complete halt, the roads glimmer in the saffron of marigold, shankha conch shells are blown, and the drums don’t stop beating. People dance and cheer in sheer joy at seeing Lord Ganesha.

在这个节日里，人们将象头神神像带回家，并专门搭建临时“神棚” （Pandal）来供奉如此巨型的象头神像。大家出门聚在一起庆祝这个节日，前后大约十天，十分热闹。在节日开始之前，人们会举着巨型象头神在城市里巡游，最后才将它放置于神棚里。 节日的时候，整座城市的交通会临近瘫痪状态，道路两旁摆满橙黄色的万寿菊，人们吹着螺号打着鼓，气氛十分热烈。大家跳舞，欢呼，沉浸于将象头神带回家的快乐中。

However, the workshops that are set up and prepare months prior to the festival are often forgotten. Artists and laborers work from day to night for weeks on end, toiling away to perfect the details of each idol. Typically, these idols are made of gypsum plaster, with larger idols reaching heights of around 30 to 40 feet. Their smaller counterparts are eco-friendly, being made with china clay or mud. Some of the even smaller idols are made with non-traditional materials like papier-mâché, pencils, or even cardamom.

然而在庆典开始之前，神像艺术家和工匠们还要花几个月的时间来筹备。他们在工作坊内日夜工作，一点一点细致地打造着这些象头神像。通常，大型神像是用熟石膏制成，可达30至40英尺高。小神像则环保一些，用高岭石或泥制作。 有时工匠们还会选用特殊材料打造更小而精致的神像，例如用废纸、铅笔，甚至可以用豆蔻来制作神像。

“We sculpt these idols starting from the base and that goes on until the tip of the crown,” an artist commented as he chiseled away at the statue. “This is the most time-consuming part of the process. Once the sculpting phase is over, we’ll then apply a certain amount of heat to the statue, especially around the joints, so that it can harden.”

“我们从底部开始雕刻这些神像，一路往上，直到神像的头冠” 一位神像艺术家一边雕刻一边向我们解释道。“雕刻是整个神像制造过程中最耗时的部分。 雕刻结束之后，我们要给雕像加热，特别是各部分连接的位置，这个步骤让它更加牢固。”

One of the most incredible parts of the creation process is when colors and lines are introduced to the bare statues. The idols are painted by hand from top to bottom with small brushes. Gleaming shades of reds and blues are applied to the attire, the symbolic lotus of Lord Ganesha’s right palm is drawn, the lines of the ear lobes are added, and Ganesha’s crown is made to shine. Every small detail is given its rightful share of attention. “I’m very particular about the eyes,” an artist says as he paints a small Ganesha idol that he planned to take home. “I take the maximum amount of time in getting them right. To me, that is where all the beauty and the energy of the idol is.”

整个制作过程中，最奇妙的是勾线和上色的部分。工匠们用小刷子由上到下为神像上色。他们将神像的服装画上带有光泽的红色或蓝色，在神像的右手手掌上画上有宗教象征意义的莲花图案，再为神像画上耳垂，接着，迦尼萨的头冠被涂上闪闪发光的金色，上色的过程中每一个小细节都恰到好处。“我绘画的时候会特别留意眼睛，会用大量的时间来研究怎么把它的眼睛画好，对我来说，眼睛是整个神像的美和精神的所在。”一名艺术家解释道。他正在给他的小象头神像上色，完成后他打算将它带回家。

Visiting the workshop was an inspiring experience. It was a place where people from different walks of life joined together and worked as one. To me, these artisans’ sense of dedication, faith, and unity are what truly make these idols come alive. This year’s Ganesh Chaturthi will begin on August 25th and end on September 5th. Mark your calendars if you want to see the festivities in person!

拜访这间神像工作坊是一个具有启发性的经历。在这里，我看到来自不同背景的人在一起融洽地工作。正是这些神像艺术家的奉献，信念和团结才让这些神像充满了灵魂。今年的象神节将于8月25日-9月5日举行，不想错过这个节日的话，现在就圈起你的日历吧。

Videographer, Photographer & Contributor: Omkar Phatak

供稿人，图片摄影师与视频摄影师: Omkar Phatak

You Might Also Like你可能会喜欢

A Body of Portraits

March 13, 2017 2017年3月13日

When Jing Jin is not hand painting greeting cards or making larger than life blueberry bagels, she’s capturing portraits that are immersive and intimate. She likens the human body to landscape – “I like making images that look at the alienness of something that is so intrinsically us.”

当Jing Jin不是在画手绘贺卡或制作巨型蓝莓百吉饼时，她就是在用镜头近距离捕捉引人入胜的人像作品。 她将人体比作风景——“我喜欢描画出属于我们内心，但却让我们感到陌生的一面。”

Many of her portraits focus on the intricacies of female relationships; she enjoys capturing their various facets that are both powerful and delicate. These aspects of solidarity, nurturing, sisterhood, rivalry and jealousy as well as the process of growing into each other and growing against each other all resonate through her images. Originally from Hong Kong and now based in Shanghai, Jing is currently working on a photo series that encaptures the city’s transient inhabitants. “People are always coming and going in Shanghai; it’s rare to meet someone who stays here for the long haul. I want to make portraits that show a strong contrast between their ephemeral presence and this city’s permanency.”

女性关系是她的人像摄影作品的重要主题； 她喜欢捕捉女性既强大又柔弱的不同面。 她的照片让人们看到女性的团结、母爱、姐妹情、竞争和嫉妒， 以及她们不断相互亲近和疏远对方的过程。来自香港的 Jing Jin 现居上海，在她的最新摄影项目中，她希望用镜头捕捉这座城市形色 匆匆的过客。“在上海，人们总是来来去去， 很少会见到有人在这里生活很长的一段时间。我想通过影像记录这些 来去匆匆的模样与这个恒久之城的强烈反差。”

Website: j1ngj1n.tumblr.com
Tumblr: jing-j.tumblr.com

 

Contributor: Whitney Ng

网站: j1ngj1n.tumblr.com
Tumblr: jing-j.tumblr.com

 

供稿人: Whitney Ng

You Might Also Like你可能会喜欢

Wong Chun’s Mad World

March 10, 2017 2017年3月10日

 

无法观看？前往优酷

At the most recent Golden Horse Awards, Hong Kong native Wong Chun took home the award for Best New Director. For the 28-year-old filmmaker – who originally had no plans of working in the film industry – it was a major milestone. After high school, Wong planned on majoring in graphic design, but his application was rejected. He ended up studying installation art at the City University of Hong Kong’s School of Creative Media. However, every week, out of his own interest, he started sitting in on a screenwriting course taught by Patrick Tam, a highly acclaimed director who became a tremendous source of inspiration for Wong. In Tam, he saw a visionary, one who understood how to wield the art of filmmaking to its fullest potential. Inspired, Wong decided to switch his major to film arts after the first semester.

刚拿到金马最佳新导演奖的黄进，最初并没有想过会进入电影这个行业。高中升大学的时候，他报的是平面设计专业，但却不被录取，之后误打误撞进了香港城市大学创意媒体学院。那时他的主修专业是装置艺术， 但出于兴趣，他每星期都会去旁听电影系的剧本课。教这个科目的导师是谭家明，电影届名望和资历很高的一位导演。黄进告诉我们，家明对他的影响很大，在家明身上他看到一位有修养有视野的人如何去凌驾电影这个庞大的艺术媒介，这种体会让他非常想学习去掌握这门艺术，所以读完一个学期之后，黄进决定申请转去电影系学习。

Aside from winning the Golden Horse Award, Mad World has been nominated in eight different categories for the upcoming 36th annual Hong Kong Film Awards, including the category for Best Director. Wong laughed and said, “I’m not the kind of person who was born to make films.” But as we talked, his unbridled passion and dedication towards filmmaking became more and more undeniable.

几年后，黄进凭借他的第一部电影长片《一念无明》拿下金马最佳新导演奖，并成功入围第36届香港电影金像奖包括最佳导演在内的八个奖项。虽然他一直笑称“我不是生来就是要做电影的那种人”，但整个访问中，我不断从他身上看到他对于电影艺术的热情和执着。

For Wong, the allure of filmmaking lies in its difficulties, in finding ways of steering his vision. For example, when authors or illustrators create, they’re generally working by themselves. Filmmaking is different. It often requires a team of people to work together. “A movie is a chemical reaction involving the imaginations, concepts, and emotions of the team involved – it’s hard to predict the final outcome, but this sense of uncertainty is also the essence of film.” Wong jokingly says that he actually doesn’t enjoy being a director, describing the creation process as painful and excruciating. But every time he finishes a movie, there will be an itch to start on the next one. “For me, making movies is like a drug addiction. You know it’ll be hard, torturous even, but I can’t help myself from wanting to do it again and again. I’m addicted.”

在黃进眼中，电影的迷人之处正在于它很难琢磨和掌控。譬如说写作或者画画，都是个人的创作。但是电影不同，它是需要一群人合作完成的。“一部电影的出现是由很多脑袋、很多想象和情绪夹杂在一起所产生的化学作用， 很难猜测它的结果会是怎样的。 而这种不确定性恰是电影的本质。” 说起创作，黄进还笑说其实一点都不享受做导演，创作的过程是十分痛苦和折磨人的。但每次拍完隔一阵子，却又很心痒想再试一次。“有时拍电影对我来说好像染上毒瘾一样，你明知它很辛苦，会折磨你，却又忍不住要再试，有一种瘾。”

Wong’s debut movie, Mad World, tells the story of a guilt-ridden father and son and how they’re facing the demons of their past. The son, played by famous Hong Kong actor Shawn Yue, suffers from bipolar disorder. The father is played by Eric Tsang, another well-known Hong Kong actor. In the film, the two live together in a tiny ten-square-meter subdivided flat. Wong’s reason for choosing the subject matters explored in the movie is that he sees bipolarism and subdivided flats as embodiments of Hong Kong’s very essence. “These subdivided flats is a result of Hong Kong’s inflated real estate prices,” Wong comments. “It’s a claustrophobic living space, similar to how dense the city itself is. The physical proximity of father and son reflects how tightly crowded the city is. This proximity can cause a lot of friction between people and can compound issues between one another. Bipolarism also represents another side of Hong Kong. The fast-pace of the city leads to people living fast-paced, stimulating lives. As a result, many people are unable to properly process their emotions or manage their interpersonal relationships.” Wong’s intention is for the film to help give voice to the issue of mental illness while also casting a spotlight on the social issues of modern-day Hong Kong.

《一念无明》讲的是一对怀着沉重愧疚的父子如何面对过去的故事。剧中余文乐扮演的是一 位躁郁症患者，他和曾志伟扮演的爸爸同住在一间不到十平米的㓥房中（㓥房是香港出租房的一种，指分间出租的居住单位，极为狭窄，多住户间共用厨房和厕所）。说起为什么会选择这个主题，黄进说㓥房和躁郁症其实都代表着香港这座城市的性格。“㓥房是香港超高地价现象的产物，是非常狭窄的居住环境。而这座城市也一样拥挤，拥挤到人和人的距离仿佛就像剧中的父子一样，进进出出都几乎要摩擦到对方。这种距离放大了人和人之间互相伤害的机会。另外，躁郁症也是这城市的另外一面。香港是一座生活速度非常快的城市，这里的人很多都处于一种快速亢奋的生活状态中。 而这种状态往往会造成人们没办法处理好自己的情绪，处理和周遭人的关系。” 拍摄这部电影，除了为精神病患者发声之外，也在侧面描写这座城市的现状。

Mad World is quite different from traditional Hong Kong films; the plot is decidedly depressing, and it doesn’t have any intentions to entertain, at least not in a traditional sense. But this was the kind of movie that Wong aspired to make, as he believes that movies don’t need happy endings nor a sense of closure. “I want my movies to stick with viewers, to follow them home, and become a part of their lives,” he says. Everyone experiences sadness or difficulties in life, and entertainment is but a form of escapism. So, rather than mindlessly entertain, Wong hopes his movie can instead offer catharsis, guidance, healing, and the courage to face the difficulties of life.

《一念无明》和传统常见的港产片有些不同，它的剧情非常压抑，也不具有娱乐性。不过这也是黄进所相信和一直坚持想做的电影。他认为好的电影不一定有圆满的结局，但它往往是缠绕不散的。“我希望电影能跟着观众从电影院回到家中，跟着观众一起生活。“ 人们的生活都会有苦难或空虚的时候，娱乐只是一种回避而已，而黄进希望他的电影可以成为一种疏导或者治疗，带给人一些面对困难的勇气。

Instagram：
@wongchunn
@madworldthemovie

Facebook: ~/一念無明-Mad-World

 

Contributor & Photographer: Ye Zi
Video and Additional Images Courtesy of Golden Scene Co. Lt

Instagram：
@wongchunn
@madworldthemovie

脸书: ~/一念無明-Mad-World

 

供稿人与摄影师: Ye Zi
视频及附加图片由高先电影提供

You Might Also Like你可能会喜欢

Tokyo After Dark

March 10, 2017 2017年3月10日

With an affinity for neon-lit alleyways and rain-slicked streets, Japanese photographer Masashi Wakui roams the nocturnal cityscape of Tokyo, capturing the Japanese capital in all of its luminous splendor. Wakui’s unique post-processing style instills his photos with a cinematic moodiness that has become his signature aesthetic. His colorful images blur the boundary between reality and fiction, often more closely resembling scenes out of Akira or Ghost in the Shell than real life. Check out more photos from the talented photographer below.

日本摄影师Masashi Wakui专注于捕捉东京迷幻的城市夜景，尤其是布满霓虹灯的小巷和反着光的潮湿街道。在Wakui的镜头下，东京仿佛是一座永远发着光的不夜城，这些场景看起来游离于现实和虚幻之间，给人一种电影般的氛围感。独特的色彩处理和光线的运用为Wakui的照片带来一种强烈的个人风格，有时甚至有点像日本动画片《亚基拉》和《攻壳机动队》中的场景。下面和我们一起看看这位摄影师更多的作品吧。

Flickr: ~/megane_wakui
Tumblr: masa-photo.tumblr.com
Instagram: @masashi_wakui

 

Contributor: David Yen

Flickr: ~/megane_wakui
Tumblr: masa-photo.tumblr.com
Instagram: @masashi_wakui

 

供稿人: David Yen

You Might Also Like你可能会喜欢

Between Two Ideals

March 9, 2017 2017年3月9日

Sydney-based designer and illustrator Joy Li arrived in Australia at the age of one after her parents immigrated over from mainland China. Growing up in an Asian household while living amongst a Western society has meant that Li has spent her entire life “wedged between two ideals.” Her latest project, Living as an Asian Girl, aims to showcase the frustration that many Asian women living in Western societies experience. This three-part series takes inspiration from social media, pop culture and internet memes. Although the presentation is light-hearted and approachable, Li seeks to shed a truthful light on the “difficulty in reconciling with conflicting identities and its subsequent effect on our psychological well-being.”

Joy Li是一名设计师和插画家。一岁时，她随父母从中国移居澳大利亚。作为一个生活在西方社会，却在亚洲家庭里成长的女生，Li的人生注定会夹在“两种价值观之间”。因此，在她的最新的设计项目《Living as an Asian Girl》中，Li希望向观众传达许多亚洲女性在西方社会生活会遇到的挫败和苦恼。整个项目分为三部分，灵感来自社交媒体、流行文化和网络爆红现象——虽然Li的表现手法走的是轻松有趣的路线，但她希望这件作品能传达给观众“在不同的身份间找寻平衡的艰难，以及它对我们心理上的影响”。

Words to My Daughter – “Dear Joy, I ____ You.”

Li arranges snippets of her everyday household conversations into a chart that measures each phrase’s frequency, tonal value and emotional impact. The sizing of the text correlates to the frequency that these phrases are heard. While such phrases may be eerily common across most Asian households, often uttered as a means of showing affection, they’re atypical and unexpected in Western society. Li’s intention is to shed light on these cultural contrasts while documenting her personal struggle with defining her own identity.

对女儿说的话—— 《Dear Joy, I ____ You.》

在这个作品中，Li记录了生活中妈妈经常和她说的话，并根据这些短语出现的频率、音调和冲击力作为标准，将短语以不同大小排布在网格上。出现越频繁的短句尺寸就越大，而且排列在最显眼的位置。观众透过这幅作品仿佛可以瞬间代入Li的生活。这样“关心式”的语句在亚洲家庭很常见，但以西方社会崇尚自由的标准来说，就显得有些突兀了。Li将这种有趣的对比记录在她的作品里，向观众直面传达了她成长环境的矛盾和挣扎。

A Visual Serenade of Twitter Sentiments  – “A Sad Ballad for Asian Girls”

In this second piece, Li explores how Asian girls are represented online by correlating tweets into an image based on their delivery. The data was derived from Twitter searches relating to the keywords “Asian women” and “Asian girls”, with results ranging from offensive to empowering.

Twitter帖子的视觉小夜曲——《A Sad Ballad for Asian Girls》

在第二部分里，Li 将Twitter上搜索的帖子内容和根据这些内容形成的图像放在一起，进而探讨亚洲女孩在网络上的形象。她在Twitter网站上搜索“亚洲女性”和“亚洲女孩”的关键词，收集了一系列的帖子，其中既有侮辱性的内容，也有倡导女性赋权的内容。

A Character Quiz – “Who’s Your Token Asian?”

Along with limited representation amongst mass media, Asian women are also constantly pigeonholed into certain stereotypes. Li created this visual flow chart that takes viewers through a series of questions to discover their “token Asian.”

一个性格测验——《Who’s Your Token Asian》

除了大众传媒上营造的狭隘形象，人们对亚洲女性也存在一定的刻板印象。Li创作了一个视觉流程图，通过一系列的问题，让观众一步步发现和反省自己对亚洲女性的刻板印象。

Li describes herself as someone who draws inspiration from the past as much as the future and hopes that her work can “delight the mind’s eye and invite a sense of nostalgia.” What started off as a personal project has evolved into a beacon of truth that resonates with Asian women from all over the world.

Li形容自己是一个从过去和未来中找寻灵感的设计师，她希望自己的作品能够取悦观众的心灵和触发怀旧感。在最初，这只是Li自己的一个个人项目，现在已慢慢转变成一个追寻真相之旅，一个让世界各地的亚洲女性都深有共鸣的项目。

Website: joyli.com.au
Behance: ~/joyyli
Instagram: @_joyli

 

Contributor: Whitney Ng

网站: joyli.com.au
Behance: ~/joyyli
Instagram: @_joyli

 

供稿人: Whitney Ng

You Might Also Like你可能会喜欢

The Wanderlust of Sunga Park

March 8, 2017 2017年3月8日

Jaded by the daily grind of work, South Korean graphic designer and illustrator Sunga Park found solace in traveling around the world. Inspired by her travels, she would draw the buildings that she saw and the people that she met as a means of retaining these precious memories. Drawing these exotic locations became a form of respite for her, a welcome relief from her day-to-day routine.

厌倦了在韩国单调重复的生活，平面设计师和插画家Sunga Park选择周游世界，以调节自己。旅行的确带给她新的灵感，Sunga把旅行中看到的建筑物和遇见的人画下来，以保存这些珍贵的记忆。在旅行中画画带给她一个喘息的机会，将她从苦闷的生活中释放出来。

What makes Park’s work distinctive is her soft and fluid use of pen and watercolor. “Watercolor is the best medium for creating my art; the unpredictable characteristic of water allows me to give my art a natural aspect. My repeated attempts of working with watercolor led to a ton of failures. In a way, this medium taught me a lot about life.”

Sunga Park作品的独特之处，在于她对钢笔和水彩的出色运用，呈现出柔美而流畅的风格。“水彩是我创作时最好的伙伴；水的“不可预知”让我的作品中有一种自然的风格。在不断尝试用水彩创作的过程中，我也有过无数的失败。某种程度上，水彩也教会了我许多生活的道理。”

Park felt that her move from using software to using watercolor on real paper was truly liberating. “In graphic design, we have easy commands such as Ctrl+Z and Ctrl+S. But in reality, no one can save their real experiences onto a storage device and what we’ve done cannot be undone.” Working with watercolors led her to create a slew of projects in which she combines her previous graphic design experience with her love of visual art – she feels that her web design for House at Khlebny is one such project that has defined her as an artist.

对她来说，从电脑作画转为使用纸张和水彩作画是一种真正的解放。“用电脑创作平面设计时，我们可以很方便按下Ctrl+ Z和 Ctrl+S来操作。但在现实中，没有人可以将自己的真实体验保存到某个存储设备中，所有的行为都是无法撤消的。”她的水彩作品为她带来了许多设计项目的机会，在这些项目中，她将自己的平面设计经验与对视觉艺术的热爱出色结合。为 House at Khlebny 打造的网页和插画设计更她真正确定自己作为一名艺术家的身份。

Her most memorable travel experience took place when she was sketching along the streets of India and around Central Asia. In these countries, where she was unable to communicate in any language, she used art to bridge the gap. “Locals become really open-minded as soon as they came to understand what I was doing. They wanted to see my sketchbooks and even asked me if I could draw them. This is one of the greatest things that art can do – it allows me to share my talents with people and even give them a laugh.”

她最难忘的旅行经历是她在印度和中亚国家的街道上写生。在这些国家，她无法通过语言与当地人沟通，于是，她转用艺术作为沟通的桥梁。“每当他们知道我在画画的时候，就会自然放下防备。有时他们还会想看看我的速写本，甚至问我能不能画一下他们。这就是艺术的魅力所在——让我能够与他人分享我的才艺，甚至为他们带来欢乐。”

Currently on the move, Sunga feels incredibly blessed that her art has enabled her to travel to wherever her heart desires. Her upcoming itinerary includes a journey to Europe via the Trans-Siberian railway as well as North America and South America. This trip will form the basis of her next project, a foldable travel map that will depict all of her adventures. “The idea is to create a map that is almost like a book, so that I can share all of my travel stories with people that I meet on the road. My art can’t be completed on my own. It’ll be created with the people that I meet along the way.”

现在，Sunga 还在旅途中，她觉得自己十分幸运，因为艺术带她前往自己想要拜访的所有地方。接下来，她将要乘搭西伯利亚大铁路前往欧洲，之后再去到北美和南美探险。这趟旅行是为她的下一个项目作准备——Sunga要打造一个可折叠的旅行地图，在上面描画她的冒险旅程。“我想要创造一本像书一样的地图，这样我就可以和我在路上认识的人分享我在旅途中的故事。我的艺术不是由我自己一个人完成的，而是我和我一路上遇到的人一起创造的。”

Website: parksunga.com
Facebook: ~/parksunga.art
Instagram: @park_sunga

 

Contributor: Whitney Ng

网站: parksunga.com
脸书: ~/parksunga.art
Instagram: @park_sunga

 

供稿人: Whitney Ng

You Might Also Like你可能会喜欢

Short Flashes

March 7, 2017 2017年3月7日

For most people, commuting through rainy weather is a dreadful thought. Traveling by bicycle or motorcycle in the rain is even worse: tires splash mud and grime onto your shoes and clothing, the road is slippery and dangerous, and water wreaks havoc on both bicycle and motorcycle parts alike. In the photo series Short Flashes by Wiktoria Wojciechowska, the Polish photographer manages to capture the utter misery of Chinese cyclists commuting in the rain.

对于大多数人来说，在阴雨天气上下班是一件很不愉快的事情。而在雨中骑自行车或摩托车就更糟糕了——轮胎溅起的泥浆和污垢会弄脏鞋子和衣服，路面变得湿滑危险，雨水还会侵蚀自行车和摩托车的配件。在摄影系列《Short Flashes》中，波兰摄影师Wiktoria Wojciechowsk，用镜头捕捉了中国人们在雨中出行时的痛苦。

Synonymous with rainy weather in China, the flamboyantly colored raincoats depicted in Short Flashes are an all-too-common sight in every Chinese city. But for Wojciechowska, who had never been to China prior to her moving to Hangzhou, these colorful cyclists immediately piqued her interest when she arrived. She began shooting the project as a means of curing the loneliness she experienced, and it also served as her personal method of connecting with a culture and people that she was still unfamiliar with.

在中国的各个城市，每逢下雨天，你总能在街上看到人们穿着色彩张扬的各式雨衣，骑着自行车穿梭于城市的大街小巷。而这个在中国很常见的场景，对于Wojciechowska这个初来乍到的外国人来说，却一点也不普通。Wojciechowska住在广州，但这也是她第一次踏足中国，所以这里对她来说依旧是一个非常陌生的环境。为了缓解一个异乡人的孤独感，以及拉近和这座陌生城市的距离，Wojciechowska选择拿起相机，开始了这个名为《Short Flashes》的摄影项目，记录着雨衣之下形形色色的人们。

Reminiscent of street photographer Bruce Gilden’s infamous technique of leaping out in front of strangers with his camera and a bright flash, Wojciechowska also used a flash for her candid portraits, but with an approach considerably less aggressive than Gilden’s. With her DSLR and speedlight, she would patiently wait on the side of the road until the right subject came along. The use of a speedlight and a slow shutter speed allowed Wojciechowska to both freeze each subject while still conveying a sense of movement. Like other talented photographers, Wojciechowska has ingeniously transformed the mundanities of daily life into an undeniably compelling photo series. In 2015, she won the Leica’s Oskar Barnack Newcomer Award for Short Flashes.

这一组照片让人想起街头摄影师Bruce Gilden那“臭名昭著”的摄影方式：突然跑在陌生人面前，用相机和耀眼的闪光灯拍下照片。同样地，Wojciechowska也是将热靴闪光灯直接对准了她的摄影对象，虽然她的方式没有Bruce Gilden那么“野蛮”——她会先将单反相机和闪光灯在路边架好，然后耐心等待合适的摄影对象出现。使用闪光灯和较慢的快门速度让她在清晰定格人物的同时，让照片营造出动感。一如其他才华横溢的摄影师，Wojciechowska巧妙地从日常生活的场景中捕捉到一系列出色的照片。2015 年，她凭借《Short Flashes》赢得了Leica Oskar Barnack Award 摄影奖。

One particular quote from Wiesław Myśliwski’s novel A Treatise on Shelling Beans resonated within Wojciechowska’s mind as she shot the project: “There are infinitely many of these faces I carry inside myself. Conceived in short flashes. I don’t know whose, where, or when. I know nothing about them. But they live in me. Thoughtfulness, gazes, sorrows, pallor, grimaces, bitterness – they live in me, detained like on photographies.” Short Flashes is available for purchase from independent publisher Bemojake.

当Wojciechowska 拍摄时，她的内心会想起Wiesław Myśliwski 小说《A Treatise on Shelling Beans》中的一句话：“在我的内心，存在着无数张面孔，就像是用闪光灯近距离拍下的人像照片。我不知道他们是谁，身在哪里，或是在什么时候。我对他们一无所知。但他们就存活在我的内心——他们的沉思、凝视、悲伤、苍白的面孔、鬼脸或是怨恨——他们就像照片一样，印在我的内心。”《Short Flashes》目前正在独立出版社Bemojake的网站发售。

Website: wiktoriawojciechowska.com

 

Contributor: David Yen

网站: wiktoriawojciechowska.com

 

供稿人: David Yen

You Might Also Like你可能会喜欢