Monthly Archives: October 2018

A Touch of Spring 春光正暖，百花绽放

October 16, 2018 2018年10月16日

“My name is Xuan Loc. It means spring bud.” Perhaps what gives the art of Vietnamese illustrator Xuan Loc Xuan such a lasting charm, with its fresh, springlike colors, is the meaning behind her name.

Xuan’s simple tones are taken from nature’s loveliest scenes: the greens of open fields, the blues of sea and sky, and the pinks of new spring buds provide the palette for her artwork. “The immense blue sky with small white clouds, the beautiful wild beaches, the erratic weather in Saigon—all of these inspired me in my work.”

“我的名字 Xuan Loc，意思是春芽。” 春光正暖，百花绽放，也许正是这股天生的春意，赋予了越南插画师 Xuan Loc Xuan 的画作中这股始终都在的旖旎和温柔。

她笔下那唯美淡雅的色调，像是汲取自大自然最美的光景一般，原野的绿、海天一色的蓝、初绽野花的粉，不过是她作品中一笔轻轻落下的挥毫。“辽阔的蔚蓝天空之上点缀着依稀的白云、美丽的沙滩、和西贡阴晴不定的天气，这些令我熟悉的越南景色，都影响了我的创作。”

Xuan painstakingly plans every detail in her art. Under the misty hues of smoke or clouds lies a layer of coarse paper fibers, and together these textures and hues combine to create a simple, natural effect. “I tend toward minimalism,” she says. “I use color as a main factor in my works. For me, colors determine the strength of a picture. As for my technique, I don’t draw surroundings or use background color but focus on the main subject. I carefully portray everything, from the eyes to the rosy cheeks to the corner of the mouth. Sometimes the smallest elements become the main attraction.”

Xuan Loc Xuan 细致地勾勒出画中每一个细节，除了那些如云烟般缥缈的用色，还有一层纸张的纹路质感，让色彩和质地相互交乘，调和出一股自然质朴的味道。“我喜欢极简的设计，颜色是我最重视的元素。对我来说，颜色能决定一幅作品的力度。所以我通常不会在背景加上过多颜色，我专注在主体上，细心地画出从双眼、泛红的脸颊、到嘴角的小细节。因为通常就是这些小东西，能成就一幅画最为吸引人的地方。”

Behance: ~/XuanLocXuan
Instagram: @xuanlocxuan

 

Contributor: Yang Yixuan

Behance: ~/XuanLocXuan
Instagram: @xuanlocxuan

 

供稿人: Yang Yixuan

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Shanghai Dreams 上海梦，我的梦

October 15, 2018 2018年10月15日

Ever since he moved to Shanghai in 2013, London-born photographer Alexis Goodwin has been fascinated by the city. He immediately found it “atmospheric, epic, and visually stimulating,” with high rises stretching into the clouds and bustling little alleyways coexisting in a strange harmony. Wherever he turned, there always seemed to be something to record, and he set out capture his experiences on film. The result is his new photography series, Shanghai Dreams. 

自从五年前踏足上海并在此生活的那一刻起，来自伦敦的摄影师 Alexis Goodwin 就深深地为之吸引。和很多人一样，Alexis 对这座城市的第一感觉，就是“大气、史诗般的壮阔和强烈的视觉冲击”，擎天入云的高楼和充满生活气息的羊肠小道，奇妙又毫不冲突地结合在一起。因此在每一个你转身的地方，好像都有一些特别的东西可以入镜，于是，他的新摄影系列《上海梦》（Shanghai Dreams）诞生了。

Living in the city, Goodwin slowly began to discover the lives of the people who live behind its prosperous façade, hawking goods in street stalls, playing chess or cards, or dancing in the plazas at dusk. And of course, he saw plenty of demolition crews.

Shanghai Dreams benefited from the fact that Alexis lived near Laoximen when large-scale demolitions were just getting underway. “I realized the region was changing fast, with entire blocks being demolished and street food vendors disappearing.”

在这座城市里生活，Alexis 慢慢发现了淹没在繁华背后的小人物的生活，有街头叫卖、柴米油盐，也有下棋打牌、跳广场舞，当然，还有拆迁的工地。

这个项目《上海梦》的开始，就得益于当时的 Alexis 住在老西门附近，而大规模的拆迁运动也正在同期进行。“我发现这片地区的面貌在迅速改变，房屋推倒、整个街区被拆空，街头叫卖小商贩也逐渐销声匿迹。”

Goodwin works in advertising and knows his way around post-production software. In this series, he used the same methods. “I chose to keep only the characters I was interested in and strip away everything else, creating an ethereal gradient background with just enough of the original ground to give an echo of reality,” he says. “But I used street photography of real people, which I hope is a little unexpected.”

从事广告摄影的 Alexis，很熟悉后期处理照片的程序。在他这个系列，他也用了一样的方法：“（后期处理）我选择只保留我感兴趣的角色，并删除所有的其他东西，创造一个飘渺的梯度背景，仅有足够的背景基础，以提供一个生态的现实。但我使用的是街头摄影的真实的人，我想创造一些意外感。”

Goodwin’s fragmentary moments of anonymous people—office workers navigating intersections as they cycle to work, street vendors scrolling through their phones in their downtime—are what “reflect the soul of the city,” in his view. “Theses scenes are a distillation of a real Shanghai moment.”

Perhaps the other Shanghai, the “Bewitching City” of concrete and glass towers, is just a mirage. What really leaves a mark are the people, or life itself. “I hope to show the soul of a city,” he says. “I hope these images serve as a record and an homage to the magic of Shanghai life.”

在 Alexis 的镜头中，无论是在建筑工地吸烟的女孩，还是骑着自行车正准备在路口拐弯的上班族，或者是市场里的小摊贩闲来无事翻着手机……这些不知名的小人物所呈现的零星片刻，却恰恰是 Alexis 心目中“反映了城市的灵魂”的所在。“这些场景是真实的上海的升华。”他说。

而钢筋水泥与反光玻璃搭建出来的“魔都”，那不过是海市蜃楼般的光景，真正能留下印记的，是人，和生活本身。“我希望通过这些照片来展示一个城市的灵魂，也希望借此表示对上海生活的一种记录和致敬。”

Behance: ~/alexis goodwin
Instagram: @alexisogoodwin

 
Contributor:  Chen Yuan

Behance: ~/alexis goodwin
Instagram: @alexisogoodwin


供稿人:  Chen Yuan

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Climbing Higher with Bao Bao 的街头艺术

October 12, 2018 2018年10月12日

Street art in Hong Kong is still very young, and Bao is one its leading lights. Even though she’s only been painting for the past three years or so, she competes with the globe-trotting artists who headline festivals worldwide.

Her cartoon murals bubble and roll like waves, with characters spilling over one another in a constant rhythm. Inspired by Japanese manga comics at a young age, Bao could be found with a pencil in her hand for most of her life. But until recently, she was stuck behind a computer in an uncreative design job. “Our generation says, if you do art you can’t survive or make money. So they ask you to study design instead,” she explains. The artist eventually found herself bored with her job, so a couple of years ago she up and quit, deciding instead to travel overseas and try living off her art.

在香港，街头艺术还很年轻，而 Bao 正是其中一位领军人物。尽管 Bao 创作街头艺术只有三年左右，但她早已和全球各地参办艺术节的街头艺术家不相上下。

Bao 笔下活泼可爱的卡通墙绘，像波浪一样翻滚着，人和物以流动的方式漂浮着。从小深受日本漫画的启发，Bao 热衷画画，并且在生活中大部分的时间里，她都会手握一支铅笔。但其实直到不久前，她还在电脑后面做着一份毫无创造性的设计工作。“我们这一代人常说，如果你从事艺术行业，就不能生存或赚钱啦。所以很多人会让你改学设计。” 她解释说。最终，Bao 实在发现对自己的工作感到厌烦，所以几年前她放弃了，决定去国外旅行，尝试以艺术为生。

It turned out to be a good move. She discovered her talent for street art in Italy, thanks to some local artists, just as the scene started blossoming back home. Space Invader had visited, leaving behind his trademark pixelated characters, and when the government began removing them, it caused something of an outcry, bringing even more attention to the murals. This was also around the time when Hong Kong Walls, the city’s premiere street art festival, was launched.

Although things were off to a good start when she returned, it was still an uphill battle: “My first year back, I was trying to find walls to paint everywhere. Begging people. No one would give me walls!” Undaunted, Bao persisted, and these days clients come to her.

这个放弃的决定，结果证实下来还不错。她在意大利发现了自己在街头艺术方面的天赋，这多亏了一些当地艺术家。这边，得益于 Space Invader 曾经来访，在意大利留下了他标志性的像素人物，但当政府开始逐步清除它们时，却引起了一片哗然，更大程度上引起了人们对街头墙画的关注。而与此同时，在她的家乡香港，正逢当地的街头艺术节——“香港墙涂鸦”（Hong Kong Walls）开始的时候，墙绘也开始新兴发展。

Bao 回港时，适逢香港墙上涂鸦不错的开始阶段，但这仍可说是一场艰难的战斗。“第一年，我一直在找墙，到处找，到处求人。但没人给我墙！” Bao 却不气馁，一直坚持，以至最近都有顾客找上门来。

While she paints mostly at home, she’s been attending more international festivals of late, recently landing a Simpsons-themed project in Bristol. Originally she wanted to paint her own mural, but they were out of wall space. When they returned with an offer to have her paint Bart and Homer characters, she jumped at the opportunity. She and two other artists painted the yellow cartoon murals, while the rest of the artists did separate projects. Her murals look a lot like the very early Simpsons characters, but that’s just a coincidence. “I don’t really watch the show, but I started to watch it when I got the mural and I quite like it,” she admits with a laugh. “The style isn’t a reference to any period, it looks like the old Simpsons, but it’s actually just my style.”

虽然 Bao 大部分时间是在家里作画，但她近期一直在参加更多的国际性活动，最近她获得了由布里斯托尔政府委托的一系列以《辛普森一家》人物为主题的作品。本来她只想自己选择主题来画墙绘，但因为种种空间限制，最终她负责了“辛普森一家项目”创作机会。当他们带着她画的 Bart 和 Homer 的人物回来时，她欣然抓住了这个机会。她和另外两位艺术家画了黄色的卡通涂鸦，而其余的艺术家则从事个人的不同工作。她的墙绘看起来很像早期辛普森笔下的人物，但那只是一个巧合。“我以前并不怎么看这个节目，但当我拿到画时我就开始看了，我还真的喜欢上它了。” 她笑着承认。“这画的风格并不像我任何时期的作品，它看起来像最初版的辛普森一家 （《辛普森一家》的第一季绘画风格和后续季有点不一样，人物形象更饱满可爱一些），但实际上这正是我的风格。”

The large-scale, full-color works represent a new stage for Bao. In the beginning, she’d do monotone pieces, sometimes just bold outlines on a blank surface. But as she’s gotten more comfortable with the medium, she’s started adding more and more elements. In Shanghai she recently did a five-story mural. Since she’s still rather new to things, she still uses paint brushes for outlines and only picks up spray cans to fill in larger pieces. Her background in design drudgery has come in handy too, helping her manage clients and organize work.

大规模且全彩的作品，代表了 Bao 一个新阶段的开启。一开始，她会做单调的作品，有时候只是在空白的表面上画一些粗体。但是，随着她对这种媒介越来越适应，Bao 开始添加越来越多的元素。她最近在上海画了一面五层楼的墙。因为 Bao 对这样作画还比较陌生，她仍然用画笔画下轮廓，然后拿起喷壶来填充较大的部分。她原先在设计工作上的背景也派上用场，能够帮她管理客户和整理工作。

Street art has turned out to be a surprising source of income in a city with a notoriously high cost of living, allaying fears that art isn’t a viable career path. “There’s a living to be made now,” she says. But the public is still coming to terms with it. “I’ve only had good experiences, but I have friends who say people complain a lot. Some people hate it, they don’t care what you’re painting, they just don’t like it. Haters gonna hate.”

在一个以生活成本极高而出名的城市，街头艺术成了一个出人意料的收入来源，这减轻了人们对 “艺术不是一条可行的职业生涯” 的担忧。她说：“现在生计有了着落。” 但公众仍需要一个接受的过程。“我有些朋友告诉我说，对墙绘现在人们有很多抱怨。有些人讨厌墙绘，他们根本不在乎你在画什么，就是不喜欢它。愤世嫉俗的人看什么都不顺眼。” 

Website:simplebao.com
Instagram: @simplebao

 

Contributor: Mike Steyels

网站: simplebao.com
Instagram: @simplebao

 

供稿人: Mike Steyels

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Face Value 你的脸，我再也不会忘记

October 11, 2018 2018年10月11日
You're in my pictures.

These days it seems interactions with others are always mediated by the screen of some device. In our hectic lives, talking in person has become a luxury. Gone are the days of friendly banter and shooting the breeze, replaced by the tip-tap of our on-screen keyboards. But what if we could set our phones aside for a moment, look each other in the eyes, and spend more time speaking face to face?

To hold onto the important people in our lives, perhaps we need to do more than keep them in mind. Why not keep them in art? Shanghai-based designer Hema’s independent accessory brand Face to Face creates wearable pins with an individual likeness, letting you hold the memory of others close to your heart (in a literal sense). The cute, pastel-colored pins are created with a mix of unconventional materials, such as steel wires, pieces of metal, and even cereal grains, and finished with a transparent layer of resin. All of her pins are unique—one-of-a-kind, just like real people. “When I think of the people in my life, each one has their own distinctive traits,” she says. “So I wanted to record their faces in the form of pins.”

曾几何时，人与人的交流之间总是隔着一层荧幕，近在咫尺的陪伴渐渐变成我们紧凑生活中的一种奢侈，寒暄和话语也总是被键盘上的反覆敲字取代。如果，我们可以暂时放下手机，看一看彼此的脸，多一点面对面的时光——

为了把身边重要的人的脸庞好好记下，不只记在脑海，也要记录在创作里。现居上海的设计师河马（Hema）自创品牌 Face to Face ，主要的作品脸谱胸针收录了形形色色的人们的脸。扑上温柔的色彩，造以浑圆的形状，并结合多种异想天开的材质拼接，钢丝、金属、甚至是谷物，压印在通透的树脂里。每一个胸针就像我们所遇见的每一个人一样，都是仅此唯一的存在。“我想起身边的人们，每个人都很有自己的特点，于是想把他们的脸通过胸针的形式记录下来。”

I'm a Photographer
I'm a Storyteller

“At first I just wanted to make fun faces, so I made the pins. But ultimately, they’re static,” Hema says. “I also like things that are goofy and dynamic. I firmly believe movement brings vitality, so I began wondering if there was a way to make the pins more lively, have them tell a story.”

This desire led to her first animated works. The series Exhibition, based on her Face to Face pins, is inspired by childhood memories of her mother and others.

“我一开始只是研究怎么做有趣的脸，所以有了脸谱胸针，但它们毕竟是静态的。我也喜欢搞怪和动态的东西，坚信运动会带来生命力，所以想说是不是可以让胸针更生动一点，传递一些故事？”

于是就衍生出更多具有故事感的动态图像作品。以下是河马以胸针为主要创作素材，发想的动图系列《看展》，灵感来自小时候有关母亲的回忆。

 

 

First time seeing an outdoor film 第一次看户外电影
First visit to a museum 第一次去美术馆
You told me about the Loch Ness Monster 你给我讲尼斯湖水怪的故事
First time taking me to see grown-ups at work 第一次带我去观察大人上班
First time following a pop star 第一次追星
Seeing a magic show together 一起看魔术表演
First time exploring the outdoors 第一次野外探险
First time at the firefly park 第一次去萤火虫公园

In her Forest series, the familiar faces of her pins have become fully developed characters with their own backstories. As they wander through a forest of the artist’s imagination, they pass by each other and encounter each other again. The series is inspired by Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami’s Norwegian Wood, with each image directly based on quotes from the book itself.

Through all these works, Hema wants to help us hold onto the beautiful, one-of-a-kind faces around us.

在另一系列《森林》里，脸谱都化身为人，在一个不存在于现实的森林里来来去去，彼此错过、再相遇。这是河马以她最喜欢的日本作家村上春树的作品《挪威的森林》作为启发，依据书中名言所创作的动图。

通过这些创作，希望让大家都能好好记得我们身边那些美丽、而独一无二的脸庞。

 

What makes us most normal is knowing that we're not normal. 我们的正常之处，就在于自己懂得自己的不正常
It is wonderful for two people to love each other, don't you think? 人与人可以爱得那么深，实在美妙
How great? Great enough to knock down all the trees in all the forests of the world. 如何好法？好得像全世界森林里的树通通倒到地上
I want you always to remember me. Will you remember that I existed, and that I stood next to you here like this? 希望你可以记住我，记住我这样活过，这样在你身边呆过
We were like kids who grew up naked on a desert island. If we got hungry, we'd just pick a banana; if we got lonely, we'd go to sleep in each other's arms. 我俩就像在无人岛长大的光屁股孩子，肚子饿了就吃香蕉，寂寞了就相拥而眠
Nobody likes being alone that much. I don't go out of my way to make friends, that's all. It just leads to disappointment. 哪里有人喜欢孤独，只不过不乱交朋友罢了，那样只能落得失望

Weibo: ~/FacetoFace
WeChat: faceworkshop

 

Contributor: Yang Yixuan

微博: ~/FacetoFace
微信公众号: faceworkshop

 

供稿人: Yang Yixuan

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Taipei after Dark with U.TA 收听一首深夜的台北

October 10, 2018 2018年10月10日

 

无法观看？前往腾讯视频

Perhaps better known for its diverse food and its New Wave cinema, Taiwan has been quietly establishing its indie music cred in recent years. As the island’s cultural center, pluralistic, polymorphous Taipei has been awash in a range of aural delights, from post-rock, psychedelia and punk, to hip hop, folk, and jazz. Reverb-laden shoegaze and breathy dream pop bands in particular seem to sprout, blossom, and thrive in the capital’s languid, subtropical heat, with native species Manic Sheep, I Mean Us, DoZzz, and TuT offering a kaleidoscope of shapes and colors.

One Taiwanese dream-pop band in particular, U.TA, revels in cross-pollinating styles and genres to produce striking musical hybrids. Formed in 2013, the band includes vocalist Urayn and bassist Garry Lu, along with Garry’s brother John on guitars and their friend Tao on drums. Urayn and Garry started an embryonic version of the band back in 2006 but felt the need to expand their sonic horizons. “Although we started in Taichung when we released our EP as a duo,” Urayn recalls, “we thought that we’d be more complete if we had a full band.”

近年来，在一向以美食和新浪潮电影著称的台湾，一股独立音乐力量正悄然崛起。作为台湾的文化中心，多元化的台北奉上了一场精彩的听觉盛宴，从后摇、迷幻乐和朋克到嘻哈、民谣和爵士乐，包罗万象。其中，Shoegaze（自赏）派音乐和梦幻流行乐队大放异彩，在台湾慵懒温热的亚热带气候中萌芽、开花。Manic Sheep、I Mean Us、DoZzz 和 TuT 等本土乐队带来万花筒般的音乐。

其中令人瞩目的梦幻流行乐队 U.TA 擅长将各式风格与流派的完美融合，打造出令人惊喜的混血音乐。乐队成立于 2013 年，包括主唱 Urayn、贝斯手 Garry Lu，吉他手则是他的兄弟 John，鼓手则为其好友 Tao。2006 年，Urayn 和 Garry 组成最初的双人组合，后来又觉得有必要扩大乐队的音乐视野。“当初在台中一开始推出 EP 时我们只是双人组合。” Urayn 回忆道，“但我们觉得，如果可以有一支完整的乐队，我们的音乐也会更完整。”

While all four share arrangement duties, Urayn writes all the songs herself. She also sees each one visually: “Each time I sing a song, I have a video script in mind. When I have more time and energy in the future, I’d like to transform each song into a video to reveal the conceptual basis behind it.” With such a cinematic outlook, it’s no surprise that the band is drawn to the emotional richness of Hong Kong cinema, and in particular the films of Wong Kar-wai.

Urayn 负责写歌，四位成员各司其职。Urayn 喜欢将每一首歌都视觉化，她说：“每次我唱歌，脑海里都会在构想一些画面。将来如果我有更多的时间和精力，我想把每首歌都做成视频，表达出其背后的概念。”既然有这种对影片创作的向往，也就不难理解，为什么乐队都喜欢情感细腻的香港电影，特别是王家卫的作品。

Their musical DNA includes dream pop pioneers Cocteau Twins, Chinese musical icon Faye Wong (who starred in Wong Kar-wai’s Chungking Express and 2046), and the dark hues of American band Mazzy Star. “Our music is like a constellation. Just as there are twelve types of people [in the Chinese zodiac], shoegaze, for example, is one type of music, but we can mix it with other types like punk or hip-hop to create something unique.” Anyone who’s listened to the band’s 2015 release “Highway Cruising” will recognize its unique combination of styles and influences.

他们的音乐灵感包括梦幻流行音乐的先锋 Cocteau Twins、王菲以及风格阴柔凄美的美国乐队 Mazzy Star。“我们的音乐就像一个星座，或是中国的十二生肖，例如 Shoegaze 就是一种类型，但我们可以将它和其它类型的音乐混合，譬如朋克或嘻哈，创造出独特的音乐。”如果你听过他们在 2015 推出的《缓飙公路》，你一定能从他们独特的音乐中听出各种不同流派与风格的融合。

Unlike many bands, U.TA is equally at home on stage and in the studio, which they see as two sides of the same coin. “If you don’t create complex lyrical arrangements in the studio, then the live performance won’t be solid either,” they say. Studio work allows them to refine their sound until it matches their emotional register, while live performances offer a more immediate connection with their audiences. Fans in Taiwan, Japan, mainland China, or Hong Kong might respond in slightly different ways, and concerts offer instant feedback that can’t be replicated in the studio.

与许多乐队不同的是，对 U.TA 来说，他们喜欢舞台上的现场演奏，也喜欢在录音室的工作。这两种不同的形式犹如一枚硬币的两面——“如果你不能够在工作室里创作出复杂的歌曲编排，那么你的现场表演也不会很好。”录音室可以让他们不断地调整音乐，直到它符合他们想要的感觉；而现场表演又为他们提供了一个与观众更直接联系的平台。虽然由于文化倾向的不同，台湾、日本、中国大陆或香港的粉丝可能会有不同的反应，但现场表演能让他们获得即时的反馈，那种自发性是无法在录音室中获得的。

What do they think about Taipei itself? “We live in a city brimming with inspiration,” says Urayn. “From the beauty of traditional Chinese characters, to the ways people connect with each other, to the flavors of the city, it all deeply influences our work.” The energy of Taiwan’s capital has spawned various musical events along with a growing roster of clubs and record labels to support them. “Taipei is absolutely heading towards becoming a city of music, and I’m so excited about it.”

而他们对台北本身，看法又如何呢？Urayn 的评价是：“这是一个充满灵感的城市。无论是美丽的传统汉字，人们之间的互动，或是城市的风味。所有这一切都深深地影响我们的创作。”作为台湾首府，这座城市的蓬勃生命力催生了丰富的音乐活动，同时还有越来越多的俱乐部和唱片公司作为后盾。“台北正朝着音乐之都的方向发展，这一点让我很期待。”

Currently at work on a new album, the band reveals they’re exploring urban elements such as “fog” and “fragrance” but will maintain their trademark shoegaze sound. As Urayn enthuses, “What I’m most looking forward to this time is that we’ve invited many musicians from different countries to create new songs together.” Global in outlook, defined by the sights and sounds of Taipei streets, U.TA represents the best of Taiwan’s musical cosmopolitanism. Their openness to experimentation is helping to put their city on the indie music map.

目前，乐队正在筹备一张新专辑，他们透露，乐队正在探索与城市相关的元素，譬如“雾霾”和 “香水”，但乐队的标志性 Shoegaze 风格不会改变。Urayn 兴奋地说道：“这张专辑最让我期待的是，这一次我们邀请了来自不同国家的音乐家一起创作新歌。”立足全球的视野，又始终坚守源于台北街道的风景与声音，U.TA（屋塔）代表了台湾最具创意的音乐世界主义，他们开放性的实验态度正推动着台北独立音乐力量的发展。

Bandcamp: utaband.bandcamp.com
Facebook: ~/uta25
Instagram: @utaband_tw

 

Contributor: Brian Haman
Photographer & Videographer: Anaïs Siab
Audio Courtesy of U.TA

Bandcamp: utaband.bandcamp.com
脸书: ~/uta25
Instagram: @utaband_tw

 

供稿人: Brian Haman
图片与视频摄影师: Anaïs Siab
音频由 U.TA 提供

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What If? 如果你的人生有 “如果”

October 9, 2018 2018年10月9日
"What if rainbows sprouted from the ground?"

If you could make the “what ifs” in your life come true, what would you wish for?

That’s the question posed by Chinese illustrator Zhai Yanjun, better known by his pen name, Xiaomin Lao’er. In his What If comics, which he draws late each night, a bald, bearded man with thick-framed glasses and an anxious look on his face explores every conceivable situation, making up for the shortcomings of real life.

如果你的人生有 “如果”，你最想要哪种结果？

在插画师小民老二（本名翟砚军）每个深夜描绘出的这些《如果》里，一个带着黑框眼镜、一脸浓密络腮胡、头顶透露一丝中年焦虑的男人游走于各种可能里，弥补着来自现实的缺角。

"What if you could breathe underwater?"
"What if you had amnesia?"

As a child, Zhai often accompanied his parents to work, where he’d draw to help pass the time. Little did he know, art would become a life calling.

Nowadays, much of his time is spent drawing, reading, and taking quiet walks. While he enjoys socializing and mingling with others, his attitude is more that of an observer than a participant. “For everyday scenes, I just need an idea, an impression, and my mind will naturally react. My imagination does the rest, and it might end up becoming a drawing.”

从小跟着大人上班的经历 ，让小民老二为了打发时间而拿起画笔，从此便一发不可收拾。日常的他会静静画画、看书，没事的时候出去散散步。他乐于参与那些街巷烟火，不刻意与人群保持距离，但他的生活态度更倾向是一个观察者，而非参与者，“对于这些世俗景象，有了概念和印象就够了，内心自然会有反应。剩下的交给想像力，最后有可能会变成画。”

"What if you could turn invisible?"
"What if you didn't need sleep?"
"What if you had a USB slot for your brain?"
"What if you could start your life over?"

Zhai has spent much of his life in Kunming, the City of Eternal Spring. People there are seldom busy, know how to enjoy themselves, and always seem to have time and money to spare. “It’s a good place to retire,” he laughs. Even though he’s in his 30s, the slow pace makes him feel more like he belongs to his parents’ generation. Maybe the source of his gentle style lies in the fact that he has no illusions and accepts the world as it is. “The What If comics are like a series of hypotheticals for myself,” he explains. “Mostly I draw things I wish I could change, things that float above my everyday life. It’s an outlet for impossible fantasies, like being invisible or flying. Everyone has those.”

长期生活在昆明这个四季如春的城市里，人们不是很忙，喜欢吃喝玩乐，而且总有闲工夫和闲钱，他笑称这是一个 “适合养老的地方”，这种慢节奏的生活状态也常常让 80 后的小民老二觉得自己属于爸妈那一辈，更像一个 60 年代的人。 也许他作品中的那份平和正来自这里，对现实了然于心、却也坦然接受。“《如果》就像我对自己的假设，很多都是遗憾，它们浮在日常生活之上，是个胡思乱想的出口。就好像现实中我不可能隐身，也不会飞，每个人都是这样。”

What if you had supernatural powers?
"What if you were in the triad?"
"What if you were serving a life sentence?"
"What if you met an alien?"

Weibo: ~/小民老二
Douban: ~/小民老二

 

Contributor: Shou Xing

微博: ~/小民老二
豆瓣: ~/小民老二

 

供稿人: Shou Xing

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Picturing Loneliness in Japan 生而为人，谁不孤独

October 8, 2018 2018年10月8日

Even though everyone experiences it in their lives, loneliness remains stigmatized. Acknowledging it can feel shameful, like an admission of weakness or vulnerability. But thinking about loneliness in a different light, and fully embracing it, can be liberating. Photographer Gili Benita recently traveled to Japan, where a glimpse into the country’s solitary life transformed his negative outlook: he realized he wasn’t alone in his loneliness—and he could even grow to enjoy it.

所有人都曾经历过孤独。可人们却觉得孤独是可耻的，承认孤独，就等同于承认自己的弱点或缺陷。不如，换一种角度来思考孤独呢？拥抱孤独，也是在解放自己。摄影师 Gili Benita 最近前往日本，在那里，他所瞥见的各种孤独生活，改变了他对孤独的负面想法：他意识到，孤独者并非他一个，他甚至学会去享受孤独。

Benita’s newfound understanding inspired his photo series Kodoku (Japanese for “loneliness”).  While the series is filled with snapshots of strangers, the project was a way for Benita to look inward and understand himself. Each passerby represents Benita’s own solitude: a single figure in the distance strolling along sandy dunes with the vast ocean spreading out before him; a man enjoying the pleasant weather, reading and lounging in the park by himself; a single beam of light illuminating the face of a woman with her eyes closed, as if savoring the shadows that seem to be swallowing her. In each image, Benita removes the melancholy associations of being alone, substituting a sense of freedom, serenity, and empowerment.

Gili 的新发现激发了他创作《Kodoku》（日语意为“孤独”）摄影系列。虽说系列中他所拍摄的都是陌生人，但这个项目也是 Gili 自我反思与了解自己的一种方式。照片中的每位陌生人都折射出 Gili 自己内心的孤独：一抹剪影，在远处沙丘上漫步，他面前是无垠大海；一个男子，独自在公园里读书和闲逛，享受着宜人天气；黑暗中的一束光，照在一名女子的脸上，而她正闭着眼，像是在细细品味这即将把她吞没的阴影。在这些照片中，Gili 抛弃掉孤独一贯所伴随的忧郁情绪，取而代之呈现出自由、安祥和静默的能量。

“This project is really important for me, because it allowed me to reconcile one of my biggest issues in life,” Benita shares. “These photos allowed me to finally have an honest conversation with myself.”

Rather than avoiding solitude, Benita now welcomes it. He now understands loneliness to be a natural part of human existence and believes that once a person accepts this, they can begin to appreciate its beauty.

“这个项目对我来说非常重要，因为它帮我克服了在生活中面临的一个最大的问题。” Gili 说，“这些照片让我终于能和自己进行了一次坦诚的交谈。”

现在，Gili 不再逃避孤独，转而去拥抱它。他明白，孤独是人类存在的一部分，如果你能坦然接受它，就可以开始欣赏到它的美。

Website: www.gilibenita.com
Instagram: @gilibenita

 

Contributor: David Yen

网站: www.gilibenita.com
Instagram: @gilibenita

 

供稿人: David Yen

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World of Zhu 當大自然正在萎缩

October 4, 2018 2018年10月4日

In World of Zhu, a collaborative project between Indian artists Svabhu Kohli and Viplov Singh, the creative duo has created a vibrant animal universe where bears, flamingos, and deer take center stage. Over the past few years, the two artists have worked together numerous times on nature-focused art that aim to educate people on the importance of protecting the environment.

“In the past few decades, there has been a visible change in the world around us,” Kohli tells us. “There are new stories and new conflicts, and in addressing these ideas, we’re learning and reflecting. We share our planet with these different species and our collective survival rests on the balance we share with them. Telling their stories feels important at a time when the natural world is fast disappearing.”

很明显，在 Svabhu Kohli 和 Viplov Singh 的最新作品《World of Zhu》里，小熊、火烈鸟、梅花鹿，这些野生的动物与人一样，竞相出现在画布上 ，构成了画面的有机元素。在过去的几年里，两位艺术家合伙创作了一系列的有关自然的绘画作品，描绘出生态、环保、爱和教育等主题。

Svabhu 说：“在过去的几十年里，我们周遭世界有了显著的变化。现在我们看到的景色，有着全新的故事和冲突存在。而我们与这些动植物共享我们的地球，我们共同生存在这平衡之中。我认为，人与动物沟通的形式是多种多样的，在大自然正在‘萎缩’的时候，去描绘和讲述人与动物之间的故事，是相当重要的。”

Behance: ~/svabhukohli | ~/viplovsingh

 

Contributor:  Chen Yuan

Behance: ~/svabhukohli | ~/viplovsingh

 

供稿人:  Chen Yuan

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Comically Bizarre 一道梦境接力题

October 2, 2018 2018年10月2日

We’re often limited in how much we can do and experience in our lives. To solve this dilemma, Chinese comic artist Nini created Maomao, an alter ego of herself who’s free to experience the things she can’t in her own life. “Maomao lives in a world of freedom, so she can completely be true to herself,” Nini says.

Born in the summer of 2015, Maomao is a blonde girl with unshaven legs who, in every scene, appears nonchalant about her nakedness. To understand Maomao, you only need to read the comics, but what about the artist behind her? To learn more about Nini, we decided to play a fun game of questions with her.

我们的日常生活充满了各种限制，于是漫画家拔丝拟泥（Nini）选择了创造另一个自己——毛毛，以体验她也许没办法亲身经历的生活场景。“毛毛活在一个相对自由的世界里，所以她能完完全全地做自己。”她说。

2015 年的夏天，毛毛开始出现在所有人的视线里，这个腿毛浓密一头金发的酷女孩，若无其事地裸体在每个场景里，把专属于 NiNi 的现实延伸开来。

关于 NiNi 的毛毛人格，我想有关毛毛的那些小漫画大概可以说明一切了，但关于 NiNi 本人的样子，我们找她玩了一个接力题游戏。

Basic Information

Name: Nini
Horoscope: Virgo
Birthday: August 23rd
Life motto: Be happy all the time.

基本信息

姓名: NiNi
星座: 处女座
生日:8.23
人生信条:及时行乐

Favorite Things

Favorite subject: Art, lalala.
Favorite food: Sweet, spicy, cold.
Favorite Song: Ugh, how am I suppose to pick just one.
Favorite movie: Can’t decide on a favorite, but the first movie that comes to mind is Happy Together.
Favorite colors: Red and green. Pink and purple. Purple and green.
Favorite novel: I don’t read books.
Favorite comic artist: I like any comic artist with a playful spirit.

个人偏好

科目: 美术课啦啦啦啦
食物: 甜的辣的 冰的
歌曲: 好烦 这要怎么选
电影: 讲不出最爱但是脑海里第一个浮现的是《春光乍泄》
颜色: 红配绿 粉配紫 紫配绿
小说: 不看小说
漫画家: 拥有有趣灵魂的漫画家都喜欢

Miscellaneous Q&A

 

The place you wish to go most: The fewer people, the better.
A period of time you miss the most: Studying for my entrance exam to postgraduate school. Boohoo.
Favorite activity: Taking walks on nights with pleasant weather.
Happiest memory from this year: Getting into postgraduate school.
Favorite ice cream flavor: Sea salt.
Worst fear: Bugs on my legs.
If you were an object or animal, what would you be: Probably a pig.
Number of secret crushes: One or two?
Something you can’t stand: A windowless room.
The person you want to see the most: I want to take a shower.
Where you’ll end up in ten years: Living in a friends’ house.
Favorite thing about yourself: Tough question.
Saddest experience: Too many to name.
Pets you’ve owned: I can’t even take care of plants. Forget it.
Something you refuse to eat: Insects.

个性问答

 

最想去的地方: 人少就好
最怀念的日子: 考研5555
最喜欢做的一件事: 天气好的傍晚去散步
今年目前为止最开心的一件事: 考上理想中的研究生了
喜欢的冰激凌类型: 海盐
最怕什么东西: 腿很多的虫子……
用一种东西（或动物）比喻自己的话会是: 猪吧
暗恋过几个人: 一两个？
无法忍受的是: 没有窗户的房间
现在最想见的一个人: 现在想去洗澡
觉得自己十年后会在哪里: 朋友家蹭住吧
对自己最满意的地方: 这题好难
伤心的经历: 太多了
养过的动物: 吊兰都养死的人，算了
不敢吃的东西: 虫子

Have you ever been too shy to confess your love: Nope.
Would you rather have someone who loves you or someone you love: Both.
Most coveted Valentine’s Day gift: Buy me a house?
Normal bedtime: Usually 1 or 2 am.
How much do you drink: I’m an alcoholic.
What would you wear on a date: Something comfortable.
Most trusted people in life: My mom and my friends.
The person you love is asleep in front of you, what do you do: Turn on air conditioning.
Biggest regret of 2018: 2018 isn’t over yet.
The most touching memory: Someone letting me stay at their house.
Mom or dad: Mom.
The last time you gave a heartfelt laugh: This afternoon.
Your favorite person: Caishen, the god of wealth.
Biggest desire: Make a ton of money.

会因为害羞而不敢跟人表白么:不会
选择你爱的人还是爱你的人:都要
情人节最想收到的礼物: 给我买个房？
通常几点上床睡觉: 通常一两点
喝酒么: 一个酒鬼
与喜欢的人见面，想要穿成什么样: 舒服的
最信任的人: 我妈和好姐妹
如果看到自己最爱的人熟睡在你面前你会做什么: 开空调
最想不好穿什么颜色的时候，你会选择什么颜色: 黑色
2018 年你最后悔的一件事是什么: 2018年还没完呢
曾经有过最被感动的事是什么: 被人收留
比较喜欢爸爸还是妈妈: 妈
最近一次发自内心的笑是什么时候: 今天下午
现在你最喜欢的人是谁: 财神爷
目前最大的愿望: 赚很多钱

Weibo: @拔丝拟泥
WeChat: WILDWORLD


Contributor: Shou Xing

微博: @拔丝拟泥
微信公众号: WILDWORLD


供稿人: Shou Xing

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