2014 “光之旅行者” Clara Feder 专访 | Interview with Clara Feder


1. What do you find about Shanghai? Where does your inspiration come from for this “Light Traveler” series?

您觉得上海怎样?您的《光之旅行者》系列作品灵感来自于哪里?

First of all, Shanghai is a very energetic city.  I can compare it to New York in the 80s when I was studying film at NYU Film School. I would endlessly stroll around the city, excited and amazed, feeling the energy in my body and mind. At the beginning of the 21st century, Shanghai is a fast changing, fascinating mixture of ancient traditions and extreme modernity, a vibrant city with so many lights, so many colors, that I spend hours looking at the scenery at night. That’s why the Light Travelers were born in Shanghai: they are traveling on lights, on colors, they belong to the city, to the night (I never shoot them during the day). They are also on a quest: striving to find their identity, in the middle of the Unknown. To me, this metaphor not only works for China, but for our whole continuously fast changing world as well. Let’s say Shanghai is a symbol of those great changes we’re all going through.

首先,上海是一座充满活力的城市。我把它比作80年代的纽约,那时候我在纽约大学电影学院学习。我可以一直在这座城市里散步,它令我激动和惊奇。我身心都能感受它的能量。在21世纪初,上海快速变化着,它混合了古老传统和极端现代化,令人着迷。这个活力都市有那么多灯光和色彩,我在晚上几小时、几小时地观看夜景。因此,《光之旅行者》诞生在上海。他们通过光线和色彩来旅行,他们属于这座城市以及夜晚(我从不在白天拍摄)。他们也在追寻:在“未知”之中努力寻找自己的身份。对我而言,这个比喻不仅适用于中国,同样也适用于我们持续、高速变化的世界。可以说,上海是我们共同经历的巨大变化的一个符号。

2. What’s the most fascinating thing about China compared to France?

相比法国,中国最吸引人的地方是什么?

I had to read about China’s history for a writing project. That led me to admire Chinese civilization, which I didn’t know much about at that time. There are lots of similarities between the two countries: both France and China are very conscious of their history and literature and value them a lot. Intellectual studies are very strongly encouraged and both countries are crazy about food! Apart from that, what strikes me the most is the energy dedicated towards progress in China. I feel it is strong and bold and fascinating. Be it in architecture or in commerce, or in the knowledge and appreciation of western art and art in general, I have the feeling that China is reclaiming something that belonged to the Chinese people centuries ago, that they got deprived of because of historical circumstances, and that they are now coming to terms with.

我曾因为一个写作任务不得不阅读中国历史。这让我开始欣赏中国文明,但当时我对其并不太了解。这两个国家有很多相似之处:中国和法国都非常在意和珍惜它们的历史和文学。两个国家都非常鼓励知识学习,并且都为食物疯狂!除此之外,我体会最深的是中国用在发展上的巨大精力。它有力、大胆、令人着迷。无论是在建筑、商业、还是对西方艺术和艺术总体的了解和欣赏,我感觉中国正在恢复几个世纪前中国人民拥有的一些东西,这些东西因为历史环境的原因被剥夺了。他们现在正逐步接受这个情况。

3. As I know, you are a writer, a film maker as well as an artist, could you please tell us how would you play all these different roles at the same time in your life? What is the influence of being a writer to your creation of art?

据我所知,您是一位作家、电影制作人、兼艺术家。能否跟我们谈谈您是如何同时身兼数职的?身为作家对您的艺术创作有什么影响?

Being a writer, a film maker and an artist are made out of the same material: 99% hard work, 1% creativity, and a lot of trials, such as trying to be as precise as possible to convey an idea, trying endless different approaches to the same subject, trying to define your message and outline it in such a way that not only people understand it, but also relate to it and get a feeling from it. Being a writer has led me to value this process of hard work. I also feel strongly about stories and emotions as opposed to pure intellect, which bores me. So, yes, literature is a source of inspiration. My photographs’ titles are excerpts from poems of the 19thcentury. My very first art series was about Paul and Virginie, an 18th century novel well known in France. Soon, I might do another series about a Chinese legend.

Today, my writing is secondary to my art, although I still write to shape my ideas.

身为作家、电影制作人、和艺术家的道理是相通的:99%的努力加1%的创意,以及很多次尝试。比方说尽可能精准地表达一个想法;不断尝试同一主题的不同表达方式;试图定义自己的想要表达的信息,并概括它,让人们不仅懂得它的意思,而且有所感知,觉得似曾相识。身为作家,这让我珍惜这个努力的过程。我也对故事和情绪有强烈的感觉,相反,纯粹的思维让我觉得无聊。对了,文学是一种灵感的来源。我摄影作品的标题来自19世纪诗歌的节选。我最早的一个艺术系列就是关于《保尔和维吉妮》的,这是18世纪法国一本著名的小说。我也许很快会创作关于中国传说的系列。

目前,我把写作排在艺术之后,但我仍旧通过写作让想法成形。

4. Can you tell me about the Light Travelers pictures making process?

能否告诉我们《光之旅行者》照片的创作过程?

The Light Travelers making process is based on blockbusters special effects scenes making process. The knowledge and technique that I acquired at NYU Film School allow me to play around with settings and lighting to create an infinite and visionary world where the Light Travelers wander, lost in transition between a world of old values and an overwhelmingly technological and fast evolving global world.

The audience’s imagination plays an essential role in shaping the Light Travelers’ world.  Movie directors consciously use very small settings to create the most spectacular scenes. The camera shows just enough for the audience to believe the world is real but it is the viewers’ imagination that will create the final image. My camera, through photography, provides the outline of a metaphorical world. Each viewer can explore that world through his or her own eyes and feelings. I believe in the power of illusion, like Georges Méliès and so many other filmmakers after him, and I use some of their tricks. I don’t use Photoshop to modify the images. Paradoxically, I like my special effects to be “hand made”. This is one of my creative constraints.

《光之旅行者》拍摄的过程是基于电影大片中特效场景的制作过程。我在纽约大学学到的知识和技术让我能够随意调整布景和灯光,来制造出一个无限的视觉世界。当旧价值观念的世界向不可遏制的技术和快速进化的一体化世界转变时,光之旅行者迷失了。我让光之旅行者在我创造的世界里漫步。

观众的想象力对塑造光之旅行者的世界起着重要的作用。电影导演会刻意用非常小的布景来创造壮观的场面。摄像机只拍摄局部,让观众相信是真的即可,然后由观众的想象力创造出最终的图像。通过摄影,我的照相机展现出一个隐喻世界的轮廓。每个观众都能够通过自己的眼睛和感觉来探索这个世界。像Georges Méliès和其后很多电影制作人一样,我相信幻象的力量,并运用他们的一些技巧。我不用Photoshop来修改照片,似乎有些矛盾,我喜欢“手工制作”作品的特效。这是我创造方面的一种拘谨。

5. You just did an exhibition in New York in May this year, could you please tell us a bit more about this exhibition?

今年5月您刚刚在纽约举办展览,能否跟大家说说这次展览?

It was a performance as well as an exhibition. The Wall of Temptationis a participatory work of art that was first commissioned and produced in Marseille, France, by an internet organization called FING.  Then it got selected by New York Cutlog Contemporary Art Fair. So I did a successful crowd-funding in order to produce it, and I performed for 5 days (7-11 May). Here is the concept:  I give each participant a real scratch lottery ticket and I tell them not to scratch it. Instead, they go to a booth and think a while, as I confront them to one of our greatest weaknesses: the temptation of money in a world where it has become the only value. They can resist temptation, or give in. If they choose to resist, they can write anything they like on the ticket, then post it on a big canvas wall (the Wall of Temptation) while I take a photograph of them. Later, I put their face up on the Human Wall of Temptation, a special website. More than 300 New Yorkers participated. They were extremely creative. The press was very enthusiastic about my work. As a next step, I hope to set the Wall up in Asia.

那次展览同时也是一场表演。《诱惑之墙》是一个观众参与创作的艺术作品。它为一个叫FING的网络组织定制,首先在法国马赛制作。之后它被纽约Cutlog当代艺术博览会选中。我成功集资以便制作这个作品。它展出了5天(5月7日至11日)。这个作品的理念是这样的:我给每个参与者一张真的彩票刮刮卡,告诉他们不要刮开。反之,让他们进入一个小房间并思考一会儿,这样让他们正视我们最大的弱点之一——金钱的诱惑。金钱在这个世界已经成为唯一有价值的东西。他们可以抵制这个诱惑,或者屈服。如果他们选择抵制,他们可以在彩票上写下任何词句,然后把它贴到一堵巨大的画布墙上(“诱惑之墙”),并且由我为他们照像。之后,我把他们的头像放到“人类诱惑之墙”这个特别的网站上。超过300位纽约市民参与了这次创作。他们极其有创意。媒体对我的作品作了相当热情的报导。下一步,我希望在亚洲也竖起这面墙。

6. Why do you choose to be a photographer to realize your vision in art?

您为何选择成为一位摄影师,来实现您的艺术远见?

As I was studying cinematography, I was often struck by my desire to stop the image. I soon realized that’s called photography! Photography enables me to create the world I see in my mind, reminiscent of my childhood visions. I photograph characters I mould in gesso and gel in special settings. The end result presented to the viewers is on a completely different scale from the reality it originates from. I allow the viewers to use their imagination, and link my images to their inner creative self. I couldn’t do that in painting. Maybe I could do it in film, but then I would have to have many people around me!

当我学习电影摄制时,我常常发现我想要把图像定住。很快我意识到那就是摄影了!摄影让我能够把我头脑中的世界——创造出来,那是我儿时景象的回忆。我用石膏和凝胶塑成的人物,置于特殊的布景中拍摄。与一开始的拍摄相比,最后的结果表现给观众完全不同的比例。我让观众发挥想象,在图像和内在创意的自我之间建立联系。我无法用绘画表达这一切。也许我也可以用电影,但是那样的话我得在周围安置很多人了!

7. What would you like to bring to the viewers from this exhibition in Shanghai?

这次上海的展览,您希望带给观众什么?

My work is about human fragility, or vulnerability. I think that when we’re in a vulnerable position, we get the chance to understand the world and ourselves better. The vulnerable part, the lonely part in us, even if we experience it only once in a while, is very precious. That’s what links us to nature and to our true self. There is a prejudice against fragility in our world, where everybody tells you to be strong and efficient. But vulnerability, to me, is the door to higher knowledge, innovation and change. My work is a way of opening that door for others by confronting viewers to a vulnerable state that translates into emotion. In our world of accountability, I find it valuable to leave a large space to both the Wise and the Child within ourselves. I truly hope this is what the Light Travelersseries will bring to viewers.

我的作品是关于人类的脆弱,或者说易受伤害的特性。我想,当我们处于容易受伤的地位时,我们有机会更好地理解世界、理解我们自己。我们哪怕只是偶尔一次体验这个会受伤的、孤独的内在部分,也是非常宝贵的。这是联系自然和真我的纽带。在这个世界上,我们一直对脆弱抱有偏见。人人都对你说要坚强,要有效力。但对我而言,易受伤害的特性是通往更深知识、创新和变化的大门。通过让观众直面易受伤的状态并转换成情绪,我的作品为其他人打开这扇大门。在这个讲究可靠的世界,我觉得给内在的智慧和童真留余地是很有价值的。我真心期待《光之旅行者》能带给观众这一体验。