ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Alwar Balasubramaniam - Artist
Sculptor, painter and printmaker Alwar Balasubramaniam makes work that crosses the boundary between art, perception and life.

Why you should listen

Alwar Balasubramaniam's work aches to express the overlooked, the invisible, the inexpressible. Quiet white sculptural forms, hung on a wall, unlock philosophical questions as one watches the light pass over them. What is their form, and what is their shadow? What are those mysterious white hands reaching for, around the corner and through the wall?

Trained in painting and printmaking, Balasubramaniam has been experimenting with a range of materials (fiberglass, wax, gold) to create sculptural works that bring forth his ideas and his search process. His work is often very tactile, very physical, but it symbolizes an exploration of big questions: what defines the self? what confines us? how do light and shadow shape our view of the world?

More profile about the speaker
Alwar Balasubramaniam | Speaker | TED.com
TEDIndia 2009

Alwar Balasubramaniam: Art of substance and absence

Alwar Balasubramaniam:物质存在与缺失之艺术

Filmed:
479,790 views

Alwar Balasubramaniam的雕塑利用时间,形状,光影,视角这四种或揭露或隐藏事物本质的感官错觉与我们对话。在TED印度的舞台上,艺术家利用幻灯片给我们展示了他的神奇设备。
- Artist
Sculptor, painter and printmaker Alwar Balasubramaniam makes work that crosses the boundary between art, perception and life. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:16
The moment时刻 I say "school学校,"
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当我说“学校”这个词的时候,
00:18
so many许多 memories回忆 come back to me.
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我的脑海里涌现出很多回忆。
00:22
It's like after every一切 exam考试, when I walk步行 out,
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就像每次考试后我走出教室时,
00:25
the teacher老师 would say, "Hey, come.
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老师会说:“嘿,过来一下,
00:27
How did you do?"
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做得怎样啊?”
00:29
I would say with a great smile微笑, "I will definitely无疑 pass通过."
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我会咧开嘴笑:“我一定会及格的,放心吧。”
00:31
And I didn't understand理解 why,
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那时我不懂为什么,
00:33
in one hand they say, "Speak说话 the truth真相,"
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一方面他们说:“要说真话,”
00:35
in the other hand, when you say the truth真相, they hated you.
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另一方面,当你说真话的时候,他们又不满意了。
00:37
So it went on like that,
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所以一直那样纠结着,
00:39
and I didn't know where else其他 to find myself.
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找不到自己的位置。
00:42
So I remember记得 those nights
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我记得那些个夜晚,
00:44
I used to go to sleep睡觉
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睡觉前
00:46
with asking help from [the] Unknown未知
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我会向未知求助,
00:49
because, for some reason原因,
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因为,由于某种原因,
00:51
I couldn't不能 believe what my father父亲 and mother母亲
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我不能奉我父母
00:53
hanged上吊 in the Puja法会 room房间 as a god,
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挂在梵刹内的东西为神,
00:56
because my friend's朋友的 family家庭
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因为我朋友家
00:58
had something else其他 as a god.
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又信另一种神。
01:00
So I thought, "I guess猜测 I'll pray祈祷 to [the] Unknown未知
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所以我对自个儿说:“还是不要指名道姓好了,
01:02
and ask help,"
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得到帮助的机会会大点儿。”
01:05
and started开始 getting得到 help from everywhere到处,
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至此以后便一发不可收拾,
01:07
each and every一切 corner of my life at that time.
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什么神都来帮我了。
01:11
My brothers兄弟 started开始 giving me a few少数 tips提示 about drawing画画 and painting绘画.
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比如我老哥开始在绘画上给我一些指点。
01:14
Then, when I was in eighth第八 standard标准
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然后,当我上八年级
01:17
around 13 years年份 old,
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大概13岁的时候,
01:20
I started开始 working加工 in a part-time兼职 job工作
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开始在一个叫putu的制作招牌的艺术家那儿
01:22
in one of the signboard招牌 artists艺术家 called Putu普图.
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兼职。
01:28
And then school学校 also started开始 supporting支持 me.
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又比如,学校开始给我提供支持与帮助:
01:30
"Oh, he's bad at studies学习,
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“哦,他在学习上是没什么花头了,
01:32
but let him send发送 to the drawing画画 competitions比赛."
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不过送他去绘画比赛也许有戏。”
01:35
So it was good to survive生存 with that little tool工具
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所以我得以幸存,
01:38
that I found发现 to find my own拥有 place地点 in school学校.
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并找到了自己在学校里的位置。
01:42
And one of those competitions比赛,
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在其中一次比赛中,
01:44
I just won韩元 a small, little transistor晶体管 Philips飞利浦 radio无线电.
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我赢来了一个小小的飞利浦的晶体管收音机。
01:47
And I didn't have the patience忍耐 to wait
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我那时极为猴急。
01:49
until直到 I reached到达 home.
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等不到回家就把它拆开了。
01:51
So I just switched交换的 on in the train培养, loudly高声.
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还在火车上,我调大了音量。
01:53
If you travel旅行 in Indian印度人 trains火车,
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如果你坐过印度火车,
01:55
you can see people listening to radio无线电
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就知道人们喜欢听收音机。
01:57
and, you know, even from their mobiles手机.
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甚至用手机听。
01:59
So at that time -- and I was 13 --
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而那时候,-我才13--
02:01
and I was listening to just radio无线电,
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所以我也听收音机,
02:04
and someone有人 happened发生 to sit next下一个 to me,
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正好就有个人坐我旁边,
02:06
like these three people are sitting坐在 here.
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就像坐在这边的这三个人一样。
02:08
You know, like just adjacent to me.
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就是坐我旁边啦。
02:10
He just started开始 asking, "Where did you buy购买 the radio无线电? How much is it?"
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他就开问了:“这收音机哪儿买的?多少钱啊?”
02:13
I said, "It's a prize from [an] art艺术 competition竞争."
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我说:“这可是画画比赛的奖品。”
02:16
And he said, "Oh, I teach at a college学院 of arts艺术.
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他说:“哦,我在大学里教画画呢。
02:19
I think
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我觉得,
02:21
you should study研究 in a school学校 of art艺术.
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你应该在艺术学校里学习,
02:23
You just quit放弃 school学校 and come there."
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你直接退了学去那儿吧。”
02:25
So, why I'm telling告诉 you this,
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所以,我和你说这个的目的是,
02:27
you know, maybe, you know,
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也许,
02:29
whoever is sitting坐在 next下一个 to you can change更改 your whole整个 life -- it's possible可能.
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无论谁坐在你旁边,都可能改变你的人生。这是有可能的。
02:32
It is that we need we need to be open打开 and fine-tuned微调.
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只要我们足够思想开明并具备潜质。
02:36
So that's what made制作 me enter输入
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所以,这就是支持我
02:39
[the] college学院 of arts艺术 after three attempts尝试
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失败三次仍继续尝试,
02:42
and just continue继续 to inquire查询
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并最终进入艺术学院,
02:45
what I really want to do with art艺术 work, or art艺术
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去做我真正想要从事的艺术工作,
02:48
and finally最后 I'm here in front面前 of you.
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并最终站在你们面前的动力。
02:50
When I look back, you know,
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当我回首往事,
02:52
on what happened发生 between之间 that time
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去想在那时候与现在这段时间之间,
02:54
and now here --
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发生的事,
02:57
the last 10/15 years年份 --
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在过去的10或15年里,
02:59
I can see that most of the works作品
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我总结出大部分作品,
03:01
revolve围绕 around three subjects主题,
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都围绕着三个主题,
03:04
but it was not intentional故意的.
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但这不是故意的。
03:06
And I just start开始 out with a trace跟踪 because I was thinking思维,
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我的脑海里浮现出一道轨迹,
03:08
"What really makes品牌 us?" -- you know,
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因为我在想,“究竟什么造就了我们?”
03:10
it's actually其实 [the] past过去, what makes品牌 a person.
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然后我恍然:是过去啊,是过去造就了我们。”
03:14
So I was thinking思维,
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所以我想,
03:16
but when you look at the past过去,
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当你回首过去,
03:18
the way to understand理解 the past过去
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去理解过去的方法,
03:20
is only by the traces痕迹 available可得到,
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只有沿着留下的痕迹去追寻。
03:22
because we cannot不能 go back [to] the past过去.
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因为 过去已如泥沙沉淀。
03:24
It can be ruins废墟, or it can be music音乐,
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它可能是一堆残骸,也可能是一曲仙乐,
03:26
or it can be painting绘画 or drawing画画 or writing写作, whatever随你 it is.
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又或者留在油彩或墨水中,任何方式,
03:29
But it is just a kind of trace跟踪 of that time.
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但,这些都是时间的指纹。
03:34
And that fascinated入迷 me,
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我沉迷于此,
03:36
to explore探索 that territory领土.
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沉迷于开拓这片艺术的疆土。
03:40
So I was working加工 on the line线,
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所以当我遨游于线条之间,
03:43
but instead代替 of working加工 about traces痕迹,
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去收拾这些痕迹,
03:47
I started开始 capturing捕获 traces痕迹.
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捕捉他们,描绘他们。
03:50
So here are some of the works作品 I would like to show显示 you.
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现在我想给你们展示其中的一些作品。
03:53
So this is called "Self In Progress进展."
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这叫做:“进步的自我。”
03:56
It's just a trace跟踪 of being存在 in this body身体.
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它是寄居于这个身体的一道痕迹。
03:59
So here, what happened发生 then,
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然后呢,
04:01
you know -- what I really enjoyed享受 the most
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身体真的非常享受这个模具,
04:03
is that this sculpture雕塑
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就像这个雕像,
04:05
is nothing but a trace跟踪 of myself.
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就是从我自己的过去而来的。
04:09
It's almost几乎 like a 3D photograph照片.
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简直就像一张3D照片。
04:11
So there is an element元件 of performance性能,
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里面有表演的元素,
04:13
and there is an element元件 of sculpture雕塑,
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雕刻的元素,
04:15
and there is an element元件 of feeling感觉 one's那些 self, so close to one's那些 self.
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还有接近自我,感知自我的元素。
04:18
So it's almost几乎 like fossils化石 for the future未来.
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简直就像献给未来的化石。
04:21
And then moved移动 slowly慢慢地
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然后呢,慢慢移动,
04:23
to explore探索 the other possibilities可能性 of capturing捕获 traces痕迹.
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去探索捕捉过去的各种可能。
04:29
So this is what I was talking about, while molding造型,
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所以,这就是我制模时候讲的话。
04:32
it's such这样 a great experience经验,
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这种体验非常之棒,
04:34
because we have freedom自由 of like walking步行,
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因为我们拥有自由如走路,
04:36
or moving移动 my hand or, moving移动 around in the space空间,
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自由地挥挥手。
04:39
but the moment时刻 this becomes solid固体,
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但是在一瞬间这些都凝固了,
04:42
when you cannot不能 move移动 even an inch英寸,
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你一动也不能动,
04:45
because this is plaster石膏 of Paris巴黎, so the moment时刻 you pour it it's like liquid液体;
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因为他是熟石灰,这一刻它流动自如,
04:48
but after 20 minutes分钟, it's almost几乎 like a hard stone.
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20分钟后,他就硬如磐石了。
04:52
So this is capturing捕获 the trace跟踪 of a thumbprint指纹
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这是对指纹的捕捉,
04:56
because, knowingly有意识 or unknowingly不知,
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因为,知觉或不知,
04:58
whatever随你 we do, you know, we leave离开 our traces痕迹 here.
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无论我们做什么,总是留下痕迹。
05:01
So I just thought, "I'm going to capture捕获
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所以我想,我将捕捉,
05:04
thumbprint指纹, footprint脚印,
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指纹,趾纹。
05:06
or whatever随你 traces痕迹 we leave离开 as humans人类."
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任何我们作为人类留下的痕迹。
05:09
This is the trace跟踪 of fire,
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这是火的痕迹,
05:12
this is the trace跟踪 of sun太阳.
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这是太阳的。
05:15
Because when I was capturing捕获 traces痕迹, you know,
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因为当我捕捉痕迹时,
05:17
this thought comes to me always:
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我总是想到,
05:20
is it, only when the object目的 touches触摸 the thing and it leaves树叶 the trace跟踪,
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是不是,一个物体自由移动,碰到了另一个物体,留下了痕迹,
05:23
or is there other ways方法 to capture捕获 it?"
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或有没有其他方法来捕捉他呢?”
05:25
So this work is nothing but like --
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这个作品是--
05:27
because of the focal length长度 of the lens镜片,
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因为镜头的焦距问题,
05:29
it just shows节目 what is on the other side.
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他只显示出了另外一边是什么。
05:33
So I just put the paper on the focal length长度,
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所以我就把纸放在焦距上,
05:35
which哪一个 was an etching蚀刻 print打印,
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他是张蚀刻画,
05:37
then I got the portrait肖像 of [the] sun太阳 from sunlight阳光.
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然后从阳光那儿我就得到了太阳的肖像。
05:41
This is called "Dawn黎明 to Dawn黎明."
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这个叫“黎明”
05:43
What I did here, I just put like 10 feet [of] paper
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我做的呢,就是,放了10英尺的纸
05:46
then put a coconut椰子 rope,
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然后
05:48
and just burnt it.
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恩,
05:50
So it took about 24 hours小时 to get this line线.
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花了24小时弄的。
05:52
So wherever哪里 the fire is eating the paper,
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所以无论哪儿纸张在被火侵蚀,
05:54
that's what becomes the work --
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他就成了作品了。
05:56
detail详情.
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细节。
06:02
Even though虽然 we have traces痕迹
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即使我们有痕迹,
06:04
when we try to understand理解 them,
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当我们试图理解他们,
06:08
the perception知觉 and context上下文
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知觉和环境
06:10
play a major重大的 role角色 to understand理解 it.
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起的作用最大。
06:12
So do we really understand理解 what it is,
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所以我们真正理解了吗,
06:15
or are we trying to get
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或我们只是
06:17
what we think it is?
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按我们臆想去理解他的呢?
06:19
Then move移动 towards questioning疑问 the perception知觉
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那么就提问直觉吧
06:21
because, even though虽然 there are traces痕迹,
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因为,即使有痕迹,
06:23
when you try to understand理解 them, you know you play a major重大的 role角色.
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当你去理解时,你扮演的角色也是责任重大。
06:26
So like let's say even a simple简单 act法案.
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就像,比如说,一项简单的行为中。
06:28
How many许多 of you saw a cow crossing路口 in India印度
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你们中多少人看到过印度的牛过马路,
06:31
while you were coming未来 from Bangalore班加罗尔 to Mysore迈索尔?
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当你们从班加罗尔到迈索尔的时候?
06:33
Can you just raise提高 the hand?
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举下手好吗?
06:36
If you just ask an opinion意见
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如果你问一个观点意见什么的,
06:38
of how, everyone大家 can interpret it.
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每个人的理解都不一样。
06:41
Like, let's say, if a schoolteacher教师 says,
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比如,一老师说的话,
06:43
she'll贝壳 simply只是 say, "To get to the other side."
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她会直接说,“为了到另一边去。”
06:45
Why the cow was crossing路口 the road, you know.
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当被问及为什么奶牛穿越马路,你知道。
06:48
The answer回答 can be so different不同 if Potter制陶工人 said it.
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如果哈利波特说的话,答案又不一样了。
06:51
He would say, "For the greater更大 good."
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他会说,“为了更大的利益。”
06:54
Martin马丁 Luther路德 King国王 would say,
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马丁路德金会说,
06:56
"I imagine想像 a world世界 where all cows奶牛 will be free自由
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我有一个梦想,所有奶牛都获取自由去
06:59
to cross交叉 the road,
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穿越马路,
07:01
without having their motives动机 called into question."
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而不受任何争议。”
07:04
(Laughter笑声)
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(笑)
07:06
Imagine想像 Moses摩西 comes now, and he sees看到
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想象一下摩斯现在来了,然后他看到了
07:08
the same相同 cow walking步行 around the street.
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那头同样的奶牛在穿越马路。
07:10
He would definitely无疑 say,
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他一定会说,
07:12
"God came来了 down from heaven天堂,
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“神仙下凡了,
07:15
and he said unto the cow,
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然后他对奶牛说,
07:18
'Thou shalt cross交叉 the road.'
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“汝应穿越马路。”
07:21
And cow crossed越过 the road,
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然后奶牛穿越了马路,
07:23
and there was much rejoicing欣喜 as a holy cow."
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然后大受鼓舞,天降神牛啊,天降神牛啊。
07:26
(Laughter笑声)
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(笑)
07:28
Freud弗洛伊德 would say,
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弗洛伊德会说,
07:30
"The fact事实 that you're at all concerned关心
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你如此关注的事实
07:32
reveals揭示 your underlying底层 sexual有性 insecurity不安全."
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揭露了你隐藏的性欲。”
07:35
(Laughter笑声)
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(笑)
07:37
If we ask Einstein爱因斯坦,
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如果我们问爱因斯坦,
07:39
he would say, "Whether是否 the cow crossed越过 the road,
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他会说:“是奶牛穿越马路,
07:42
or the road moved移动 underneath the cow,
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还是奶牛身下道路的移动,
07:44
depends依靠 on your frame of reference参考."
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都取决于你的参照系。”
07:46
(Laughter笑声)
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(笑)
07:48
Or Buddha --
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那么,佛陀呢。
07:50
if he saw the same相同 cow, he would say,
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如果他看见了同一头奶牛,他会说,
07:52
"Asking this question denies否认 your own拥有 nature性质 [as a] cow."
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“问这个问题否定了你自身的奶牛本性。”
07:55
(Laughter笑声)
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(笑)
07:58
So, what we see
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所以,我们看见的,
08:01
is just what we think often经常,
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经常只是我们的所想而已,
08:04
and most of the time, we don't see what it is.
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并且大部分时候,我们看不见事物的本质。
08:07
It just all depends依靠 on one's那些 perception知觉.
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我们只是依靠于我们的直觉。
08:10
And context上下文, what is really context上下文?
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那么情景呢,情景是什么?
08:13
You know, I could just show显示 you this little piece of paper.
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我们来看一下这张小纸片就知道了。
08:16
Because I always think meaning含义 doesn't really exist存在.
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因为我总是认为根本就没有什么意义之说。
08:21
The meaning含义 of what we create创建 in this world世界 doesn't exist存在.
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我们在这世上的创造物根本是没什么意义的。
08:23
It's just created创建 by the mind心神.
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意义什么的只存在于我们的脑袋里。
08:26
If you look at this piece of paper,
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如果你看着这张纸,
08:29
this is the breadth宽度
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这是宽,
08:31
and this is called length长度.
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这是长,
08:33
This is how we've我们已经 been taught in school学校.
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这就是我们在学校里学到的。
08:37
But if you tear眼泪 it in the middle中间 --
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但是如果你从中间把它撕开。
08:40
now, I didn't touch触摸 this breadth宽度,
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现在,我不碰到这宽,
08:42
but still, the meaning含义 of this changes变化.
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但改变仍然已经发生。
08:44
So what we conceive构想 as a meaning含义
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所以我们所谓意义,
08:46
is always not there;
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根本是不存在的;
08:48
it's on the other side,
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他在事物的另一面,
08:50
even when we say dark黑暗, light,
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即使是我们说的黑暗,光亮,
08:52
good, bad, tall, short --
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好,坏,高,矮--
08:54
all meaning含义 it doesn't exist存在 in reality现实.
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现实中并不存在。
08:57
It's just that being存在 a human人的,
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那只是,作为一个人类,
08:59
the way we train培养 to perceive感知 the reality现实
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通过被训练一些看待事物特定方法,
09:02
creates创建 this meaning含义.
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我们自个创造了意义。
09:04
So this work from this period
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所以这阶段的这个作品,
09:06
is mostly大多 like --
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很像是--
09:08
you know, this is a work called "Light Makes使 Dark黑暗."
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呃,他叫做“光明制造黑暗”
09:10
It's just captured捕获 through通过 from the lamp.
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这是从台灯那儿捕捉到的。
09:13
So the lamp is not just giving a light, it's also giving a darkness黑暗.
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所以台灯不仅创造了光亮,也创造了黑暗。
09:16
So this is a work of art艺术, which哪一个 is just trying to explore探索 that.
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所以这就是一个试图探索这个主题的艺术作品。
09:20
This is called "Limit限制 Out."
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这叫“无极限”
09:22
This shows节目 how limited有限 our eye or hearing听力 sense or touch触摸 --
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他展示了我们的视觉听觉的极度受限--
09:25
do we really see?
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我们真的看到了吗?
09:27
This is an exact精确 negative.
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这是个极好的佐证。
09:29
It's about six inches英寸 deep in the wall,
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它嵌在墙里大约6英尺,
09:31
but it just appears出现 like it's coming未来 out of the wall.
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但看上去好像他正要从墙里钻出来呢。
09:37
You know the wall is almost几乎 like --
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这个墙就像是--
09:39
this is the first skin皮肤, and this is the second第二,
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这是第一层表皮,第二层,
09:41
and there's a third第三, and each creates创建 a meaning含义.
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第三层,每一层都有一个意义。
09:43
And we're just pulling the wall off the gallery画廊.
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我们只是把墙脱离出整个画廊。。
09:46
Again, "Inward向内的 Out."
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再一次,“里外”
09:48
It's a full-figure全图 cast from myself.
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它是由我自己铸成的。
09:50
It's about eight inches英寸 deep.
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大概8英尺深。
09:56
When I was doing that, I always wondered想知道 since以来 I've worked工作 with creators创作者 --
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当我在做它的时候,总是怀疑自己曾与造物主合作--
09:59
and now you know, I've moved移动 to questioning疑问 the perception知觉 --
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现在到了提问知觉的时候了--
10:02
whenever每当 I see the bird flying飞行 in the sky天空,
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无论何时我看到有鸟在天上飞
10:05
it just makes品牌 me feel like:
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就感到--
10:08
is there anything behind背后, are there any traces痕迹 up there,
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他们有没有留下什么痕迹呢,有没有呢?
10:11
which哪一个 as a human人的, we don't see them?
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作为人,我们无法用肉眼看到的痕迹?
10:14
Is there any way to capture捕获 the thought
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有没有一种方法能够把这种想法
10:17
into visual视觉 art艺术?
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投射到可见的艺术当中?
10:20
I couldn't不能 find it.
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我找不到。
10:23
But a solution arrived到达
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但是停止工作安静思考6,7个月后,
10:26
after being存在 quiet安静 and not working加工 for about six, seven months个月,
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我终于想到了,
10:29
in the restroom卫生间,
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在一个餐馆里,
10:31
when I was changing改变 the air空气 freshener清新
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当我在换空气清新剂的时候。
10:34
that goes from solid固体 substance物质 to vapor.
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他从固体变为液体。
10:36
It's called OdonilOdonil.
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它就叫Odonil。
10:38
This is the work I made制作 out of that material材料.
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这是我对那个素材的创作。
10:42
The process处理 to get to make the sculpture雕塑 was interesting有趣,
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做雕塑的过程非常有趣。
10:44
because I wrote to BalsaraBalsara,
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因为我给做空气清新剂Odonil的
10:46
who produces产生 that air空气 freshener清新 called OdonilOdonil,
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Balsara公司写信。
10:48
saying, "Dear Sir先生, I am an artist艺术家. This is my catalogue目录.
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信上说,“亲爱的先生,我是名艺术家,这是我的履历。
10:50
Will you help me to make this sculpture雕塑?"
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你能帮我做这个雕塑吗?”
10:52
They never wrote back to me.
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他们没给我回信。
10:54
Then I thought, "I will go to the Small Scale规模 Industries工业
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然后我就想,“那么我就去一些小作坊
10:57
Facilitating促进 Unit单元 and ask help."
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寻求帮助吧。”
10:59
So I told them, "I'd like to start开始 an air空气 freshener清新 company公司."
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所以我告诉他们,“我想要开一家空气清新剂公司。”
11:03
They said, "Of course课程.
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他们说,“当然可以了。”
11:05
This is the fee费用 for the project项目 report报告,
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“这是工程价格报告,
11:07
and we will give you all the details细节," and they gave.
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过后会给你补充细节。”
11:09
Finally最后, I went back to them and said,
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最后,我又去找了他们告诉他们:
11:12
"It's not for starting开始 the company公司, it's just to make my own拥有 work.
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我不是要开公司,只是想做我自己的作品。
11:15
Please come for the show显示."
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你们来看看我的演示吧。”
11:17
And they did.
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然后他们就来了。
11:19
And this work is in the Devi德维 Art艺术 Foundation基础 in Delhi新德里.
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这幅作品是“德里的基础”
11:22
In India印度, nobody没有人 really talks会谈 about works作品 of art艺术;
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在印度,没有人真正关心艺术。
11:25
they always talk about the appreciation升值 of art艺术.
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他们只关心作品的价格,增值空间。
11:28
You buy购买 this for 3,000 rupees卢比,
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现在你用3000卢比买了这个,
11:30
it'll它会 become成为 30,000 in two months个月.
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两个月后它就升值到30000了。
11:32
This is the craft手艺 that was going on,
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这就是事实,
11:34
but there are a few少数 collectors收藏家
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但也有一些收藏者,
11:36
who also collect搜集 art艺术 which哪一个 can depreciate贬值.
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收藏可能贬值的作品。
11:38
And this was collected by AnapumAnapum --
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这是Anapum的收藏--
11:40
which哪一个 is like, finally最后 in the end结束, he will not have anything,
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其实最终它们不会值几个钱的。
11:42
because it will evaporate蒸发.
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因为价值会蒸发。
11:46
So this is after a few少数 weeks,
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这是几星期以后的,
11:49
this is after a few少数 months个月.
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几个月以后的。
11:51
It's just all about questioning疑问 the preconceptions先入为主.
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这只是一个关于先入为主的问题。
11:54
So if someone有人 says, "Oh, I see the portrait肖像,"
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所以如果有人说,“哦,我看过那肖像。”
11:57
it may可能 not be the portrait肖像 after a few少数 months个月.
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几个月后他可能就不是肖像了。
11:59
And if they say it's solid固体,
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如果他们说它是固体,
12:01
it will not be solid固体, it will evaporate蒸发.
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他有可能不是固体,他会蒸发。
12:04
And if they say they don't get it,
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如果他们说他们没拿到,
12:06
that's also not true真正,
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那也是谎言,
12:08
because it's in the air空气.
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因为他就弥漫于空气中,
12:10
It's in the same相同 gallery画廊 or in the same相同 museum博物馆.
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在同一个画廊或博物馆的空气中。
12:12
So they inhaled吸入 it,
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他们呼吸着它,
12:14
but they are not aware知道的 of it.
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却浑然不觉。
12:17
While I was doing that work,
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当我在完成那件作品时,
12:19
my mom妈妈 and my dad,
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我老爸老妈,
12:21
they were looking at it and they said,
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看着他然后说,
12:23
"Why do you deal合同 with negative subjects主题 all the time?"
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“为什么你总是围绕着这些稀奇古怪的题材?”
12:26
And I was like, "What do you mean?"
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然后我就说,“什么意思啊?”
12:28
"Light makes品牌 dark黑暗 and now evaporating蒸发 self.
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“光亮制造了黑暗,然后现在又是会蒸发的细胞?
12:31
Don't you think it remained保持 something about death死亡," they said.
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你不觉得其中包含了一点关于死亡的意味吗?”他们说。
12:34
"Of course课程 not. For me," I'm thinking思维,
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'“当然不是了,对于我来说。”我想,
12:36
"this is tucked in some small solid固体,
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“他是被塞入一些小的固体之中,
12:38
but the moment时刻 it evaporates蒸发,
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但他蒸发的瞬间,
12:40
it's merged合并的 with the whole整个."
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就融入了整个整体。”
12:42
But she said, "No. Still, I don't like it.
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但是她说,“不,我还是不喜欢他。
12:44
Can you make something from nothing
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你作为一个雕塑家,
12:46
as a sculptor雕塑家?"
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能够实现从无到有的过程吗?”
12:48
I said, "No, mom妈妈. It can't be.
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我说,“不行,老妈,不行的。
12:50
Because we can create创建
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因为我们可以去
12:53
a sculpture雕塑
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把土黏在一起
12:55
by gathering搜集 dust灰尘 together一起,
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去做一个雕塑,
12:57
or we can break打破 the sculpture雕塑 and get the dust灰尘,
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或者我们可以打破雕塑来得到泥土,
13:00
but there is nowhere无处 that we can bring带来 dust灰尘 into the universe宇宙."
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但是我们不能创造泥土。”
13:03
So, I did this work for her.
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所以我为她制作了这件作品。
13:06
It's called "Emerging新兴 Angel天使."
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它叫“慢慢出现的天使”
13:08
This is the first day --
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这是第一天。
13:10
it just gives the appearance出现
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看起来像是
13:12
that one is becoming变得 the other.
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一样食物变成了另一样。
13:14
So, the same相同 sculpture雕塑
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所以,同一桌雕塑,
13:16
after a few少数 days.
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几天之后,
13:20
This is after 15/20 days.
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这是15,20天之后,
13:23
Through通过 that small little slit裂缝
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虽然那条小小的裂缝
13:25
between之间 the glass玻璃 box and the wood,
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存在于玻璃盒子和木头之间,
13:27
the air空气 goes underneath the sculpture雕塑 and creates创建 the other one.
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空气钻进了雕塑,然后又产生了另一条裂缝。
13:30
This gave me a greater更大 faith信仰.
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但他给了我一个更大的启发。
13:32
That evaporating蒸发 sculpture雕塑 gave me a greater更大 faith信仰
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那个蒸发的雕塑给了我一个更大的,信念。
13:35
that maybe there is many许多 more possibilities可能性
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也许,会有更多的可能
13:37
to capture捕获 [the] invisible无形.
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去捕捉那些看不见的东西。
13:39
So what you see now
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所以你现在看到的东西,
13:41
is called "Shadow阴影 Foreshadow预兆."
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叫做“预兆的影子”
13:44
And what I'd like to tell you
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我想告诉你的是,
13:46
is we don't see shadow阴影, and we don't see light too;
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我们不是看见影子,也不是看见光亮,
13:49
we see the source资源 of the light.
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我们看见的是光亮的源头。
13:51
We see where it's bouncing蹦蹦, but we don't see [them] as they exist存在.
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我们看到的是他们的反射物,而不是他们本身的存在。
13:54
You know, that's why the night sky天空, we see the sky天空 as dark黑暗,
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你知道,这就是为什么,夜晚的时候。我们看到天是黑的,
13:57
but it's filled填充 with light all the time.
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但其实他无时无刻不充满光亮。
13:59
When it's bounced反弹 on the moon月亮, we see it.
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当他们在月球表面反射,我们看见了他。
14:01
The same相同 thing in the darkroom暗室.
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暗室也是同样道理。
14:03
The little dust灰尘 particle粒子 will again, reflect反映 the light,
325
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小的尘埃也会反射光亮,
14:06
and we realize实现 the existence存在 of light.
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然后我们就感觉出了光的存在。
14:08
So we don't see dark黑暗, we don't see light,
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我们看不到黑暗,也看不到光亮,
14:11
we don't see gravity重力, we don't see electricity电力.
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看不到引力,看不到电流。
14:14
So, I just started开始 doing this work
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所以,我开始做这件作品
14:17
to inquire查询 further进一步
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来更深层次的探寻
14:20
about how to sculpt塑造
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雕塑,
14:22
the space空间 between之间 this object目的 and there.
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物体之间空间的方法。
14:25
Because, as a visual视觉 artist艺术家, if I'm seeing眼看 this and I'm seeing眼看 that --
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因为,在可视的艺术中,我看到了这个,那么我也看到了那个--
14:28
but how to sculpt塑造 this, you know?
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但是雕塑家们应该怎样去描绘呢?
14:31
If we sculpt塑造 this, this has two reference参考 points.
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如果我们雕这个的话,他有两个参照点。
14:34
The skin皮肤 of this is also representing代表 this.
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它的表面也代表了这个。
14:37
And skin皮肤 at the other end结束 also represents代表 the floor地板.
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另外一端的表皮也代表了地面。
14:40
I did this as an experiment实验
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我把这作为一项实验来做,
14:43
of casting铸件 the shadow阴影.
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你知道,铸造影子。
14:45
So this is a corrugated瓦楞 box and its shadow阴影.
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这个呢,是一个有波纹的盒子和他的影子。
14:48
Then the second第二 one --
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第二个--
14:50
the moment时刻 you bring带来 any invisible无形 into the visible可见 world世界
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你把不可见的东西可视化的那一刻,
14:53
it will have all the characteristics特点 of the visible可见 existence存在.
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它就具备了所有可视物体的性质了。
14:56
So that produced生成 a shadow阴影.
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所以他又有了一个影子。
14:58
Then I thought, okay, let me sculpt塑造 that.
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然后我想,好吧,让我把他雕出来。
15:00
Then, again, that becomes an object目的.
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然后,又一次地,他变成了一个物体。
15:02
Again, throwing投掷 light, then the third第三 one.
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然后,第三个。
15:05
So what you see is nothing but shadow阴影
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所以现在你只看得到影子的,
15:07
of a shadow阴影 of a shadow阴影.
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影子的影子。
15:09
And then again, at that point, there is no shadow阴影.
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然后又一次,在那个点上,没有影子。
15:12
I thought, "Oh, good. Work is finished."
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我想,“哦,好的,完成了。
15:16
You can see the detail详情.
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你能看到细节。
15:22
This is called "Gravity重力."
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它叫“引力”
15:29
It's called "Breath呼吸." It's just two holes on the gallery画廊 wall.
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它叫“宽”。他就是在画廊墙上的俩洞。
15:32
It's a false wall, which哪一个 contains包含
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它是座假墙,里面有,
15:34
like 110 cubic立方体 feet.
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大概110立方英尺。
15:36
So that hole actually其实
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所以事实上,那个洞,
15:38
makes品牌 the air空气 come out and go in.
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实现了空气的流通。
15:41
So where it's happening事件, we can see,
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我们能看见他在发生,
15:43
but what is happening事件 will remain invisible无形 only.
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但实际上发生的事永远是不可见的。
15:45
This is from the show显示 called "Invisible无形," at Talwar塔瓦尔 Gallery画廊.
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这是从Talwar画廊的一场秀上来的,
15:48
This is called "KaayamKaayam."
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叫做“Kaayam”。
15:50
Detail详情.
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细节。
15:55
And what I'd like to tell you,
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我想告诉你的是,
15:58
our senses感官 are so limited有限 --
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我们的感官如此之受限,
16:00
we cannot不能 hear everything, we cannot不能 see everything.
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我们什么也得不到,什么也看不到。
16:02
We don't feel, "I am touching接触 the air空气,"
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我们不能感觉,“我正在触摸空气,”
16:04
but if the breeze微风 is a little more faster更快, then I can feel it.
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如果气流再快一点,那我能够感觉到他。
16:08
So all of our construction施工 of reality现实
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所以所有我们关于现实的建构,
16:11
is through通过 these limited有限 senses感官.
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都是通过这些极受限的感官。
16:13
So my recourse追索权 was like,
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所以求援就像是,,
16:15
is there any way to use all this
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又没有一种方法来使用所有的这些
16:17
as just a symbol符号 or a sign标志?
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作为纯粹的标志或记号?
16:21
And to really get to the point,
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而且真正要达到目的,
16:23
we should move移动 beyond, you know,
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我们需要超越,
16:25
go to the other side of the wall, like in logic逻辑,
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走到墙的另一面,逻辑上来说,
16:27
like are invisible无形.
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看不见的地方。
16:29
Because when we see someone有人 walks散步, we see the footprint脚印.
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因为我们看到某人走路时,我们看到了脚印。
16:31
But if we're just cutting切割 that footprint脚印 from the whole整个 thing and trying to analyze分析 it,
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但如果我们单纯把脚印截取出来,并试图去分析它,
16:34
you will miss小姐 the point
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会有失偏颇,
16:36
because the actual实际 journey旅程 happens发生 between之间 those footprints脚印,
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因为实际上旅程位于脚印之间,
16:39
and the footprints脚印 are nothing but passing通过 time.
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而脚印只不过是在时间里留下的痕迹。
16:41
Thank you.
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谢谢。
16:43
(Applause掌声)
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掌声
Translated by maomao yo
Reviewed by Zhu Jie

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Alwar Balasubramaniam - Artist
Sculptor, painter and printmaker Alwar Balasubramaniam makes work that crosses the boundary between art, perception and life.

Why you should listen

Alwar Balasubramaniam's work aches to express the overlooked, the invisible, the inexpressible. Quiet white sculptural forms, hung on a wall, unlock philosophical questions as one watches the light pass over them. What is their form, and what is their shadow? What are those mysterious white hands reaching for, around the corner and through the wall?

Trained in painting and printmaking, Balasubramaniam has been experimenting with a range of materials (fiberglass, wax, gold) to create sculptural works that bring forth his ideas and his search process. His work is often very tactile, very physical, but it symbolizes an exploration of big questions: what defines the self? what confines us? how do light and shadow shape our view of the world?

More profile about the speaker
Alwar Balasubramaniam | Speaker | TED.com