wandering in the rain / 雨中漫遊

今天早上重讀林怡芬的十二味生活設計，大約翻過去之際，又看到有關大阪設計團隊graf的介紹，他們涉足各個領域的設計，最有名的就是和奈良美智合作的A to Z創作計畫，對設計有興趣的人，聽到graf應該不陌生。

This morning I was rereading Twelve Life Design Styles by Ms. Y-fen Lin. When I thumbed through the book, I ran across the introduction on the design team graf from Osaka again. This is a group of designers whose work involves many areas. Their most famous project was the A to Z project with Yoshitomo Nara. The name graf should sound familiar for those who go in for design.

我於是想到，夏天去大阪旅行，其實完全沒有想到要造訪graf的工作室，就在我要離開大阪國際美術館的當兒，偶然瞥見一標牌寫著graf，我便順著零星的人潮走過去，果然就找到這棟在書籍雜誌上經常出現的建築。裡面的空間分為好幾層，二樓是餐廳，其他的展示家具、生活用具，還有展覽館，風格相當地簡單雅緻。

Then it occurred to me that during my summer trip to Osaka, I didn’t plan at all to visit the graf building. However, when I was about to leave the International Art Museum of Osaka, the sign with the direction to graf caught my eye. I thus followed a handful of tourists and ended up in the building whose photos appear often in books and magazines related to design. There are four stories, the second floor a restaurant, while the remaining ones are for exhibiting furniture, tableware and artworks. The style can be defined as simple and graceful.

在一直下雨的星期天裡，回想到意外的旅行，有種很幸運的感覺。

I feel like the luckiest person in recalling the accidental trip on a rainy Sunday…

林怡芬在她的書中，準備了一些問題給受訪的藝術家，這些問題讀起來都挺可愛的，我想應該沒有人會訪問我，我又很想回答這些問題，所以就自問自答好了。

In Y-fen Lin’s book, she prepared some questions for the artists she interviewed. I find them to be quite intriguing. Thinking that no one would ask me these questions, but I have such a strong longing to answer them, I decide to have a self-interview.

Q: 一天的時間大概是怎麼過的？
A: 早上很早起床去上班，其實像是打仗一樣，或者說像是工廠裡忙碌的工人，從一個任務轉到下一個任務，到了下班之後才能放下這些瑣事。下班之後，先喘息一下，其中包括和小方打滾，滾完之後就會坐到工作桌前。如果夠有毅力，晚上得出去散步，讓興奮或勞累的心情平靜下來，要是懶惰，就躲在房間裡跳舞。

Q: How do you spend a day?
A: I wake up early and go to work early. It’s more like fighting in a war, or I am rather a worker that is put to work on the assembly line. I turn from one task to another. I can’t let go of those trivial worries until after work. After going home, I’d take a short break, which includes playing and fooling around with lovely Von. At a certain point, I’ll sit down in front of my art table and begin to work on my art. If I am perseverant enough, I’ll go out for a walk to calm down or cheer up after dinner, depending on my mood that day. If I am slack, I’ll dance like a mad woman in my room that evening.

Q: 假日通常怎麼過的？
A: 週六日會選擇一時段出去做好玩的事，看展覽、看電影、聽音樂會、散步、吃東西，大部分時候也會寫信，剩下的時間就全部丟給畫畫。

Q: How do you spend your weekends?
A: I will go out for something fun on weekends, such as an exhibit, a film, a concert, a walk, or a kind of food. Most of the time, I also write letters. The rest time is all for art.

Q: 喜歡的書是甚麼？
A: 和文學、美術、設計、插畫、旅行相關的書籍。

Q: What kind of books do you read?
A: Books related to literature, art, design, illustrations and traveling.

Q: 工作的時候喜歡聽甚麼音樂？
A: 古典樂、爵士樂、不能太吵鬧的音樂。

Q: What kind of music do you listen to when you are at work?
A: Classical, jazz, non-noisy music.

Q: 喜歡的電影是甚麼？
A: 探討人性各面向的作品。

Q: What kind of movies do you like?
A: Movies that explore human nature and desires.

Q: 你覺得人生重要的事是甚麼？
A: 身體力行。

Q: What do you consider the most important thing in life?
A: Action speaks louder than words.

Q: 當工作上有瓶頸時，會有想去的地方嗎？
A: 書店、戶外、咖啡店、電影院，或者旅行。

Q: When you have an artist’s block, is there any place you’d like to go?
A: bookstores, outdoors, cafes, movie theaters or traveling.

Q: 你喜歡去哪些地方？
A: 能夠讓我看到一點文化特色的地方。

Q: Where do you like to go?
A: Places where I can see something unique and experience cultural differences.

如果你也有想回答的問題，就自己來吧！

If there are questions you find interesting, help yourself!