Monday, September 29, 2008

subtle balance / 微妙的平衡

我看著剛得到的平衡被打破,我不得不從慌張中站起來,一次又一次地尋找新的平衡點。不過我越來越熟練,而且逐漸習慣這樣的模式了。

I witness my newly-attained balance shattered. I have no alternative but to stand up from my panic. My fate is to look for a new balance over and over again. Fortunately, as I age, I have slipped into this routine with ample ease...

Friday, September 12, 2008

Monday, September 01, 2008

first-time businesswomen / 經商初體驗

08/31/08

孩子,麵包是很可貴的啊!

Kiddo, bread is much more important than you thought!

之前從來沒有跑過藝術市集的經驗,所以這次在朱銘美術館的擺攤經驗就是我人生中的第一次。和我熟識的人都知道做生意是我的死穴,但是我又多麼想淺嚐販賣自己夢想的感覺,多虧我的熱血青年軍和無怨無悔的父母、友人在我背後撐腰,讓我從無到有生出了一批貨品,由熱情的少女們吆喝吸引顧客上門。

I had never sold my own works in handicraft fairs, so Ju-ming Art Museum offered me another first-time experience. Those who know me well are definitely aware of the fact that I was not cut out to be a businesswoman. Far from it. Still, I wanted badly to taste the beauty of selling my own dream. Thanks to my enthuasiastic fans and resigned parents plus friends, we created something out of nothing. There were also passionate young girls shouting to attract more customers.

一切在我的想像裡都很完美,但是在遠離市區位於山上的美術館,頂著三十幾度的高溫,事情就變了調。我們在戶外的小涼亭裡,即使沒有外頭炎熱,經過的參觀者對我們的產品興趣缺缺,大概是我的風格很不可愛,或者是我們的臉上有著貪婪的神情,總之大家對我們敬而遠之,我一點都沒有那種自己很受歡迎的感覺。不知道幾米或奈良美智的光環到了山上是不是依舊金光閃閃。

Everything was perfect in my imagination. However, in the art museum located on the hill far away from the city, plus the scorching temperature, things were not the same as I had pictured. We sat in the cool pavilion waiting for our "fat lambs." It was not that hot as outside, but those visitors who passed by us were marked by a total lack of interest. I thought about it and came up with two possible explanations. It might be that the style of my works was too unadorable. Or we had that greedy look on our faces, which made them shy away from us. I did not feel like a popular artist at all:-). Well, I wonder if Jimmy or Nara Yoshitomo would still keep that halo around them if they were selling their products up here in the museum...

但是我們也沒有那麼失望,我就當作是復工前的最後一個休息天,很悠閒地在山上度過,和身邊的少女鬥鬥嘴,體驗創作者為了謀生必須付出的努力,看來如果沒有點生意頭腦,很快就會流落街頭。

We were not that disappointed. This was the last free day before I went back to work. I could still live at a leisure pace, even just for a few hours. I was never bored since I got some young girls to tease. In the meanwhile, I got to experience the efforts that artists have to make for earning a living. It seems that without any talent for business, it's not hard to imagine them begging for food on the streets.

離開之前,再看一眼我的夢想,我要乖乖地爬回去上班了,不然我要憑什麼繼續飛翔呢?

Before I left, I took a last glimpse at my dream. I will go back to work soon, willingly. Or how am I going to fly?