日文原文: SEIKO CORPORATION
日译英：flowerbossa
英译汉：yudi829
我30岁那年, 被请去修复目黑雅叙园里一张使用了60年的精致的螺钿饭桌，那时的我对修复古旧的东西不感兴趣, 但我相信这将会是个很好的经验, 于是决定接受这一请求，那是我第一次和东京目黑雅叙园扯上了关系。六年之后, 我接手负责一个修复和制作数量多达5000件艺术品的项目, 在随后的三年里, 为了管理好我从韩国带来的300个漆艺工匠以及适应国外的生活, 我经历了种种磨难. 但让我们先贤留下的这一璀灿的艺术焕发新生的责任感, 促使我在这个项目上倾尽全力.
电梯上的装饰, 高达23米的作品, 布满漆器装饰的墙壁……目黑雅叙园的一切都是超大比例的。 我知道, 为了达到完美的效果, 必须对所使用的材料有广泛的知识和深刻的了解. 为此, 我对传统的日本漆器工艺以及漆器的特质进行了无数次的研究和试验.
通过这些努力, 我意识到漆器有着尚未被人尽知的神秘特质. 我感到漆器以新的面目呈现于世的可能性就在眼前。
我应对了制作诸如钢琴, 小提琴和大提琴等精致乐器的挑战. 漆器的特质由此显现, 由漆器工艺制作的乐器不仅外观美丽, 而且能够发出清澈美妙的声音. 我认为探求漆器新的表现方式是非常值得的尝试.
如今, 除了每天制作家具和装饰墙壁的艺术品外, 我着迷于“手表”---- 那是与我们很贴近又可以时时看到的东西. 我可以想象当艺术和精密制作的东西相结合时所产生的那种不可言喻的美. 随着光线和角度的变化, 天然材料的表现多样, 贝壳的华丽之中蕴含着一种动感. 当艺术品和齿轮指针发生共鸣, 我们应当会对生命更有感悟. 我的新的创造活动开始了.
到目前为止, 我生命中有三件事让我引以为自豪.
第一是我倾尽全部心智和能力完成目黑雅叙园文化遗产(被称为昭和时代的艺术殿堂)的修复和创作.
第二是十五年之后, 我使岩山漆艺美术馆重获新生, 成为漆艺文化的一个基地.
第三个就是向制作手表发起挑战了.
2007年我参观了巴塞尔世界钟表珠宝展, 我强烈地意识到这一创造活动的最终产品不应该是象我原来想像的那样仅仅是个艺术品. 与之相反, 我的目标必须是制作一个完美的手表. 历经种种困难最终可以将这一产品呈现给世人, 我必须说这是在我作为艺术家的整个一生中让我吃苦最多, 但回报也最丰盛的一个项目.
日本是一个漆艺之国, 它从别国学来这一艺术, 并使其成为自身文化的一部分. 居住在自然环境险恶的土地, 地震频繁, 漆艺早已被用来作为木制建筑的一种保护, 并延续至今. 在这里你最有可能发现日本人丰富的知识和劳作.
因为我是个和漆艺打交道的艺术家, 而漆艺是日本的一个标志, 由此我经历了日本文化的一大部分, 并认识到它的深厚, 不过可惜的是, 似乎少有日本人能深层次地理解自己的文化.
日本文化中的许多东西足以让日本人自豪地将其展现给世界. 我希望日本人民能尽快醒来意识到自身所拥有之物的美妙, 并为之感到自豪. 在接近西方文化这么久之后,现在也许到了日本人回归自我的时候了.
传统是历史的守望者, 同时它又必须让现世自行发展 (and at the same time, it must leave the present age itself). 让日本人民对漆艺文化了解更多并珍惜它是我的愿望, 我希望我的工作能促进其实现.
我相信将拥有10,000年悠久历史的漆器艺术与机械表结合的努力, 给了我一个机会来表达对机械表历史作出贡献的瑞士人民的尊敬. 我愿意为这一项目贡献我全部的经验和技艺.
即使是在一个微小到毫米的世界里, 如果那是能感动人心灵的东西, 就值得一个人献出他的一生.
Interview with Lacquer Artist Jeon Yongbok 1/3
When I was 30 years old, I was asked to repair a zen (a table for meals) with exquisite raden (mother- of- pearl inlay ) which had been used at Meguro Gajoen for 60 years.At the time, I was not interested in reparing things made in the past, but I decided to accept the request believing that it would be a good experience. That was my first encounter with Tokyo Meguro Gajoen.Six years later, I became responsible for a project which consisted of restoring and creating art works amounting to 5000 pieces, and in the 3 years that followed, I experienced various hardships in managing the 300 lacquer craftsman I had brought with me from Korea and the difficulties of living abroad. But as I was filled with a sense of duty to revivify the art works of the highest class left by our forerunners, I put in everything I had into this project.
The decorations on the elevators, works which were large as 23 m in height, walls which were totally covered with lacquer work etc ... everything at Gajoen were of unprecedented scale, and in order to finish it with perfection, I knew that it was necessary to have deep knowledge and understanding of the materials. Thus, I went through countless research and experiments on the traditional Japanese lacquer techniques and the qualities of lacquer.
Through these efforts, I realized that lacquer possessed mysterious qualities which are not yet generally known. I felt that new possibilities laid ahead in the expression with lacquer.
I took on the challenges of creating delicate musical instruments such as the piano, violin, and cello. Bringing out the qualities of lacquer, I was able to create a clear and beautiful sound. Not only were they beautiful on the outside, I think it was a worthwhile challenge to pursue the new possibilities of lacquer.
And now, coming out of my usual work of creating furniture and artworks for decorating walls, I have become interested in "watches" - something very close to us and capable of seeing at all times. I imagined the inexpressible beauty that will come out when art is added to something made with precision. Natural materials create various expressions according to light and angles. The splendor of a shell possesses movement. When the artwork resonates with the gear and hands, we should be able to feel a bigger sense of life. My new creative activity had begun.
Up to this present day, I have three things I am proud of in my life.
First, for completing the restoration and creation of the cultural assets of Meguro Gajoen (called the "hall of arts" of the early Showa era) by giving everything I had in terms of ideas and ability.
Secondly, 15 years from then, I revived the Iwayama Lacquer Art Museum as a museum serving as a base for the culture of lacquer.
And the third is for taking on the new challenge of creating watches.
In 2007, I made a visit to Baselworld and strongly felt that the product of this creative activity should not be an artwork merely based on my original views , rather I must aim for perfection as a watch. Being finally able to present this product after overcoming many obstacles, I must say this was a project I suffered from the most and at the same time found the most rewarding in all my life as an artist.
Japan is the "country of japan (lacquer)". It took in the art of lacquer from abroad, and has established it as a part its own culture. In a land with a harsh natural environment frequented by earthquakes, lacquer has been used as a kind of paint to preserve wooden architecture, and passed on steadily to the present. Here, you can most certainly find bountiful knowledge and work of the Japanese people.
Because I am an artist who deals with lacquer, a symbol of Japan, I have experienced much of its culture and acknowledge its greatness, but unfortunately few Japanese seem to understand his own culture in depth.
There is much in the culture of Japan that one can proudly present to the world. I hope the Japanese people would soon wake up to the wonders of the things close at hand, and feel proud of them. Perhaps it is time that the Japanese who have been in contact with western culture for a long time will revive its sense of nostalgia.
Tradition is something that preserves history, and at the same time, it must leave the present age itself. It is my desire to have the Japanese people know more about the culture of lacquer and treasure it. I hope my work will serve as a catalyst.
Expressing my respect to the Swiss people who contributed to the history of mechanical watches, I believe that this collaboration with lacquer with its 10,000 year old history has gained an opportunity to make a contribution. I would like to offer all of my experience and craftsmanship for this project.
Even in the world of a millimeter, if it is something that touches a soul, it is worth giving one's life to it.