THE IRON EGGS

Shobu

Photo by Phoebe Wong

疫情在為我們改造生活,截停了忙碌,留在「家」中整理思緒和事物,在過程中我重遇了「她」,這件紀錄了2018年一個難忘的旅程、結合了一位很特別的藝術家的作品,加上為我遮風擋雨5年,終於在旅途中破爛了的雨傘,撐在裙下延續它的第二使命。

The epidemic is transforming our lives. With my busyness put to a halt, I was at “home” organizing my thoughts and things when I met “her” again – a work that documented an unforgettable trip in 2018 and fused together a very special artist’s work, and an umbrella that had sheltered me from rain and wind for 5 years, until it was at last broken during the trip. Stretched open underneath the skirt, it has embarked on its second life.

這位剌繡藝術家Machiko Ikeyama,住在日本鹿兒島菖蒲谷的SHOBU GAKUEN —— 與其說是一個照顧情緒和學習障礙人士的社福團體,我認為它更像一個集合隠世高人的藝術園區。

This embroidery artist Machiko Ikeyama lived in Shobu Gakuen in Yoshino-cho, Kagoshima, Japan. Rather than calling Shobu Gakuen a social welfare community for people of emotional and learning disabilities, I think of it more as an art precinct that gathers masters hidden from the world.

All photo courtesy of Shobu Gakuen

那裡的出品,根本可以和大師級作品媲美,全都是出自Shobu學員的雙手,那種細緻和獨特,讓我赫然發現世上是沒有不完美的人,只有不完美的眼光。

 Its products, rivalling masterpieces, come from the very hands of its residents. The intricacy and distinctiveness of these works dawned on me that there is no imperfect man, only imperfect visions.

回憶隨即在腦海浮現,記憶一步進入口,看見一座用回收廢鐵重塑的大型雕塑和樹木混合而生,名為《Iron Egg》的作品,我立刻意會到這裡所聚著的都是堅毅而獨特的胎兒,這裡每一寸,一瓦一木,都佈滿藝術,尤其到過他們的畫室,就不難發現每一位學員都是草間彌生。

As the flashbacks resurfaced, my memories kicked in. Seeing a tree and a huge sculpture of recycled metal intertwine and grow into a work named “Iron Egg”, I quickly realized that what came together here were fetuses of resilience and character. Every inch of this place, every tile and every wood, was filled with art. Especially after a visit to their painting studio, it was not hard for me to see that every resident was a Yayoi Kusama.

走訪過餐廳、麵包店、陶瓷工場、木工工場、和紙工場,看見學員和員工們親手合力製作的所有工具、傢俬、食品⋯⋯,更能深深體會到院長Shin Fukumori先生常掛在嘴邊的「Living Is Making」理念。

Visiting its restaurant, bakery, ceramic studio, woodwork studio, and washi paper studio, and seeing all the tools, furniture, food, etc. handmade by the residents and staff together, I also understood more deeply the vision behind “Living Is Making”, which Director Mr. Shin Fukumori used to say all the time.

步行到接待處,旁邊是展覽廳,正展示著學員的作品。

As I walked towards the reception, the exhibition hall nearby was displaying the residents’ works.

他們的作品除了在園區裡展出,也會到世界各地展覽,甚至和國際級的設計師或藝術家合作,即使是近在咫尺的無印良品,已經可以找到他們的KOROKORO NO MONO的白磁食具系列。

Their works were not only shown in the precinct, but have also been exhibited around the world. They have even partnered with international designers and artists. Look no further than Muji and you can find their KOROKORO NO MONO series of white porcelain cutleries.

終於到了我最關注的布藝工房,學員的工具和名字整齊地排列,設施五臟俱全得令人羨慕。在這裡沒有規則,也沒有時限,時而沉思,時而睡覺,只有喜歡時才自由自在地創作;這正是院長的期望 —— 保持對自己的忠誠,不像外間的成人般擁有了知識後卻忘了一顆清心。

他們從不著重結果,只聽從身心來享受創作的過程。工作人員説:「是喔!即使是花上很長的時間才完成,你在他們面前把作品丟掉,他們也不會在乎的。」

每個人的作品都是獨一無二,而且他們都專注地把特色持續著,或者答案就是因為這顆純潔的清心吧。

At last, moving on to the part I was most interested in, the textile art studio. With tools and name tags lining up neatly, the facility was an object of envy, being so well-equipped as it was. Here, there were no rules and time constraints, only times for contemplations, times for slumber, and free creation only when one felt like it; and this was precisely as the director had intended for the residents – to stay true to oneself, to not become adults who possess knowledge but forget about purity of heart.

They never focused on the outcome, but followed their bodies and hearts in enjoying the creative process. The staff said, “That’s true! Even with works that take them a long time to complete, if you throw the works away in front of them, they won’t give a care.”

Everyone’s work is unique, and they maintain their distinctiveness with such attentiveness. Perhaps the key is their purity of heart.

設計總監Sayaka小姐告訴我們:「他很喜歡把布剪碎,然後在逐小片縫上不同顏色的線步;起初他來園區時,我們還未觀察得到,他的家人告訴我們,他回到家裡就會把毛巾內褲的線都抽出來把玩,所以我們知道後就劃了這個專區給他創作。」

在這裡沒有時間,只有享受的時空。

Design Director Ms. Sayaka told us, “He loves cutting up fabrics and sewing stitches of different colors onto every little patch; When he entered the precinct in the beginning, we did not observe that. His family told us that when at home, he would pull out the loose threads in towels and underwear and toy with them. Once we learned of that, we carved out this special area for him to create.”

There were no time constraints here, only time and space for enjoyment.

他很喜歡看動畫,每天都會戴著耳筒,播著動畫,然後照著喜歡的角色圖樣剌繡,他的速度和像真度簡直可說是專業,可惜因為牽涉版權問題,所以未能展示他的作品。

He loved watching animations. Every day, he would put on his headphones, play his animations, and make embroidery modelled after characters he loved. His speed and the likeness of his works were absolutely professional. It was only a shame that his works could not be shown due to copyright issues.

為了自負盈虧,他們的作品也會向外出售,而當中有些作品更是價值不菲,主要是視乎製作的時間而定。好像是他的作品,因為他其實只享受剌繡的動作,所以針步不是每一下都剌在布上,有時只是在剌空氣,有時心情到就會剌到布上,所以要完成一塊剌繡就要花上幾年的時間。

To ensure financial sustainability, their works are available for purchase. Some of them were even quite expensive, which all comes down to the time it takes to create the work. Using his works as an example, because he simply enjoyed the movements in embroidering, not every stitch hit the fabric. Sometimes the stitches fell on thin air, sometimes, when he felt like it, the stitches fell on the fabric, and so a piece of embroidery could take years to complete.

這次日本之旅有一個很重要的字對我影響深遠 —— Mottainai (もったいない),是「這樣太浪費了!」。日本人會用來表達對人和事物的惋惜,所以他們對一切事物都會抱著不能浪費的心態,就好像這些來自木工工場的碎料,他們會製作成鈕扣,然後放到內裡貼上沙紙的木盒,通過搞動木盒,把鈕子磨滑,既像遊戲,也有實際用途。

During this trip to Japan, one important expression had a far-reaching influence on me – Mottainai (もったいない), meaning “what a waste!” The Japanese uses it to express regret at people and things, and holds the mentality that nothing goes to waste, like the leftover chips from the woodwork studio. They would make buttons out of them and drop them into a wooden case with interior walls covered in sandpapers. By rolling the wooden case, the buttons were polished, it was as much a game as it was a practical operation.

最後送上在園區內到處看到的四個字 ——「寸步尺退」,是Shobu Gakuen在2018年的主題標語,意思是 :「我們不必只顧著向前,有時候回望過去,雖然會有所遺憾,但總有值得回味的事情。」

他們歡迎旅客到訪,疫情過後可以到網上預約

Lastly, I leave you with four words I saw everywhere in the precinct – “One inch forward, one foot back”. This was Shobu Gakuen’s theme of 2018, which means, “We don’t always have to look forward. Sometimes, when we look back, even though there are regrets, there are bound to be things worth reliving.”

Shobu Gakuen welcomes visits, which are available for online booking after the epidemic.

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