ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Luke Syson - Curator
As a curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Luke Syson accesses the richness of European history through sculpture.

Why you should listen

Luke Syson joined the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2012 as the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Curator in Charge of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts. This year, he co-curated the small but innovative exhibition "Plain or Fancy? Restraint and Exuberance in the Decorative Arts." Before joining the Met Syson was Curator of Italian Painting before 1500 and Head of Research at the National Gallery, London. While at the National Gallery, he was curator of the exhibition "Renaissance Siena: Art for a City," and in 2011 he organized the groundbreaking "Leonardo da Vinci: Painter at the Court of Milan."

Syson was also one of the curators who organized the acclaimed Enlightenment Gallery at The British Museum and was part of the team that planned the new galleries for Medieval and Renaissance Art at the Victoria & Albert Museum.

More profile about the speaker
Luke Syson | Speaker | TED.com
TEDxMet

Luke Syson: How I learned to stop worrying and love "useless" art

卢克·赛森: 我如何停止担忧并且爱上“无用”的艺术

Filmed:
1,198,168 views

卢克·赛森曾是意大利文艺复兴博物馆的馆长,终日与圣人及庄重的意大利贵妇的画像——严肃的艺术相伴。后来他换了工作并且继承了大都会博物馆的瓷器藏品——可爱,褶边但是“无用”的烛台与花瓶。他不喜欢,更不理解。直到有一天……(拍摄于TEDxMet)
- Curator
As a curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Luke Syson accesses the richness of European history through sculpture. Full bio

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

00:12
Two years年份 ago, I have to say there was no problem问题.
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两年前,我得说一切都很正常。
00:15
Two years年份 ago, I knew知道 exactly究竟
what an icon图标 looked看着 like.
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两年前,我很清楚地知道偶像长什么样。
00:19
It looks容貌 like this.
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就长这样的。
00:21
Everybody's每个人都 icon图标, but also the default默认 position位置
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这是所有人的偶像,包括我在内
00:24
of a curator馆长 of Italian意大利 Renaissance再生
paintings绘画, which哪一个 I was then.
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当时我还是意大利文艺复兴博物馆的馆长。
00:28
And in a way, this is also another另一个 default默认 selection选择.
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从某种角度来说,选择这幅画也是如此。
00:32
Leonardo莱昂纳多 daDA Vinci's·芬奇 exquisitely玲珑 soulful深情 image图片
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莱昂纳多·达·芬奇细腻灵动的画作:
00:36
of the "Lady淑女 with an Ermine."
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“抱银鼠的女子”(‘Lady with an Ermine’)
00:38
And I use that word, soulful深情, deliberately故意.
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我说“灵动”,是特意这么说的。
00:40
Or then there's this, or rather these:
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再或者是这幅,应该说是这两幅:
00:42
the two versions版本 of Leonardo's莱昂纳多的 "Virgin处女 of the Rocks岩石"
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达·芬奇“岩间圣母”(‘Virgin of the Rocks’)的两个版本
00:45
that were about to come together一起
in London伦敦 for the very first time.
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当时在伦敦两幅画第一次一起展出。
00:49
In the exhibition展览 that I was then in
the absolute绝对 throes阵痛 of organizing组织.
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那时我正处在筹备展览的最后阶段。
00:54
I was literally按照字面 up to my eyes眼睛 in Leonardo莱昂纳多,
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我真真切切地在解读达芬奇,
00:57
and I had been for three years年份.
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持续了三年。
00:59
So, he was occupying占用 every一切 part部分 of my brain.
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所以,我当时无时无刻不在想他。
01:03
Leonardo莱昂纳多 had taught me, during that three years年份,
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在那三年中,达·芬奇教会了我,
01:06
about what a picture图片 can do.
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一幅画的力量。
01:08
About taking服用 you from your own拥有
material材料 world世界 into a spiritual精神 world世界.
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它带领你脱离物质世界并进入一个精神世界。
01:13
He said, actually其实, that he believed相信
the job工作 of the painter画家
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实际上他说他相信画家的工作
01:16
was to paint涂料 everything that was visible可见
and invisible无形 in the universe宇宙.
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是要去描绘宇宙中一切可见以及不可见的事物。
01:21
That's a huge巨大 task任务. And yet然而,
somehow不知何故 he achieves实现 it.
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这可是任重道远。然而,他做到了。
01:25
He shows节目 us, I think, the human人的 soul灵魂.
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我想,他向我们展示了,人类的灵魂。
01:27
He shows节目 us the capacity容量 of ourselves我们自己
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也展示了我们自身具备的
01:32
to move移动 into a spiritual精神 realm领域.
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能进入精神王国的能力,
01:35
To see a vision视力 of the universe宇宙 that's
more perfect完善 than our own拥有.
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能够目睹比我们自身更完美的宇宙景象。
01:40
To see God's own拥有 plan计划, in some sense.
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从某种意义上来说,看见上帝的计划。
01:43
So this, in a sense, was really
what I believed相信 an icon图标 was.
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所以,从这个层面上来说,我确信“偶像”就是这样的。
01:47
At about that time, I started开始 talking to Tom汤姆 Campbell坎贝尔,
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大概在那时,我开始与汤姆·坎伯交谈,
01:51
director导向器 here of the Metropolitan宗主 Museum博物馆,
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也就是这里的大都会博物馆的主管,
01:54
about what my next下一个 move移动 might威力 be.
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关于我下一步该怎么做的相关事宜。
01:57
The move移动, in fact事实, back to an earlier life,
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下一步,实际上,是回到早些时候
02:00
one I'd begun开始 at the British英国的 Museum博物馆,
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回到我刚在大英博物馆工作的时候,
02:02
back to the world世界 of three dimensions尺寸 --
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回到三维的世界——
02:04
of sculpture雕塑 and of decorative装饰 arts艺术 --
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回到雕塑与装饰艺术的世界,
02:07
to take over the department of European欧洲的 sculpture雕塑
and decorative装饰 arts艺术, here at the Met会见.
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去接管大都会艺术博物馆的
欧洲雕塑与装饰艺术系别。
02:11
But it was an incredibly令人难以置信 busy time.
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那段时间真是出奇的忙。
02:12
All the conversations对话 were doneDONE
at very peculiar奇特 times of the day --
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那天花了各种各样的时间段谈完了话,
02:16
over the phone电话.
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而且还是通过电话。
02:19
In the end结束, I accepted公认 the job工作
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最后,我接受了这项工作,
02:21
without actually其实 having been here.
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但其实人并没来。
02:22
Again, I'd been there a couple一对 of years年份 before,
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我除了几年前来过这里一次,
02:25
but on that particular特定 visit访问.
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就再没有来过。
02:27
So, it was just before the time that
the Leonardo莱昂纳多 show显示 was due应有 to open打开
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因此,就在达·芬奇的展览将要开幕前
02:31
when I finally最后 made制作 it back to the Met会见, to New York纽约,
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我终于来到了纽约的大都会博物馆,
02:35
to see my new domain.
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来看看我的新领域,
02:37
To see what European欧洲的 sculpture雕塑
and decorative装饰 arts艺术 looked看着 like,
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超越我熟悉的意大利文艺复兴时期的收藏,
02:41
beyond those Renaissance再生 collections集合
with which哪一个 I was so already已经 familiar.
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看看欧洲雕塑与装饰艺术是什么样的。
02:45
And I thought, on that very first day,
I better tour游览 the galleries画廊.
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就在第一天的时候,我想最好还是参观参观。
02:48
Fifty-seven五十七 of these galleries画廊 --
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五十七个画廊——
02:50
like 57 varieties品种 of baked烘烤的 beans, I believe.
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就像五十七种不同的烘豆,我觉得。
02:55
I walked through通过 and I started开始 in my comfort安慰 zone
in the Italian意大利 Renaissance再生.
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我从熟悉的意大利文艺复兴的领域
步行穿过这些画廊。
03:01
And then I moved移动 gradually逐渐 around,
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然后,逐渐漫步到另一边,
03:03
feeling感觉 a little lost丢失 sometimes有时.
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有时会觉得有点迷惑。
03:06
My head, also still full充分 of the Leonardo莱昂纳多 exhibition展览
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我的脑海仍然被即将开幕的
03:09
that was about to open打开, and I came来了 across横过 this.
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达·芬奇的展览所占据着,然后,我看到了这个。
03:13
And I thought to myself: What the hell地狱 have I doneDONE?
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接着我对自己说我就想:“我究竟在干嘛呢?”
03:21
There was absolutely绝对 no connection连接 in my mind心神
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这东西在我看来绝对与这个领域没有一点联系,
03:24
at all and, in fact事实, if there was any emotion情感 going on,
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而且,如果我对它有什么情绪的话,
03:27
it was a kind of repulsion推斥.
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就只能是一种反感。
03:30
This object目的 felt utterly完全 and completely全然 alien外侨.
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这个物件给人的感觉完全是完全陌生的。
03:33
Silly愚蠢 at a level水平 that I hadn't有没有 yet然而
understood了解 silliness糊涂 to be.
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前所未有的古怪。
03:38
And then it was made制作 worse更差 --
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但是问题似乎更糟了——
03:41
there were two of them.
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两个这样的展品。
03:42
(Laughter笑声)
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(笑声)
03:46
So, I started开始 thinking思维 about why it was, in fact事实,
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因此,我开始思考为什么
03:49
that I disliked不喜欢的 this object目的 so much.
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我如此讨厌这个展品。
03:51
What was the anatomy解剖学 of my distaste厌恶?
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我的厌恶情绪的根源是什么?
03:55
Well, so much gold, so vulgar庸俗.
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嗯,太多的金色了,俗辣辣的俗。
03:58
You know, so nouveau暴发户 riche暴发户, frankly坦率地说.
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你们懂的,坦白地说,就是暴发户。
04:02
Leonardo莱昂纳多 himself他自己 had preached宣讲
against反对 the use of gold,
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达·芬奇自己就很反对对于金色的运用,
04:05
so it was absolutely绝对 anathema诅咒 at that moment时刻.
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所以当时这对我来说是个很让人讨厌的东西。
04:08
And then there's little pretty漂亮 sprigs小枝
of flowers花卉 everywhere到处. (Laughter笑声)
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而且,上面都是娇小可爱的小花枝。(笑声)
04:14
And finally最后, that pink. That damned该死 pink.
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最后一点,粉色。作死的粉色。
04:17
It's such这样 an extraordinarily异常 artificial人造 color颜色.
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完完全全人工制造的颜色。
04:20
I mean, it's a color颜色 that I can't think of
anything that you actually其实 see in nature性质,
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我的意思是,这种暗暗的色调
04:24
that looks容貌 that shade阴凉处.
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是绝对不可能在自然界看到的。
04:27
The object目的 even has its own拥有 tutu蓬蓬裙. (Laughter笑声)
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这个展品甚至有芭蕾短裙。(笑声)
04:31
This little flouncyflouncy, spanglyspangly, bottomybottomy bit
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就是这种位于花瓶底部的
04:33
that sits坐镇 at the bottom底部 of the vase花瓶.
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小褶边和亮片。
04:35
It reminded提醒 me, in an odd kind of way,
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它以一种古怪的方式使我想起了
04:37
of my niece's侄女的 fifth第五 birthday生日 party派对.
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我侄女五岁的生日派对。
04:40
Where all the little girls女孩 would come
either as a princess公主 or a fairy仙女.
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所有的小女孩都会装扮成公主或仙女过来。
04:44
There was one who would come as a fairy仙女 princess公主.
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有个姑娘装扮成了童话里的公主。
04:46
You should have seen看到 the looks容貌.
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你们应该已经知道那是什么样儿了。
04:48
(Laughter笑声)
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(笑声)
04:50
And I realize实现 that this object目的 was in my mind心神,
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我意识到,对我来说这件展品
04:53
born天生 from the same相同 mind心神, from the same相同 womb子宫,
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是基本类似于
04:56
practically几乎, as Barbie芭比 Ballerina芭蕾舞女演员. (Laughter笑声)
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芭比娃娃打扮成芭蕾舞演员。(笑声)
05:02
And then there's the elephants大象. (Laughter笑声)
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之后,这些大象。(笑声)
05:05
Those extraordinary非凡 elephants大象
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这些非同一般的大象
05:07
with their little, sort分类 of strange奇怪, sinister险恶 expressions表达式
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露出些许奇怪阴险的表情
05:10
and Greta葛丽泰 Garbo嘉宝 eyelashes睫毛, with
these golden金色 tusks象牙 and so on.
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有着葛丽泰·嘉宝样的睫毛以及金象牙等等。
05:15
I realized实现 this was an elephant that had
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我意识到这只象与塞伦盖蒂的
05:17
absolutely绝对 nothing to do with a majestic雄伟
march游行 across横过 the Serengeti塞伦盖蒂.
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“宏伟行军”绝对没有半毛钱关系。
05:23
It was a Dumbo小飞象 nightmare恶梦. (Laughter笑声)
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这是小飞象的噩梦版。(笑声)
05:28
But something more profound深刻
was happening事件 as well.
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但是我脑海中也蹦出了更深刻的东西。
05:31
These objects对象, it seemed似乎 to me,
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对我来说,似乎这些展品,
05:33
were quintessentially典型的 the kind that I
and my liberal自由主义的 left friends朋友 in London伦敦
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是那种典型的我和我在
伦敦的自由主义左派朋友
05:37
had always seen看到 as summing求和 up
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常看到的展品类型
05:39
something deplorable可悲 about the French法国 aristocracy贵族
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当我们总结十八世纪
05:42
in the 18th century世纪.
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凄惨的法国贵族的时候。
05:44
The label标签 had told me that these pieces were made制作
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展品上的标签告诉我这些作品
05:47
by the SèvresVRES Manufactory制造厂,
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是在塞夫勒厂(Sèvres Manufactory)制作的,
05:50
made制作 of porcelain in the late晚了 1750s,
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材质是瓷,年代在制作于十八世纪五十年代后期,
05:53
and designed设计 by a designer设计师 called
Jean-Claude让 - 克洛德· DuplessisDuplessis,
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它的设计师名叫让-克洛德·杜普蕾西丝(Jean-Claude Duplessis),
05:56
actually其实 somebody of extraordinary非凡 distinction分别
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但后来据我了解,
05:58
as I later后来 learned学到了.
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他是一位特立独行的设计师。
06:01
But for me, they summed总结 up a kind of,
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但对我来说,他们似乎在总结,
06:06
that sort分类 of sheer绝对 uselessness无用 of the aristocracy贵族
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十八世纪的贵族的
06:09
in the 18th century世纪.
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纯粹的无价值性。
06:13
I and my colleagues同事 had always thought
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我和我的同事以前经常认为
06:15
that these objects对象, in way, summed总结 up the idea理念 of,
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这些展品,从某种角度来说,总结了
06:18
you know -- no wonder奇迹 there was a revolution革命.
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你们懂的--怪不得后来爆发了一场革命。
06:20
Or, indeed确实, thank God there was a revolution革命.
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或确切些说,感谢上帝,这场革命爆发了。
06:25
There was a sort分类 of idea理念 really, that,
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这种观点认为,
06:27
if you owned拥有的 a vase花瓶 like this,
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如果你有一个像这样的花瓶,
06:29
then there was really only one fate命运 possible可能.
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命运可能就只有一种了。
06:33
(Laughter笑声)
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(笑声)
06:37
So, there I was -- in a sort分类 of paroxysm发作 of horror恐怖.
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因此,我陷入了一种终极恐慌中。
06:42
But I took the job工作 and I went
on looking at these vases花瓶.
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但是,我仍然接受了这项工作,
并继续研究这些花瓶。
06:46
I sort分类 of had to because they're
on a through通过 route路线 in the Met会见.
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其实不得不看,因为它们就摆放在
博物馆的必经之路上。
06:49
So, almost几乎 anywhere随地 I went, there they were.
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所以,我在哪儿,都能看到它们。
06:52
They had this kind of odd sort分类 of fascination魅力,
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它们有这种奇怪的魅力,
06:55
like a car汽车 accident事故.
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就跟车祸现场一样。
06:58
Where I couldn't不能 stop looking.
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叫我忍不住的看。
07:00
And as I did so, I started开始 thinking思维:
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我反复地观察,然后开始思考:
07:03
Well, what are we actually其实 looking at here?
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嗯,我们到底在观察什么呢?
07:07
And what I started开始 with was understanding理解 this
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这种思考的开端就是去真正地
07:11
as really a supreme最高 piece of design设计.
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把这个展品当作优秀的设计来理解。
07:14
It took me a little time.
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这花了我一些时间。
07:15
But, that tutu蓬蓬裙 for example --
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比如,这里的“芭蕾短裙”——
07:17
actually其实, this is a piece that
does dance舞蹈 in its own拥有 way.
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事实上,它是在用自己的方式“舞蹈”。
07:20
It has an extraordinary非凡 lightness亮度
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看看它卓越的亮度
07:21
and yet然而, it is also amazing惊人 balanced均衡.
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以及令人称奇的平衡力。
07:24
It has these kinds of sculptural雕塑 ingredients配料.
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它拥有许多雕刻所需的组成。
07:27
And then the play between之间 --
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还有,颜色与镀金
07:29
actually其实 really quite相当 carefully小心 disposed处置
color颜色 and gilding镀金, and the sculptural雕塑 surface表面,
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之间的完美结合,以及
与雕塑表面之间的结合,
07:34
is really rather remarkable卓越.
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无不精湛。
07:36
And then I realized实现 that this piece went into the kiln
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然后我意识到这个花瓶
07:39
four times, at least最小 four times
in order订购 to arrive到达 at this.
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入过四次窑,至少四次
才能达到这个水准。
07:42
How many许多 moments瞬间 for accident事故 can you think of
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你能想象花瓶在烧制过程中
07:45
that could have happened发生 to this piece?
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可能会出现多少意外吗?
07:47
And then remember记得, not just one, but two.
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而且请记住,不是只有一个,而是两个。
07:49
So he's having to arrive到达 at two exactly究竟 matched匹配
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所以设计师得做两个完全达到了
07:54
vases花瓶 of this kind.
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这种水准的花瓶。
07:56
And then this question of uselessness无用.
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然后,回到“无价值”的问题上。
07:57
Well actually其实, the end结束 of the trunks树干
were originally本来 candle蜡烛 holders持有人.
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其实,象鼻的末端是一个小烛台。
08:02
So what you would have had
were candles蜡烛 on either side.
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所以可以在两边各放一支蜡烛。
08:06
Imagine想像 that effect影响 of candlelight烛火 on that surface表面.
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想象一下烛光映照在这个表面的效果。
08:09
On the slightly uneven不均匀的 pink, on the beautiful美丽 gold.
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映照在那稍稍不均匀的粉色上,那美丽的金色上。
08:11
It would have glittered闪闪发光 in an interior室内,
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它会在在室内闪闪发光,
08:14
a little like a little firework焰火.
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就像迷你的烟火。
08:17
And at that point, actually其实,
a firework焰火 went off in my brain.
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说到这里,事实上,
我脑海中已经有了烟火盛放的画面。
08:21
Somebody reminded提醒 me that, that word 'fancy'“看中” --
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有人提醒我,用“花哨”(‘fancy’)这个词——
08:24
which哪一个 in a sense for me, encapsulated封装 this object目的 --
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来形容这个花瓶,对我来说
08:27
actually其实 comes from the same相同
root as the word 'fantasy'幻想.'
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这和和“幻想”(‘fantasy’)一词是同源的。
08:31
And that what this object目的 was just as much in a way,
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而且,这件展品其实只是
08:34
in its own拥有 way, as a Leonardo莱昂纳多 daDA Vinci达芬奇 painting绘画,
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在用自己的方式,就像达·芬奇的画作一样,
08:36
is a portal门户 to somewhere某处 else其他.
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成为通往另一个世界的入口。
08:38
This is an object目的 of the imagination想像力.
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这是一件充满想象的艺术品。
08:42
If you think about the mad 18th-centuryTH-世纪
operas歌剧 of the time -- set in the Orient东方.
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如果你去想想18世纪歌剧的疯狂—
来自东方的作品,
08:49
If you think about divans沙发椅 and perhaps也许 even
opium-induced鸦片引起的 visions愿景 of pink elephants大象,
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以及室内的装潢和甚至是鸦片导致的
粉色大象的幻觉,
08:56
then at that point, this object目的 starts启动 to make sense.
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从这个角度来讲,这个作品就说得通了。
08:59
This is an object目的 which哪一个 is all about escapism空想.
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这件作品描述了一种空想。
09:03
It's about an escapism空想 that happens发生 --
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这种空想成为了现实——
09:06
that the aristocracy贵族 in France法国 sought追捧
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法国贵族
09:08
very deliberately故意
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有意
09:10
to distinguish区分 themselves他们自己 from ordinary普通 people.
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要把他们自己同寻常百姓区别开来。
09:15
It's not an escapism空想 that
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然而,这并不是那种
09:17
we feel particularly尤其 happy快乐 with today今天, however然而.
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现如今会令人愉悦的空想。
09:20
And again, going on thinking思维 about this,
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我继续思考着,
09:23
I realize实现 that in a way we're all victims受害者
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然后意识到,在某种意义上,我们都是
09:27
of a certain某些 kind of tyranny暴政
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胜利的现代主义中
09:29
of the triumph胜利 of modernism现代主义
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暴政的受害者,
09:31
whereby因此 form形成 and function功能 in an object目的
175
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也就是说,一件物品的构造与功能
09:33
have to follow跟随 one another另一个, or are deemed认为 to do so.
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必须相互参照,或者人们是这样想的。
09:37
And the extraneous外来 ornament装饰 is seen看到 as really,
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而无用的装饰被从根本上视为是
09:40
essentially实质上, criminal刑事.
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一种真正的犯罪。
09:43
It's a triumph胜利, in a way, of bourgeois资产阶级
values rather than aristocratic贵族的 ones那些.
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这与其说是贵族的胜利,
还不如说是资产阶级的胜利。
09:46
And that seems似乎 fine.
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听上去似乎行得通,
09:48
Except for the fact事实 that it becomes a kind of
sequestration封存 of imagination想像力.
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除了,想象力的匮乏是不争的事实以外。
09:55
So just as in the 20th century世纪, so many许多 people
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因此,就像在20世纪一样,那么多的人
09:58
had the idea理念 that their faith信仰
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认为他们的信仰生活
10:00
took place地点 on the Sabbath安息日 day,
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应在安息日进行,
10:03
and the rest休息 of their lives生活 --
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除此以外的生活——
10:04
their lives生活 of washing洗涤 machines and orthodontics正畸 --
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洗衣服看牙医的生活——
10:08
took place地点 on another另一个 day.
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则改日进行。
10:10
Then, I think we've我们已经 started开始 doing the same相同.
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我觉得我们现在做的事情如出一辙。
10:14
We've我们已经 allowed允许 ourselves我们自己 to
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我们允许自己
10:17
lead our fantasy幻想 lives生活 in front面前 of screens屏幕.
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将幻想生活局限在电视屏幕前。
10:19
In the dark黑暗 of the cinema电影, with the
television电视 in the corner of the room房间.
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在黑暗的电影院中,在角落里的电视机前。
10:23
We've我们已经 eliminated淘汰, in a sense, that constant不变
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从某种意义上说,我们已经扼杀了
10:27
of the imagination想像力 that these vases花瓶
represented代表 in people's人们 lives生活.
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这些花瓶所展示的人们生活中的想象力。
10:32
So maybe it's time we got this back a little.
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因此,也许我们是时候“怀怀旧”了。
10:36
I think it's beginning开始 to happen发生.
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我认为这已经开始发生了。
10:39
In London伦敦, for example,
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比如在伦敦,
10:40
with these extraordinary非凡 buildings房屋
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像这样非同一般的建筑物
10:42
that have been appearing出现 over the last few少数 years年份.
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在过去的几年中一直在新建。
10:45
Redolent芳香, in a sense, of science科学 fiction小说,
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它们从某种角度上使人想到科幻小说,
10:48
turning车削 London伦敦 into a kind of fantasy幻想 playground操场.
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并把伦敦变成了一块幻想之地。
10:50
It's actually其实 amazing惊人 to look out of
a high building建造 nowadays如今 there.
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如今从高层建筑向外眺望是非常令人着迷的。
10:55
But even then, there's a resistance抵抗性.
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但即使这样,阻力却仍然存在。
10:56
London伦敦 has called these buildings房屋 the
Gherkin黄瓜之一种, the Shard碎片, the Walkie对讲机 Talkie对讲机 --
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伦敦人把这些建筑叫做“小黄瓜”、“水晶宫”、“对讲机”——
11:01
bringing使 these soaring冲天 buildings房屋 down to Earth地球.
204
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把这些冲向云霄的建筑拉回到了现实。
11:04
There's an idea理念 that we don't want these
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有人认为是我们本身不想
11:08
anxious-making焦急的决策, imaginative想像的 journeys旅程
to happen发生 in our daily日常 lives生活.
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在生活中碰见这些使人焦虑、富于想象力的过程。
11:13
I feel lucky幸运 in a way,
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从某种角度来说,我是幸运的。
11:16
I've encountered遇到 this object目的.
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我遇上了这个作品。
11:19
(Laughter笑声)
209
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(笑声)
11:21
I found发现 him on the Internet互联网 when
I was looking up a reference参考.
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我在网上寻找参考材料的时候找到了他。
11:24
And there he was.
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就是这个。
11:27
And unlike不像 the pink elephant vase花瓶,
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不同于粉色大象花瓶,
11:31
this was a kind of love at first sight视力.
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我第一眼看到就觉得很有爱。
11:33
In fact事实, reader读者, I married已婚 him. I bought him.
214
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事实上,我拥有了他,我买下来了。
11:36
And he now adorns装饰 my office办公室.
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现在是我办公室里的装饰品。
11:39
He's a Staffordshire斯塔福德 figure数字 made制作
in the middle中间 of the 19th century世纪.
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他是一个19世纪中叶制作的
斯塔福郡塑像(Staffordshire figure)。
11:43
He represents代表 the actor演员, Edmund埃德蒙 Kean基恩,
playing播放 Shakespeare's莎士比亚 Richard理查德 IIIIII.
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展示了男演员埃德蒙·基恩
饰演莎士比亚的理查三世的场景。
11:48
And it's based基于, actually其实, on a more
elevated提高的 piece of porcelain.
218
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而且它的材质是一种更高级的瓷。
11:50
So I loved喜爱, on an art艺术 historical历史的 level水平,
219
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所以我喜欢它,从艺术史的层面上来说,
11:52
I loved喜爱 that layered分层 quality质量 that he has.
220
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喜欢它极富层次感的品质。
11:57
But more than that, I love him.
221
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但更重要的是,我喜欢他本身。
12:00
In a way that I think would have been impossible不可能
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从某种角度来说,如果在研究达芬奇的日子里没有见到过粉色花瓶
12:01
without the pinkvresVRES vase花瓶 in my Leonardo莱昂纳多 days.
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这就是绝对不可能发生的事了。
12:04
I love his orange橙子 and pink breeches马裤.
224
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我喜欢他橙粉相间的短裤。
12:07
I love the fact事实 that he seems似乎 to be going off to war战争,
225
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我喜欢他那种似乎刚刚打扮整洁
12:10
having just finished the washing洗涤 up. (Laughter笑声)
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然后要去上战场的样子。(笑声)
12:14
He seems似乎 also to have forgotten忘记了 his sword.
227
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他好像还忘了他的剑。
12:17
I love his pink little cheeks脸颊, his munchkin芒奇金 energy能源.
228
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我喜欢他粉色的双颊,还有充沛的精力。
12:19
In a way, he's become成为 my sort分类 of alter改变 ego自我.
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从某种角度来说,他已经成为了另一个我。
12:22
He's, I hope希望, a little bit dignified凝重,
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他还是有点威严的,
12:25
but mostly大多 rather vulgar庸俗. (Laughter笑声)
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但还是粗俗占大部分。(笑声)
12:30
And energetic有活力, I hope希望, too.
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我也希望他活力充沛。
12:33
I let him into my life because the SèvresVRES
pink elephant vase花瓶 allowed允许 me to do so.
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因为那只粉色大象,我让他进入了我的生活。
12:38
And before that Leonardo莱昂纳多,
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在达芬奇多之前,
12:40
I understood了解 that this object目的 could become成为
part部分 of a journey旅程 for me every一切 day,
235
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我明白这件作品会成为
我人生旅程的一部分,
12:45
sitting坐在 in my office办公室.
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就这么坐在办公室里。
12:48
I really hope希望 that others其他, all of you,
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我真诚地希望其他人,在座的各位,
12:51
visiting访问 objects对象 in the museum博物馆,
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在博物馆参观展品的时候,
12:52
and taking服用 them home and
finding发现 them for yourselves你自己,
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还有在把它们带回家,抑或
是在寻找它们的时候
12:55
will allow允许 those objects对象 to flourish繁荣
in your imaginative想像的 lives生活.
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能够跟随着这些展品让想象力源源不断地注入进生命。
12:59
Thank you very much.
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非常感谢。
13:01
(Applause掌声)
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(掌声)
Translated by Jingwei Gu
Reviewed by Liu Xiying

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Luke Syson - Curator
As a curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Luke Syson accesses the richness of European history through sculpture.

Why you should listen

Luke Syson joined the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 2012 as the Iris and B. Gerald Cantor Curator in Charge of European Sculpture and Decorative Arts. This year, he co-curated the small but innovative exhibition "Plain or Fancy? Restraint and Exuberance in the Decorative Arts." Before joining the Met Syson was Curator of Italian Painting before 1500 and Head of Research at the National Gallery, London. While at the National Gallery, he was curator of the exhibition "Renaissance Siena: Art for a City," and in 2011 he organized the groundbreaking "Leonardo da Vinci: Painter at the Court of Milan."

Syson was also one of the curators who organized the acclaimed Enlightenment Gallery at The British Museum and was part of the team that planned the new galleries for Medieval and Renaissance Art at the Victoria & Albert Museum.

More profile about the speaker
Luke Syson | Speaker | TED.com

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