放手做什么（Do放手去做-）

见字如面，展信如晤。“书信”这一物件，曾作为不少经典电影的元素。一封封书信，诉说的是一段段感人至深的故事。而浪漫复古的英国人对于书信的依赖，从历史一直延伸至今，至今还保留着许多阅读会，其中每年的“Letters Live”（见信如晤）更是一大盛会。

今天要谈到的一封是

Do: Sol Le Witt’s Electrifying Letter of Advice on Self-Doubt, Overcoming Creative Block, and Being an Artist. 《放手去做：关于摒弃自我怀疑，克服创作瓶颈，做大艺术家的建议书》

Do: Sol Le Witt’s Electrifying Letter of Advice

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Dear Eva,

It will be almost a month since you wrote to me and you have possibly forgotten your state of mind (I doubt it though). You seem the same as always, and being you, hate every minute of it. Don’t! Learn to say “Fuck You” to the world once in a while. You have every right to. Just stop thinking, worrying, looking over your shoulder, wondering, doubting, fearing, hurting, hoping for some easy way out, struggling, grasping, confusing, itching, scratching, mumbling, bumbling, grumbling, humbling, stumbling, numbling, rambling, gambling, tumbling, scumbling, scrambling, hitching, hatching, bitching, moaning, groaning, honing, boning, horse-shitting, hair-splitting, nit-picking, piss-trickling, nose sticking, ass-gouging, eyeball-poking, finger-pointing, alleyway-sneaking, long waiting, small stepping, evil-eyeing, back-scratching, searching, perching, besmirching, grinding, grinding, grinding away at yourself. Stop it and just

DO

亲爱的伊娃，

4月14日，收到你的信已过去约1个月了， 你可能已忘记当时的心境，不过我猜你不会。你看起来和以往一样，每分钟都恨现在的自己。不要这样！要学会偶尔对这个世界说 “去NMD！” 你有权这么做。去他妈的思虑、担忧、左顾右盼、怀疑、惶恐、伤怀，奢望容易的出路、挣扎、攫取、困惑、坐立不安、百爪挠心、含含糊糊、结结巴巴、嘟嘟囔囔、唯唯诺诺、踉踉跄跄、迷迷瞪瞪、哼哼唧唧、战战兢兢、跌跌撞撞、庸庸碌碌、毛毛躁躁、顺手牵羊、勾心斗角、满腹牢骚、杞人忧天、无病呻吟、唉声叹气、毫无主见、废话连篇、吹毛求疵、尖酸刻薄、磨磨唧唧、多管闲事、不堪大用、惨不忍睹、指指点点、鬼鬼祟祟、坐以待毙、畏葸不前、贼眉鼠眼、口蜜腹剑、瞻前顾后、死缠烂打、恶言相向，一点点，一点点，一点点地消磨自我，远离自我，不要再这样！痛快点一个字就是：

做！

From your description, and from what I know of your previous work and your ability; the work you are doing sounds very good “Drawing – clean – clear but crazy like machines, larger and bolder… real nonsense.” That sounds fine, wonderful — real nonsense. Do more. More nonsensical, more crazy, more machines, more breasts, penises, cunts, whatever — make them abound with nonsense. Try and tickle something inside you, your “weird humor.” You belong in the most secret part of you. Don’t worry about cool, make your own uncool. Make your own, your own world. If you fear, make it work for you — draw & paint your fear & anxiety. And stop worrying about big, deep things such as “to decide on a purpose and way of life, a consistant approach to even some impossible end or even an imagined end.” You must practice being stupid, dumb, unthinking, empty. Then you will be able to

DO

从你的描述，以及以我之前对你作品和能力的了解来看，你干的那些事也挺好的。“画了又全部擦掉，疯狂得像台机器。更大幅，更大胆...真是毫无意义“，听起来很棒，“ 棒极了” 这样的话听起来才“真是毫无意义”，不如多干点。多干些荒诞事，疯狂的事，像机器人一样机械的事，多画些诸如乳房、阳具、阴逼什么的，管他呢，只要满是” 毫无意义“ 的作品就行。试试看，撩一撩你内心深处那股”诡异的幽默感“，只有藏在内心最深处的那个才是你。不用管什么体面不体面，就不体面好了，创造你自己的，属于有且仅属于你自己的世界。如果你害怕了，那就让恐惧为你服务 - 画出你的恐惧、不安，为它们着色添彩。先不用考虑那些宏大深邃的命题比如” 确定生活的目的与方式，一种不断接近不可能的终点或者说设想终点的组成方式。” 你必须学会做一个愚笨木讷，无思空洞的人才能说做就

做

I have much confidence in you and even though you are tormenting yourself, the work you do is very good. Try to do some BAD work — the worst you can think of and see what happens but mainly relax and let everything go to hell — you are not responsible for the world — you are only responsible for your work — so DO IT. And don’t think that your work has to conform to any preconceived form, idea or flavor. It can be anything you want it to be. But if life would be easier for you if you stopped working — then stop. Don’t punish yourself. However, I think that it is so deeply engrained in you that it would be easier to

DO

即使你这么折磨自己，我还是对你很有信心，你的作品非常棒。不妨尝试做点“坏”作品，你能想到的最坏的作品，看看会发生什么，不过最主要的还是放松身心，让一切纷扰滚蛋吧 - 你无须对整个世界负责，只需要对自己的作品负责，尽管开干！不要想你的作品必须符合某种预设的形式、想法或品味。你想让它是什么样子，它就可以是什么样子。如果停下手里的活能让生活轻松些，那就停下，不要为难自己。不过，我认为在你内心根深蒂固的，对你来说最好的方式就是去

做！

It seems I do understand your attitude somewhat, anyway, because I go through a similar process every so often. I have an “Agonizing Reappraisal" of my work and change everything as much as possible — and hate everything I've done, and try to do something entirely different and better. Maybe that kind of process is necessary to me, pushing me on and on. The feeling that I can do better than that shit I just did. Maybe you need your agony to accomplish what you do. And maybe it goads you on to do better. But it is very painful I know. It would be better if you had the confidence just to do the stuff and not even think about it. Can’t you leave the “world”and “ART”alone and also quit fondling your ego. I know that you (or anyone) can only work so much and the rest of the time you are left with your thoughts. But when you work or before your work you have to empty your mind and concentrate on what you are doing. After you do something it is done and that’s that. After a while you can see some are better than others but also you can see what direction you are going. I’m sure you know all that. You also must know that you don’t have to justify your work — not even to yourself. Well, you know I admire your work greatly and can’t understand why you are so bothered by it. But you can see the next ones & I can’t. You also must believe in your ability. I think you do. So try the most outrageous things you can — shock yourself. You have at your power the ability to do anything.

看起来我确实从某种程度上、某个角度理解你，因为我也时常经历类似的过程。我对我的作品有一套“ 全盘重新评价” , 尽最大可能把所有部分都改掉，憎恶我所创作好的一切， 我尝试做一些截然不同，更好的作品。或许这种过程对我来说是必要的，将我不断地往前推。这种做得更好的感觉比搞出一堆垃圾爽太多了。也许你需要痛苦的感觉助你完成作品，也许它可以鞭策你做得更好，但是我知道，这是难以承受的。更好的应对方式就是对自己做的事情有信心，压根都不去想是好是坏。你就不能把“ 世界” 和 “艺术" 这两个词放一边，不再沉湎于自负之中吗？ 我理解你（或是任何人）只能用工作把自己填满，余下的时间都在和自己的思绪做斗争。但当你工作时或是工作开始前，你必须得清空思绪，专注于在做的事情。你做着做着就做完了，事情就这么简单。过段时间你会看到一些佳作，而且你也会知道自己的走向，我确信这些道理你都明白。你也得知道，你并非必得修正你得作品，即使是出于对自己负责也没这必要。好吧，你知道我很欣赏你的作品，不理解为什么你自己会为之纠结，况且你能预知即将创作的作品而我却不能。你必须相信自己的能力，我想你确实也相信自己的能力。那么，放胆去做，如要惊艳世界，必先惊艳自己。 你有凭一己之力达成任何事情的能力。

I would like to see your work and will have to be content to wait until Aug or Sept. I have seen photos of some of Tom’s new things at Lucy’s. They are very impressive — especially the ones with the more rigorous form; the simpler ones. I guess he’ll send some more later on. Let me know how the shows are going and that kind of stuff.

想看看你的新作品，在8月或9月前最好。我已经在露西那里看了汤姆新作的照片，给我留下了深刻印象，尤其是那些遵循一种非常严谨风格- 简洁的作品。估计后续他会寄一些给我，告诉我展览的进展情况及相关事宜。

My work has changed since you left and it is much better. I will be having a show May 4–29 at the Daniels Gallery 17 E 64th St (where Emmerich was), I wish you could be there. Much love to you both.

Sol

自从你离开之后，我的工作发生变化，改善很多。我将于5月4日-9日在第64街17号东，丹尼尔斯美术馆（埃梅里希旧址） 举办展览。希望可以在那见到你们，我爱你们，很爱。

索尔

后记： Benedict Cumberbatch（卷福）朗读的这封书信是美国艺术家索尔·勒维特 (1928年9月9日–2007年4月8日)1965年写给好友伊娃·黑塞的信，鼓励她继续创意之路并劝她不要再怀疑自己。

卷福的声情并茂的朗读有没有惊艳到你呢？ Leave your opinions in comments.

------------------------ Edited by E.T Marc 17th, 2019. ------------------------------------

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