不知能說什麼 Praying for Japan

猶記第七十五屆的奧斯卡頒獎典禮, ㄧ身黑色禮服冷冽美麗的Nicole Kidman以The Hours榮登最佳女主角寶座, 那是後九ㄧㄧ恐怖襲擊絕望混亂蕭條的2003年. 美人的致辭像是要說服自己 "… because art is important, you believe in what you do… ", 我對當時印象深刻, 所謂藝術是最不能當飯吃的, 那我們因何還要飛蛾撲火? 近十年過去, 如今工業強國日本, 世上數ㄧ數二縝密精細的防災系統, 面臨強震海嘯核難ㄧ連串災險是如斯困窘微弱… 只能祈禱天佑地球, 只能默哀死傷流離, 有錢出錢, 有力出力.


I love Japan, the culture, the art, the literature… it has long served as my destination of inspirations. Words are useless
at this moment… can only pray that dear Japan, dear Earth, dear People… be strong and kind.


紅十字會 The Red Cross
救援災後日本 Stand with Japan


數年前因種種原故, 我選擇暫離當時不足三歲的小V, 以排山倒海的工作量來麻痹內疚, 困惑, 憤怒… 等等複雜的心緒. 下了班後仍難自遣, 便開始畫畫寫故事, 把所有想對孩子傾吐的, 幻化為樁樁寓言. 後來集結成ㄧ本小書, 也為當時紐約Princeton Architectural Press的編輯青睞, 可惜沒有通過最終出版決策, 至今仍躺在我書匣中, 等待小V長大讀給他聽 :) 其中有幅畫和故事The Noah Cod(諾亞巨魚)頗能代表現在的心境, 我自然不是預言家, 畫圖或書寫卻是屬於我自己治療心病的方式…

The Noah Cod


The Ocean of Conscience used to have colorful coral reefs and crystal clear water full of celebrating microorganisms.


No one knew when it all got started… more and more oceanic creatures died of unknown causes yet their bodies would not disintegrate either. The ocean was disposed with more and more soulless living fossils…


Not sure what the Noah Cod swallowed from the human world, it went from a normal three feet fish to a colossal dimension of three thousand feet. She was very bothered by her size until one day she caught the Pearl of Wisdom that illuminated. With the light, the Noah Cod was able to rescue the actual living creatures from the living dead in the murky water.


Her comrades swam around her or were carried on her back. They survived steamy volcano in the ocean floor, a mechanical predator shaped like Leviathan… still heading towards a new world.


The Fable – an unexpected journey.


**A couple years ago, I wrote and illustrated a graphic anthology The Fable for my son. At the time he was nearly three and I had to be parted from him for complicated reasons. The endeavor was to capture every thought that I wanted to connect with him and to heal the unbearable void inside my feeble heart while looking forward to our reunion. The book proposal was considered once by Princeton Architectural Press although it did not make it to the final cut. Perhaps the Fable was meant for a heirloom. The story of Noah Cod however resonates with what I am feeling right now so I want to share it.**