"See a World in A Grain of Sand" : An Interview with Multidisciplinary Artist Esther Ruiz
採訪編輯 Edited and translation by｜謝蕎安 Joanne Hsieh
圖 Image courtesy｜Esther Ruiz 提供
洛杉磯,USA. Los Angeles, CA
Q: 嗨，Esther，請問你來自哪裡？你有哪些推薦遊客的活動或是藝術相關景點？
Can you tell us a little about yourself? What are some of your favorite places or activities you'd recommend to visitors to your hometown?
Esther：「我來自德州的休士頓。市中心有很多很棒的博物館和夜店。最知名的包括梅尼勒藝術館（Menil Collection）、Flavin Institute 、休士頓美術館、以及當代美術館。」
I am originally from Houston, Texas. There are many amazing museums and nightclubs downtown. Most notably, The Menil Collection, Flavin Institute, Museum of Fine Arts Houston, and the Contemporary Art Museum.
「在紐約生活七年後，我搬到洛杉磯。在洛杉磯我最喜歡的美術館包括 Hammer Museum，洛杉磯現代美術館，還有布洛德美術館（The Broad）。」
After living in New York for 7 years, I currently live in Los Angeles, California. My favorite museums are the Hammer Museum, MOCA Los Angeles and the Broad Museum.
Q: 你會如何形容你的創作？
How would you describe your work to a stranger?
Esther：「極簡，同時色彩豐富。」
I would describe my work as both minimal and colorful.
Q: 你創作藝術有多久了？是怎麼開始的？
How long have you been making art? How did you start?
Esther：「我大約從2010年開始全職藝術創作。但我從十歲左右開始接受私人課程，從那時開始我就一直接觸藝術。在大學讀藝術後我搬到紐約，在那裡找到第一間工作室，便進行創作到現在。」
I have been making artwork professionally since about 2010. But I started private lessons as a child, around the age of 10. And I have been involved in arts since then. After studying art in college I moved to New York and got my first studio and started pursuing the practice I continue today.
未知的世界令人著迷，因為有無限的可能性
Q: 你正在進行中的創作是？
What are you currently working on?
Esther：「我剛完成紐約的 ArtBridge 所委託的五件小型雕塑。然後我在洛杉磯有一個一月十六日開幕的群展。」
I just finished a commission of 5 small sculptures for ArtBridge in New York. And I am in a group show in Los Angeles opening January 16th.
Q: 當觀者第一次見到你的作品時，你希望他們從中感受到什麼？
What do you want the viewer to take away from your work (through a cold read) ?
Esther：「我沒有預設觀者應該怎麼看我的創作；他們想要如何去闡釋或討論作品都可以。但我希望作品能夠讓觀者感到雀躍並激發他們的好奇心。」
I don’t have a prescribed idea of what the viewer should take away from it, that is open to interpretation and discussion. But I would like the work to inspire joy and curiosity in the viewer.
Q: 請問你小型作品為什麼選擇是掌中大小的尺寸？
Esther：「掌中大小的雕塑讓我想起水晶球- 像是從未知的遠方帶回來的紀念品。」
The intimate sized sculptures remind me of a snow globe- like a relic from a foreign place.
Q: 「外星人」在你的創作中具有什麼意義？
What’s the significance of "aliens" in your work?
Esther：「科幻電影中的景色對我的創作影響很深。外星人這個概念，對我來說很有趣也很重要--未知的世界令人著迷，因為有無限的可能性。」
Landscapes from science fiction films have a big influence on my work. So the idea of aliens and the alien in general are important and interesting to me. The idea of the unknown is fascinating in that it has no limits.
Q: 你的創作主旨是什麼？你的燈光/霓虹作品以及礦石雕塑彼此間有什麼相關聯？
What's the theme of your work in general? What ties the light/neon works and the stonework/sculptures together?
Esther：「我作品中的材質都具有”雙重性"：:脆弱易碎 vs. 堅固；輕巧 vs. 重；自然 vs. 人造；明亮 vs. 昏暗。」
In terms of materials, there are dualities that run through most of my work: fragile vs. firm, light vs. heavy, natural vs. manmade, bright vs. dull, etc. Fictional landscapes tie the work together thematically.
Q: 你的美感來源是？
What inspires your aesthetic choices?
Esther：「對稱對我來說很重要；我很喜歡東西擺放出來都在剛剛好的位置。我創作時經常是藉著工作室裡面各種色彩、以及媒材的組合憑直覺來下決定。」
Symmetry is very important to me; I like when things are aligned just right. A lot of choices in the studio happen intuitively and are based on color relationships and material combinations.
Q: 你最喜歡哪一位藝術家的創作系列？
What’s your favorite body of work created by another artist?
Esther：「我非常喜愛基斯·索尼爾 (Keith Sonnier) 在1960年創作的極簡霓虹系列。」
I love Keith Sonnier’s minimal neon work from the 1960s.
我喜歡閱讀有關早期移民在新大陸中拓荒的故事
Q: 可以分享一些你的藝術求學過程和相關經歷嗎？
Can you tell us about your educational background/ training/ art related
experiences?
Esther：「小時候很幸運可以上美術課並且一直持續到中學，高中時我當了三年的美術社的社長，大學時也上了許多美術課。大學時，我念的是文理學院而非藝術專業學校。因此我這段時間上了各種不同的課程。這段求學經驗對我的創作有很大的影響。例如，在拿了一堂地質學課之後，我開始在作品中使用礦（寶）石。」
I was lucky enough to have private lessons as a child and continued studying art through grade school. I was the Art Club President for three years in high school and took many varying art classes in college. I studied at a liberal arts college rather than a traditional art school. Here, I was able to study a wide range of subjects. This background has influenced my work tremendously. For example, I started using gemstones in my work after taking a geology course.
Q: 誰是你的靈感導師？你最喜歡的作家、藝術家是？
Who inspires you? Who are some of your favorite writers, artists,
Esther：「我很喜歡早期有關美國拓荒者的文學。從 “探索到管理未知的領域” 汲取靈感，我喜歡閱讀有關早期移民在新大陸中拓荒的故事。這類作品中我最喜歡的是薇拉．凱瑟（Willa Cather）。我也很喜歡讀鮑伯．尼卡（Bob Nickas）以及蓋瑞．印第安納（Gary Indiana）的藝術評論。」
I really enjoy early American frontier literature. Drawing on the idea of exploring and organizing the unknown; I like to read about how early settlers found their way in a new land. My favorite in the genre is Willa Cather. I also enjoy reading art criticism by Bob Nickas and Gary Indiana.
「藝術史上對我有所影響的藝術家包括布魯斯．瑙曼（Bruce Nauman），李禹煥 （Lee Ufan），基斯．索尼爾 （Keith Sonnier），詹姆士．特瑞爾（James Turrell），克萊薩（Chryssa），以及唐納德．賈德（Donald Judd）。同時我也很幸運有同儕兼好友的藝術家包括 Elisa Lendvay，Anne Vieux，Eric Shaw，Jonathan Ryan，Kristy Luck 以及 Clinton King。」
Historic artists that have influenced me are Bruce Nauman, Lee Ufan, Eva Hesse, Keith Sonnier, James Turrell, Chryssa, and Donald Judd. I am also lucky enough to be friends with some amazing artists like Elisa Lendvay, Anne Vieux, Eric Shaw, Jonathan Ryan, Kristy Luck and Clinton King.
Q: 你有搜集任何物品嗎？
Do you collect anything?
Esther：「 我收集迷你購物車，原版電影的星際大戰公仔，還有很多朋友的藝術創作。」
I collect miniature shopping carts, Star Wars figures from the original movies and a lot of art by friends.
身為藝術家，我們不斷地需要嘗試新的敘述方式
Q: 工作室以外你喜歡做什麼？
What do you enjoy doing outside of the studio?
Esther：「自從搬到洛杉磯之後我常去爬山，這裡的景色非常優美。」
Since moving to Los Angeles, I’ve started hiking a lot, the landscape is beautiful here.
Q: 從事藝術創作以來，最難忘以及最具挑戰性的經驗是什麼？
What is your best memory / experience as an artist so far? And the most challenging is?
Esther：「被 ArtNews 雜誌採訪是一個巔峰的經驗。最具挑戰性的經驗是我的作品被我所不能認同的方式陳列。」
Being interviewed by ArtNews Magazine was a highlight for me. The most challenging is dealing with my work being displayed in ways I don't agree with.
Q: 你收到過最好的建議是什麼？
What’s the best advice you’ve received?
Esthter：「泰瑞希塔．佛南德茲（Teresita Fernandez）在我的畢業典禮上說-在創作途中自我懷疑是件正常不過的事，因為身為藝術家，我們不斷地需要嘗試新的敘述方式。」
Teresita Fernandez gave a commencement speech in which she said having doubts in the studio is a normal part of the process because as artists we are constantly faced with trying to describe the unknown.
Q: 可以推薦一個你喜歡的紀錄片，或書籍？
Can you recommend us a documentary or a book(s)?
Esther：「獨自在野外 (紀錄片）、我喜歡你的作品：藝術及溝通禮儀（書籍）。」
Alone in the Wilderness (documentary) and I Like Your Work: Art and Etiquette (book)
Q: 請問你短期和長期的目標包括哪些？
What are some short and long-term goals for you?
Esther：「我今年想搬回紐約！長期目標方面，我希望能有一個很大的工作室，以及作品被具有知名度的美術館收藏。」
I would like to move back to New York this year! Longterm, I would like to have a very large studio and be included in a notable museum show.
特別感謝 Esther Ruiz
Special Thanks to Esther Ruiz.
看更多精彩藝術家專訪，訂閱Youtube 頻道：瞧瞧藝術 ChiaoxArt
追蹤更多輕鬆的藝術家資訊，追蹤 IG： ChiaoxArt
看更多 Esther Ruiz 的精彩創作，追蹤 IG：@esther___ruiz
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