Learning About Artworks on a Gallery Tour
Come on in, everyone.
This is the Parker Gallery, where we host traveling exhibitions巡迴展.
This season, we have a collection by Ivan Choi, a young Korean-American illustrator.
His drawings reflect his own cultural background in a surreal超現實, dreamlike如夢境般 way.
Let's take a look at this piece here.
We see a young man and woman.
But do you notice anything different about the woman?
You can see nine long white tails.
That's right: she's a nine-tailed fox.
In Chinese we call these huli jing, but in Korean they're called kumiho.
She's got several other fox-like characteristics: she's looking out of a den巢穴, and her face is strangely shaped like she's not quite human.
But then, look at her hand: she seems to be feeding a large marble玻璃珠 to the man.
This is called a "fox marble."
It contains great knowledge and secrets,
but can also steal a human's energy if the kumiho can get the marble back.
So the question is this: Is she giving him the knowledge inside the marble, or is she taking it back from him and robbing him of his life?
We're left to make our own interpretations. 端看觀者自己怎麼詮釋
Take a moment to look more closely at this work; it's full of significant details. 意義深遠的細節
See what you can discover.
gallery（n.）畫廊，美術館
a room or building that is used for showing works of art, sometimes so that they can be sold
exhibition（n.）
an event at which objects such as paintings are shown to the public, a situation in which someone shows a particular skill or quality to the public, or the act of showing these things
permanent exhibitions常設展
solo exhibition個展
exhibit
illustrator（n.）插畫師;插畫家
a person who draws pictures, especially for books（尤指書籍的）插圖畫家
illustrate
to draw pictures for a book, magazine, etc.
surreal（adj.）超現實的；夢幻般的
strange； not seeming real；like a dream
piece（藝術）作品；曲，篇
something that has been created by an artist, musician, or writer
an orchestral/piano/instrumental piece
管弦樂／鋼琴曲／器樂作品
a skilful piece of work/research
一件精巧的作品／一項富有技巧的研究
nine-tailed fox
數字+部位+動物
three-head dog
four-leg fish
den[dan] （n.）（動物的）巢穴、窩
characteristic（s）（n.）特性，特徵，特色
a typical or noticeable quality of someone or something
Sentimentality seems a characteristic of all the writers of that period.
多愁善感似乎是那個時期所有作家的特徵。
The male bird displays (= has) several characteristics which distinguish him from the female.
雄鳥有幾個有別於雌鳥的特徵。
character （n.）（人的）品質；性格；（事物的）性質；特性
the particular combination of qualities in a person or place that makes them different from others
Politeness is traditionally part of the British character.
待人禮貌客氣向來是英國人性格的一部分。
rob sb of sth
to take money or property illegally from a place, organization, or person, often using violence
They robbed the people of their liberty. 他們奪走了人民的自由。
steal + sth from
to take something without the permission or knowledge of the owner and keep it
I think someone has stolen my jacket. 我認為有人偷了我的夾克。
She admitted stealing the money from her employers.她承認偷了僱主的錢。
The number of cars which are stolen every year has risen.每年失竊車輛的數量都在上升。
interpretation （n.）詮釋；聞釋
an explanation or opinion of what something means
The dispute is based on two widely differing interpretations of the law.爭論是源於對法律的兩種截然不同的解釋。
The rules are vague and open to interpretation.規則很含糊，可作各種詮釋。
Transference: The Artist's Description《移轉》：崔伊凡的藝術家自述
Ivan Choi
Transference, 2018
Pen and Ink, Prismacolor
Every culture has stories about powerful and mysterious beings. 每個文化都有些故事是關於能力強大或神祕難解的存在
Although we recognize some as either good or evil, we don't always know their intentions.
The kumiho is one such creature: a shape-changing fox spirit with great power to both give and take away.
My grandmother, raised in Busan, South Korea, used to tell me stories of the kumiho's magic "fox marble."
The kumiho kept this in her mouth at all times, and within the glass ball was the power to unlock all knowledge of Heaven and Earth.
If she gave this to a mortal凡人, that person would gain the wisdom inside it.
But if the kumiho managed to recapture奪回 the marble, she would drain energy from the mortal and make them very ill她將讓那凡人的生命力流失殆盡且罹患重病.
The kumiho and the mortal man are paused in the scene at a point of transference.
Is this young man about to gain great knowledge?
Or is his life energy about to become food for the kumiho?
She tempts him with her beauty, but she frightens him with her power.
This uncertain moment brings us no answers, but allows us to draw our own conclusions. 這一切充滿未知，我們無從解答，卻允許我們自己推敲結論
In that way, we, not the kumiho, are responsible for the fate of this young man. 這麼一來，負責決定這年輕男子命運的不是九尾狐，而是我們。
intention（n.）
action you really do
bad intention
His good intentions were repaid by good results.他的善意得到了善報。
It wasn't my intention to fool you. 我不想騙你。
It wasn't my intention to exclude her from the list - I just forgot her.
我並不是故意將她排除在名單之外——只是把她忘了而已。
I've no intention of changing my plans just to fit in with his.
我不打算改變自己的計劃來遷就他。
He's full of good intentions, but he never does anything about them!
他有很多好的打算，但從未有過實際行動！
unlock（v.）開啟⋯;解開⋯
mortal（n.）凡人；普通人
an ordinary person, rather than a god or a special, important, or powerful person
The police officers guarding the door let in the celebrities, but they prevented us lesser/mere mortals from going inside.把守大門的警官讓那些名人進去，卻不讓我們這些普通人入內。
mortal （adj.）無法永生的；終將會死的
（of living things, especially people）unable to continue living for ever；having to die
（尤指人）終有一死的
For all men are mortal.
人終有一死。
recapture（v.）（運用蠻力或武力）取回;奪回
1.to take something into your possession again, especially by force（尤指用武力）奪回，收復，重新佔領
The army recaptured the town from the rebels.軍隊從叛亂分子手中收復了這座城鎮。
2. If something recaptures a previous emotion or style, it makes you experience that emotion again or it repeats that style.使再現；使重新經歷；重溫
The film successfully recaptures the joyful style of the 1940s Hollywood musical.
這齣電影成功再現了20世紀40年代好萊塢音樂劇的歡快風格。
transference（n.）轉移
the process of moving something or someone from one place, position, etc. to another轉移；轉讓；調動
UN observers were there to ensure the smooth transference of power.
聯合國觀察員在那裡確保權力平穩移交。
tempt（v.）誘惑；引誘
to make someone want to have or do something, especially something that is unnecessary or wrong引誘，誘惑
The offer of free credit tempted her into buying a new car.
可享受免費貸款讓她禁不住誘惑買了一輛新車。
[ + to infinitive ] They tempted him to join the company by offering him a huge salary and a company car.
他們承諾給他優厚的薪水和一輛公司汽車，以吸引他加入該公司。
mysterious（adj.）神祕的；不可思議的；詭祕的
strange, not known, or not understood
She's an actress whose inner life has remained mysterious, despite the many interviews she has given.
作為一名演員，她雖然接受過多次採訪，但私生活依然很神秘。
wisdom（n.）
the ability to use your knowledge and experience to make good decisions and judgments
智慧，才智，明智
I would question the wisdom of borrowing such a large sum of money. 我懷疑借這麼一大筆錢是否明智。
He showed great wisdom in what he said and did. 他在一言一行中都顯露出他那非凡的智慧。
ancient wisdoms 古老的學問
fate（n.）命運；天命，天數
what happens to a particular person or thing, especially something final or negative, such as death or defeat
We want to decide our own fate.
我們想決定自己的命運。
We still don't know the fate of the plane's passengers. 我們仍然不知道那架飛機上旅客的命運如何。
They were sure that fate was responsible for their meeting. 他們相信他們相遇是命運的安排。
drain（v.）流掉，漸漸枯竭
to reduce or cause something to reduce
The civil war drained the country of its manpower and wealth. 內戰耗盡了國家的人力和財富。
