Sunday 28 October 2012

New Book on the shelf






在旅館房間裡旅行

品味推薦

  閱讀這本書,如同行遍五大洲,透過作者細膩的觀察與詮釋,進一步將旅館最美好的一切,凝結在讀者面前。--王玉麟(中華民國室內設計協會理事長)

  我喜歡丁一的文筆,喜歡他看待事情的方式,更喜歡他心中醞藏著華人溫暖的哲思。--王彩雲(《動腦》雜誌社長)

  真是一本很過分的書,去了那麼多美麗到很過分的地方,拍了那麼多漂亮到很過分的風景,住在那麼多精緻到很過分的飯店,我居心叵測的推薦這本書給大家,希望有一天我也要和丁一一樣,做這樣過分的事情。--阿牛(知名歌手、電影演員、導演)

  丁一在旅行的過程中,以設計師的眼光看旅館。透過這本書,我們與古往今來的世界頂級建築師、旅館經營者神交,真箇是臥遊天下、知性感性充分滿足。--鄭振煌(中華維鬘學會理事長、《中華寶筏》雜誌社長兼總編輯)

  閱讀丁一的文字,搭配他以獨特觀點呈現出的鏡頭下圖像,是一種很大的享受。不管是舌尖的一段氣味,或玻璃上的一片雨霧,他總能透過細膩的筆觸,一層一層拆分出當中的豐富意涵。--盧智芳(天下雜誌群《Cheers》雜誌總編輯)

  丁一在阿里拉和我學過廚,他對素材的應用很細膩。寫作和下廚其實蠻相似,前者是詞藻的精挑細選;後者則是新鮮材料的創意搭配。好好享受他的文字饗宴!--沙提卡Nyoman Santika(峇里島阿里拉度假村首席廚師)

   一位作家可以用五年寫一本書,但一位攝影家卻只有百分之一秒可以完成一張作品。丁一用了三年的時間走訪書裡面的二十一家旅館,每家旅館最多待個三至四 天,但從他的鏡頭中,你會發現他彷彿浸淫其中已有好一段時日。--查倪.提瑪尼Chamni Thipmanee(泰國皇家攝影學會榮譽會員、知名攝影家)

  丁一的洞察力異常尖銳,透過他的視角所呈現出來的景觀,往往叫我為之一怔。他為Rachamankha掌鏡的圖片,有許多我每天見到卻從未發現的自然美。--保羅.瓦克爾Paul Walker(泰國清邁Rachamankha駐館經理)

Sunday 29 July 2012

art talk 4



美麗的句點


1971年諾貝爾文學獎得主當代浪漫派智利詩人Pablo Neruda出過一本詩集,叫 Odes to Common Things。他一雙銳眼及一腔詩情,還有一行行絕美詞藻歌頌世間最通俗的小角色比如一片麵包,一包茶葉, 一朶花,一塊肥皂, 一本字典,一張床一張椅一把剪刀一支湯匙一粒橙一粒洋蔥一條狗或一隻貓甚至是一雙襪子


他的觀點是這些不起眼的平庸往往佔了生命中的大部份。人生的美好回憶全由它們串聯起來。就像一副名畫也是由一點一滴的油彩堆積而成。人生風景又何嘗不是? 掉細節你的生命不會有太亮麗的景深。


我從聖地牙哥驅車前往聶魯達VaIparaiso 故居時恰逢傾盆大雨。房子裡的每個角落謝絕攝影只有一張是獲得許可下而拍的窗景 ,從他的臥室落地窗前往外拍的。


一排排澄澈晶瑩的細小雨滴在窗口的玻璃上徘徊著。是雨水是汗水或是涙水已不重要。這些雨滴像是一個個美麗的句點為這位大詩人邈遠的時間走道上畫下動人心魄雋永意味


這是上天回敬給聶魯達的最高榮譽。


往往近在眼前在你身旁背後頭上左右兩邊。不是你沒看見,而是你沒用心去發現。

美麗的句點

art talk 3



大貓和小貓

走在布宜諾斯艾利斯一個叫 La Recoleta 的墓園參訪完畢阿根延第一夫人Evita的墓地,拐處卻讓我遇一幕難得美景:兩隻曬著太陽的。一隻是六七來歲的拉丁種花;另一隻是百年倖存石獅,它有點喪魂落魄卑處一隅不和小花爭一席之地。此情此景,雖匆匆一卻也寓意深厚, 不言而喩。

大貓和小貓

art talk 2


自得

來到巴黎羅浮宮美術館外的廣場,久仰貝聿銘的玻璃金字塔, 沒預料到當地巿民也爰來此休憇小息。我撞見一位中年男子, 坐在石板凳上閤著雙眼享受溫暖的陽光。他把自行車擱置一旁,背後的兩尊中古世紀人雕茕茕孑立,喁喁細語, 眼神中彷彿也羨慕著這位中年人的悠閒自得。常覺得,藝術不應只是在美術館內上演一條深巷,一所老房,一簇野草, 一堆垃圾,一條汩汨清流,巿井裡,鄉野間,一舉手,一投足,都有可能和美相晤
藝術不應只是在美術館內上演

art talk 1



椅子

有回在倫敦公幹,忙裡偷閒中造訪了心儀已久的國家藝術畫廊,偌大的展覽室內就獨我一人靜心品著梵古的椅子名畫。
   
我發現, 中背景有一個殘舊木箱,上頭粒洋發了青芽我竊想這副畫肯定花了梵古不止一兩天的功夫。這堆已露出破綻看來它們呆在那兒至少有兩個星期上下。起初原以為是自己天馬行空的臆測,後來竟然在一梵古弟弟的信中得以求證。

畫中的椅子是主題,但背後的幾粒洋蔥反而洩露出更多梵古的創作歷程。

欣賞一副畫時,我們的慣性思維是把注意力全集中在主題上。梵古這副畫讓我窺見他當時作畫的心情。1888年初春在一個叫Arles的法國小鎮,梵古和高更因意見不和而鬧翻,梵古有必要向藝評家證明自己的畫風有別於高更的,尤其是後者也以椅子作了一副畫。

這幾粒洋蔥對我來說是一種精神的醖釀,一種經由時間和體力的磨練而散發出來的風彩。你幾乎可以感受到梵古的生命力就隱藏在洋蔥裡蓄勢待發。

梵古的椅子名畫

Saturday 30 June 2012

Reflections



Seeing myself

Have you really seen yourself before? I mean, not in a mirror while you are brushing.

It is like catching a real glimpse of your true self, in a wake moment when you truly let go of your grips on life's little comforts.

The next time you are relaxed and doing particularly nothing, try, at least, to see if your true self is waving at you.

Encountering myself at a street stall... in Buenos Aires

Guru Blessings



Guru Blessings

One of my dharma friends, who lives in Northern Malaysia, told me that she first saw a picture of His Holiness Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche, tears flew down her cheeks.

It must be the karmic connection she had with the Guru.

I somehow have a good feeling whenever I see his photo in a book or on a website.

His benign smiles always assure me and calm me in a way I can't possibly describe. I went Shenzen Monastery to pay respect to his relic. He feels like still being there... with me.

Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche with a flower.

Blessing animals



Animal blessings

My root Guru, Lama Zopa Rinpoche, was blessing a little pig near a village he passed by.

Because of his immerse compassion for all sentient beings, Rinpoche has been saving and blessing a lot of animals he encountered along his path.

Out of those animals he blessed include pigs, goats, cows, horses, elephants, cats, dogs, ants, fishes, spiders, frogs, birds, mosquitoes and even flies.

He does not see them as animals, but beings suffering in lower realms, who need our blessings and merits to help them get out of it.
How lucky the little piggy was!!!


Monday 28 May 2012

Home away from home



Stay in a tea village

It was on a full moon night that I arrived Amanfayun, the latest Aman resort in China after Aman at Summer Palace in Beijing.

It was Mid Autumn festival, the West Lake was filled with people and I was taking a stroll from the bridge where Poet Su She used to hang around. I did not like too much crowds, therefore I retreated to my room early.

The Courtyard Suite is a two-storeyed old teak house resembling those in the old days of Qing dynasty. To be more precise, it was a tea village on a hill side many centuries ago. My room still smells of the fragrance of teak wood. The decor is minimal and may be a bit bare for some Chinese riches.

There is a public avenue called Fayun path, where the villages can actually walk around the hotel compound. The idea is to let the hotel guests see and feel the authentic atmosphere of a village life.

A hotel with a public avenue for all villagers. How nice of Aman to think of this!

My room in Amanfayun on Mid Autumn.