对未来永远充满好奇、兴奋、未知感……
Stay hungry, stay foolish.
Always being curious and excited about the unknown future…stay hungry, stay foolish.
艺术家、策展人、客座教授、博士、高管、辣妈、爱人……李捷的角色时刻发生着变化。
Artist, curator, guest-professor,PHD, manager, mom, wife…Dr. Jie Li-Elbrächter's role is always changing.
当然，你会觉得她是一个不折不扣的“人生赢家”，但是当你听完她的经历之后，也许你会惊呼Fantastic and amazing，然后是一个温暖的拥抱。你会感受到在她热情洋溢的笑脸上，有一个独立并永远怀有理想李捷在，因为这是属于她自己的独一无二。
She might be considered to be a truly “winner in life”. And when you are listening to her story, you will exclaim “Fantastic and amazing” and give her the warmest embrace. Her independence and idealism might be presented on the smiling face, and that is the reason why she is unique.
“6-13岁的国画熏陶对我之后的艺术表达和思维方式都有很大的影响。如果没有那些年对中国画和中国文化的痴迷，可能现在更无法发现自己的身份认同。”李捷说。就从当初画的一幅大公鸡开始，让幼时的她逐渐在骨子里沉淀出一份中国“韵味”和背后所隐含的力量。
“From 6 to 13 years old, the education on traditional Chinese art had posed a great influence on my artistic expression habits and way of thinking. Without being obsessed with Chinese painting and Chinese culture in those years, I may not be able to find my cultural identity later”, said Dr.Li-Elbrächter. The starting point of her painting career was a cock when she was a child. Ever since then, the Chinese “flavor” and implied power behind it has prevailed in her life and rooted in her heart.
艺术的力量往往神秘而伟大。13岁李捷坚定的离开家成为了“北漂”，因为想去考央美附中。“那一年算是我生命中转折最大的一年。租100块钱一个月的四合院棚子，四壁漏风，生病就会想家，去酒吧街画速写。”不知道当时哪来这么大勇气，太艰难但还好没有放弃。经过困难和低谷，高考时李捷成为中央美院壁画系和中国美院油画系入学考试的第一名。李捷选择了央美，她说这是“依恋”，北漂者的孤独、隔绝但仍心存希望似乎是每一代北漂者抹不去的影子。
The power and influence posed by art is often mysterious and great. 13-year-old Dr. Li-Elbrächter left home with strong belief. She decided to become a “Beijing Drifter”, which might bring her closer to her dream of entering the Fine Arts School Affiliated to Chinese Central Academy of Fine Arts. “It was the greatest turning point in my life in terms of my choice of being a Beijing Drifter. I lived in a traditional Chinese Si he yuan with leaking walls with the rent was only 100 RMB per month. Once I got fever, what stroke me most was not illness but homesickness. I sometimes needed to draw sketches on the bar street to make money for food and basic life. Now, I am still not sure about where the powerful courage came from at that hard time. What I have to be thankful now is the persistence and courage that encouraged me to hold on in those difficult times.” Survived from difficulties and slumps, she ranked as the Top 1 in entrance examination to Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing and China Academy of Art in Hangzhou. She chose the first college in Beijing, which was “a long-cherished dream” of her. Being lonely and isolated, one still holds hope in the deepest heart—that is the most concise portrayal for "Beijing Drifters".
2002年李捷去了德国，为了一个艺术梦。但是现实依旧有差距，当地的文化和艺术依旧让李捷一头雾水，自己的想法与老师同学无法沟通，甚至会吵架，李捷失落了。“我那个时候就打电话给我妈说，不念了，我当不了艺术家，根本不知道什么是艺术。”妈妈就回了一句话：如果你去了就觉得什么都好，没什么可学的，还去德国干嘛!这句话很受用，每当李捷遇到困难的时候，妈妈的这句至理名言就会“突的一下”蹦出来，想尽办法去搞定。
In order to pursue her artistic dream, Dr.Li-Elbächter went to Germany in 2002. However, the distance between dream and reality still existed. The totally different local cultural and art environment confused her. And she sometimes needed to debate with professors and classmates when they could not convince each other in different art world. Faced with the misunderstanding and disputations, she felt lost. “Once I made a phone call with my mom and told her that I wanted to quit. I thought that I was not qualified as an artist and did not know what art really was.” Her mother just replied that if she found everything was good and smooth that was same as things in Beijing, then it was of no sense to go to Germany! Mother’s words posed great influence on her for a long time whenever she was faced difficulties and troubles.
“后来我去了法国一年，日内瓦两年，伦敦一年。在日内瓦的时候，因为生活太艰难，决定从日内瓦骑单车到米兰。”身上带了10欧，两个苹果和两板巧克力的李捷就上路了。“出了瑞士境内就看到貌似黑手党的人，晚上都睡在火车站长椅上，到了米兰就被明抢，没能骑到佛罗伦萨，掉头回日内瓦了。”这段惊心动魄的经历让李捷由衷感到“高价日内瓦生活”的美好。
“Later, I went to France for one year, two years in Geneva, and one year in London.In Geneva, life is too difficult, so I decided to went to Milan from Geneva by cycling.” She set out with just 10 euro, two apples and two bars of chocolate. She even needed to sleep on the bench in train station overnight. The soul-stirring experience makes her aware of the wonderfulness of the "expensive Geneva life".
2009年在德国明斯特艺术学院硕士毕业并取得大师的称号后，李捷回到中国，然后一口气连着生了三个中德混血宝宝：天哥、安哥和娜姐。也是因为三个宝贝，李捷对文化认同又出现了变化：文化认同和你在哪里出生，有什么血统没有直接的关系。文化认同对我来说，更多是一种多元的存在，在不断的成长的过程中找到合适自己或者对之有激情的一种，甚至多种文化感受。这段话也许你会觉得有些抽象，但对长期在世界各地轮番工作的人来说，会产生共鸣。一方水土养一方人，他们的情感、艺术、社会和文化不断会和你产生碰撞，在中国，在欧洲。
After graduating from Academy of Fine Arts Muenster with a Master degree and obtained the title of master in 2009, she returned to China and gave birth to three Chinese-German babies. Inspired by the "product" of mixed cultures, she begins to gain a new perspective on cultural identity. She realizes that there is no direct relation between cultural identity and the country in which you were born. For her, cultural identity is a pluralistic existence. In other words, cultural identity helps her to find one or multi-cultural experience which suit her most or to which she could devote the most passionate. In spite of the abstract and nonfigurative descriptions in the article, it would still arouse resonate among people who have similar experience in traveling around the world. In every place, unique inhabitant and background would be produced. The art forms, social traditions and culture in China and Europe would always collide with her.
除去工作，李捷还一直会着手自己的艺术创作，架上绘画，装置、动画都可以。“笔和布面、纸面的接触感是一种冥想的过程。”有时候兴致来了，李捷会把孩子们做成一件影像作品，超有爱，满满的生活情趣。所以李捷说，“现在的自己更愿意把生活本身的事情当作一件艺术品，工作也是创作，要做的好玩，有意思。”
In addition to her work, Dr.Li-Elbrächter has also created works of art such as easel painting, installations, animation and so on. According to her, “The touch experience between pen, canvas and paper is a meditation.” She might make a video of her children inspired by ideas and spirits sometimes, which adds more colorful ingredient to her life. As has been pointed out by her, life is a piece of art for her now, and the creation process should be filled with fun and interests.
生活是一件艺术品，地球是一个调色板。李捷笑着说：“地球太小。”永远期待和发现不一样的自己，所以她又要准备前行，下一站，新加坡，去了解东南亚的艺术魅力，开启下一段新的未知旅程，祝好运。
Life is art, while the Earth is a palette. Dr.Li-Elbrächter smiled and said that the earth was too small. She always looks forward to finding new things and interests in the life. As a result, she begins her new journey to Singapore, a country in which she wants to gain a better understanding on the charming of Southeast Asia arts in a thrillingly unknown journey. Best wishes to her and her new journey.
Party Time
8月1日—8月5日，在上海永康路190号的老洋房别墅里会有一场艺术展等待你。在周五的晚上六点钟，朋友们请带上最美的笑容，分享你的故事，留下最动人的时光印记。
别忘了，还有一个温暖的拥抱@李捷Li-Elbrächter,Jie
During August 1st - August 5th, there will be an art exhibition awaiting you which would be held in an old house with garden on Yongkang Road #190, Shanghai.
At 6 o’clock PM on Friday, please bring with your most beautiful smile and share your story to leave the most touching moments.
Do not forget to bring a warm hug @ 李捷Dr.Li-Elbrächter, Jie