別人覺得我可憐，我卻覺得自己很幸運——2006年PKW進駐回憶 | Others Felt Sorry for Me, but I Felt Lucky — Memories of My 2006 PKW Residency

2006年，從藝術學院畢業。
老師們邀請我進駐他們經營的替代空間 PKW。
三個月，兩層樓的工作室，免費使用。
最後舉辦一場個展。

In 2006, after graduating from art school,
my professors invited me to join an alternative space they ran — PKW.
For three months,
I could use a two-story studio for free,
and end the residency with a solo exhibition.

進駐期間，我帶了四堂繪畫工作坊，
與兩批來自不同中學的學生交流互動。

During that time, I led four painting workshops
and worked with two groups of students from different high schools.

有學生覺得工作室太簡陋、生活條件不好；
也有學生覺得我每天畫八到十個小時，又那麼瘦，挺可憐的。

Some said the studio was too simple,
that living conditions were rough.
Others thought I worked too hard,
too long, for too little.

我對這樣的反饋感到意外。
我從未覺得自己可憐，
只覺得幸運——
Their words surprised me.
I never felt pitiful.
I only felt lucky —

能免費使用這麼大的兩層樓工作室
（三個月實在太短了）、
能每天專心畫畫，
還能有免費的展出機會，
這是一件多麼幸福的事。

to have such a big studio,
to paint every day,
to have a chance to show my work for free.
(Three months felt far too short.)

那時我想起：

一簞食，一瓢飲，在陋巷而不改其樂的顏回；
也想起在林中小屋獨居兩年的梭羅。

I thought of Yan Hui,
a disciple of Confucius,
content with one bowl of rice and one gourd of water —
yet never losing his joy.
And of Thoreau,
who lived alone in a cabin for two years.

此後我常提醒自己：
很多時候，
一個人是否可憐、是否幸福，
只有他/她自己知道——
不需要別人來評斷。

Since then, I often remind myself:
whether a person is pitiful or happy,
only they truly know —
no one else can decide that for them.

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#林葆靈 #LinBaoLing