Art as a Way of Living: Le Xi 奚乐 & The Putney School’s Artistic Immersion in China
2015.01 - 2015.03
Since 2015, I have served as the Mentor and Representative for The Putney School’s Artistic Immersion & Cultural Practice Program in China. Founded in 1935 in the scenic landscape of Vermont, The Putney School is guided by Carmelita Hinton’s progressive philosophy: Education is a way of living. This ethos deeply resonates with my ongoing exploration of how art quietly emerges from the texture of everyday life.
自 2015 年起，我开始担任美国帕特尼艺术学校（The Putney School）中国文化艺术体验项目的指导老师与中方代表。这所成立于 1935 年的美国顶尖艺术名校坐落于佛蒙特州，学校的核心理念是“教育即生活”，这与我一直以来探索的——艺术如何在生活经验中悄然浮现——高度契合。
Teaching Fragments & Cultural Translation | 教学片段与文化转译
In this program, art was not treated as an isolated skill. Instead, it served as a key to deciphering the codes of Chinese culture. Through a series of daily fragments, we constructed a deep dialogue involving sensory engagement, physical presence, and cultural intervention:
在这个项目中，艺术不再是孤立的技能练习，而是作为破译中国文化代码的钥匙。我们通过一系列日常片段，构建了一场关于感官、身体与文化的深度对话：
1. Sensory Intervention & Locality | 在地性的感知介入
Students engaged with the materiality of Chinese culture by touching the textures of tradition. This included exploring the Three Gorges Museum, practicing at the Sichuan Fine Arts Institute (SCFAI) lacquer studios, and finding stillness through the ritual of tea and Taoist atmosphere at Laojun Cave. 学生们通过触摸传统的质感来介入中国文化。这包括在三峡博物馆回溯历史，在四川美术学院（SCFAI）漆器实验室动手实践，以及通过茶文化仪式与老君洞的道教氛围寻找内在的宁静。
2. Artistic Labor & Physical Data | 艺术劳作与身体数据
We extended artistic practice into the physical labor of daily life. At a local Chongqing clothing factory, students transformed designs into garments, while in the kitchen, they mastered the art of noodle pulling. These experiences allowed them to understand how material is transformed through the rhythm of the body. 我们将艺术实践延伸至日常生活的身体劳作中。在重庆雅鸿服装厂，学生们将设计转化为成衣；在厨房里，他们学习拉面的艺术。这些经历让他们理解了物质如何通过身体的节奏发生转化。
3. The Social Theater: Peer-to-Peer Dialogue | 社会剧场：同侪对话
The project transformed the city into a classroom. We fostered deep interactions between Putney students and various local institutions, including Chongqing University (College of Liberal Arts and Arts), Chongqing Vocational Institute of Culture and Art, Chongqing No.33 Secondary School, and Daping Middle School. 项目将城市转化为教室。我们促成了帕特尼学生与当地多所机构的深度互动，包括重庆大学人文艺术学院、重庆文化艺术职业学校、重庆 33 中以及大坪中学。
🎨 Mentorship & Lineage | 导师互动与艺术传承
A defining feature of the program was the involvement of my former students, who have now become accomplished artists. This "lineage" provided a unique layer of cultural translation for the American students.
项目的一个鲜明特色是我往届学生（现已成为优秀艺术家）的参与。这种“传承”为美国学生提供了一层独特的文化转译。
Ink Spirit with Zhang Yuxue: Artist Zhang Yuxue, a former student of Le Xi, led an interactive workshop on contemporary Chinese ink painting, helping students find "spirit" (Moyun) through the brush. 张玉雪的水墨精神： 艺术家张玉雪（奚乐的学生）主持了一场当代中国画互动工作坊，引导学生通过笔触寻找“墨韵”。
Paper-Cutting with Jia Bingjie: Artist Jia Bingjie, another former student, shared the delicate craft of traditional paper-cutting, turning a folk tradition into a contemporary creative dialogue. 贾冰洁的剪纸艺术： 另一位学生贾冰洁分享了细腻的传统剪纸工艺，将民间传统转化为当代创意对话。
At Jinse Art Gallery, a professional art space became a site for social intervention. Here, Putney students interacted with local peers from Chongqing No.33 Secondary School, observing how art functions within a professional and market context. 在锦瑟画廊，专业的艺术空间成为了社会介入的现场。帕特尼学生与重庆 33 中的同龄人在此互动，观察艺术如何在专业与市场语境中运作。
Participants: A Convergence of Perspectives | 参与者：多元视角的碰撞
The project brought together diverse voices: Ani (Du Keni) with her passion for dance; Jennifer (Hu Jiali) and her exploration of West African drumming; Hannah (Kang Hanna) with her cross-cultural sensitivity; Ruby (Jin Rubi)and her curiosity for new experiences; and Alec (Hao Hao), who engaged with the narrative as a theater performer.
每一位学生都带着独特的背景在这一场域中交汇：Ani (杜可妮) 对中文与舞蹈的赤诚，Jennifer (胡佳丽) 对非洲鼓与艺术的探索，Hannah (康汉娜) 对跨文化维度的敏锐，Ruby (金如碧) 对新事物的好奇，以及 Alec (昊昊) 作为戏剧表演者对叙事的介入。
As fellow educator Cai Silver often says: "Everyone can make art; let art be life, and life be art." This project was a testament to that belief—a journey where art was not just taught, but lived.
正如项目老师 Cai Silver 所言：“人人可以做艺术，让艺术生活化，生活艺术化。” 这种理念不仅影响了学生，也持续滋养着我在重庆这片土地上的艺术观察。
