對熟悉金融投資的人來說，「speculation」（推測／投機）這個詞應該不是個特別陌生的概念，它是一種面向未来的預測，從波動的市場中獲取利潤。這個詞在拉丁語的詞根裡就有着「察看」的含義，但和一般的察看不同的是，它非常著重未來；而事實上，我們怎麼看待未來，往往就會影響着未來的發展方向。因為這樣一種未來的導向性，近年來，「speculation」這個詞似乎在人文社會領域愈發地顯現出生命力來。
我和「speculation」這個詞的第一次相遇，是在研究美國小型文化機構的特點和價值時。美國藝術史學家大衛．喬斯利特（David Joselit）2016年的一篇文章《小的歌頌》（In Praise of Small）裡談到，小型藝術機構由於運作上比較自由，它比較有能力「speculate」（預視）一種未來的可能性，通過實驗性的活動和作品開拓出新的體系運作方式。筆者在本年四月號中曾撰文介紹紐約布魯斯高級基金會大學（Bruce High Quality Foundation University），它的實驗性的教育方法就展現了未來教學的新的可能，這正是以「預視」的方式來進行實踐的例子。
最近一次，筆者再碰到這個概念，它和設計放到了一起，是英國設計師安東尼．鄧恩（Anthony Dunne）和菲奧娜．雷比（Fiona Raby）提出的新的設計門類，名為「思辨設計」（speculative design）。他／她們嘗試推廣一種新的設計理念，透過設計來展現構想中的未來，無論它是一種新產品，還是一種理想的社會形態。這種設計往往先提出「試想像……」，然後通過影片和虛擬敘事的方式，讓觀眾預視未來。鄧恩和雷比現在在紐約柏森設計學院任教，專門開了這一門課，也出版了相關的書籍，中文書名叫《思辨設計》，但筆者覺得稱為「預視設計」可能更能體現以設計構想未來的含義。
筆者真正對這種「預視」的實踐產生興趣，倒是因為最近觀看了一部名為《土壤的有機層》（O Horizon）的紀錄片。它是紐約魯賓藝術博物館新委約的作品，是展覽《消失的未來》中的一個單元。影片由倫敦的耳石小組（The Otolith Group）創作，這個群體近年在當代藝術領域聲名鵲起，結合聲音、影像和歷史檔案作研究型的創作，探討各種社會議題。《土壤的有機層》拍攝了印度文學泰斗泰戈爾在西孟加拉建立的維斯瓦‧巴拉蒂大學（Visva Bharati），泰戈爾1912年在遠離市中心的村子建立了那所學校，在那裡實踐着一種不同於西方的、回歸到本土文化和自然環境中的教學方法。在耳石小組的鏡頭和剪輯下，大樹下圍坐着辯論的師生，教室裡傳承着的印度音樂、舞蹈、繪畫和雕塑，無不展示着在當代教育中融合東方世界觀的可能。
可是就如同展覽的導語所言，這個展覽是在試圖「預視」未來。如果到網路上查詢這個學校，以及泰戈爾如此前衛的教育理念，我們似乎看不到它們在當今印度社會依然舉足輕重的痕跡。耳石小組的創作，有點像在歷史的沙海中淘出一顆金子，讓泰戈爾一百年前的理念閃現出當代的靈光。這部影片其實不在反映印度當代教育的真實全貌，卻也足以讓人「看到」未來教育的另類可能，在筆者看來，這正是一種「面向未來」的創作。
筆者不知道「思辨設計」會否有點像是舊瓶新酒的概念，畢竟在創作中構想未來的實踐一直比比皆是。但「預視」作為一種方法，確實強調了文化藝術的創作者和實踐者擁有這樣的能力，讓人們「看到」未來，並鼓勵人們往那樣的未來社會前進。
原載於 C2文創誌 第二十八期
For people familiar with financial investments, “speculation” should not be a particularly unfamiliar term. It is a future-oriented prediction that takes profits from volatile markets. The word has a meaning of “view” at the root of the Latin word, but unlike the common sense, it concerns much about the future; in fact, how we look at the future often influences the direction of our future development. Because of such a future orientation, “speculation” seems to have grown more alive in the humanities and social fields in recent years.
My first encounter with the term “speculation” was in studying the characteristics and values of small cultural institutions in the United States. The American art historian David Joselit wrote an article In Praise of Small in 2016, which talks about that as small art institution has a relatively free operation, it would have more possibility to “speculate” in the future. Through experimental activities and works, it could develop a new way of system operation. I have written inthis year's April issue to introduce the New York Bruce High Quality Foundation University. Its experimental education method shows the new possibility of future teaching, which is the example of the practice through “speculation”.
Recently, I came across this concept again, which was put together with design. A new design category was proposed by British designers Anthony Dunne and Fiona Raby, which is called “speculative design”. They try to promote a new design concept that reflects the imagined future through design, no matter in a new product or an ideal social form. This kind of design often proposed “try to imagine…” first. Then through the way of film and virtual narration, let the audience to anticipate future. Dunne and Raby now teach courses at Parsons School of Design at The New School. This course was specially taught by them and the related books were published.
I'm really interested in this practice of “speculation” after I watched a documentary called O Horizon. It is a newly commissioned work at the New York Rubin Museum of Art and a unit of the exhibition “disappearing future”. This film was produced by The Otolith Group in London. This group has become famous in the field of contemporary art in recent years. It combines sound image and historical archives for research-based creation and discusses various social issues. O Horizon has recorded the Visva Bharati University in west Bengal, founded by the leading Indian literary figure Tagore. Tagore founded the school in 1912 in a village far from the centre of the city, where he practised a teaching approach different from the west to returning to native culture and the natural environment. Under the Otolith group’s lens and clip, teachers and students sit around under the tree and debate. The Indian music, dance, paintings and sculptures inherited in the classroom, all of which demonstrate the possibility of integrating the eastern world view in the contemporary education.
But just as the exhibition's introduction explains, the show is trying to “speculate” the future. If you look up the school on the Internet, and Tagore's futuristic education philosophy, we don't seem to see any evidence of their importance in Indian society today. The creation of the Otolith group is a bit like a gold found in the sand sea of history, giving Tagore's ideas of a hundred years ago a glimpse of the contemporary spirit. In fact, this film does not reflect the true picture of India's contemporary education, but it is enough to let people “see” the alternative possibilities of education in the future. In my opinion, it is a kind of “future-oriented” creation.
I don't know if “speculative design” is a bit like the concept of old bottle of new wine. After all, the practice of conceiving the future in creation is everywhere. However, as a method, “speculation” really emphasises the ability of creators and practitioners of culture and art to “see” the future and encourage people to move towards that future society.
Source: C2 Issue 28