First Year AD Jury: Expression Spaces

I myself waited with this project and made my fellow faculty wait for a long time before the final jury could be taken. It was because I was not satisfied with the amount of time the students spent in their process of evolving their design. However, the final jury for the 3rd project of the first year students, I felt, had much more content than discussed in the session.

The project was about making and expression space of a professional (profession) by deriving patterns out of their working conditions (behavioural, habitual, through their objects they use or deal in, etc.). We chose 40 professions to begin with - a variety of them - from the vada pav seller, dabbawala to the Chartered Accountant or the Dancer. To limit the scale/scope of the project for the first year, we restricted the area to 50 sq m. I shall be writing a formal "retrospect" brief for this project later.

Each design had so much potential, and each designer had so much enthusiasm. And so I too got enthused. The above sketches were made as I thought along with the students. Of a postman, a space in the wells of the staircase ringing door bells and looking into interiors of houses framed through keyholes and cut-outs in safety doors, of a barber - looking at multiple hairstyles, almost living in hair. For an astronaut, we thought of the ground plane, which is never flat - rather someone who spent time in undefined plane. So the undulating surface enclosed in a space which would be under constant air pressure. However, the student took a complete different trajectory and made something like pneumatic slabs. He lifted this inhabitable expressive space a feet above the ground, thus it being in space (ungrounded) while the user entered or left the space.

For the tailor, we began with the idea of playing between the 3 critical numbers: shoulders-chest-waist. These numbers define the body and in turn, the garment. The idea could have been abstracted into a series of such hangers sized to people. However, the idea was lost. The pattern in the fisherman's profession was seen to be a daily passage between solid ground to the non-ground. This pattern of transition between surfaces that the fisherman inhabits was what we tried to explore. The idea was abstracted through the symbolic net, which becomes a surface to walk as well as envelop. The movement it induces in the body is similar to the movement from land to sea (and vice versa) by cleverly spacing the structural members of the support. I am not sure if the student brought out this aspect clearly. There was perhaps a little conceptual misunderstanding.

A rigorous process followed for the dabbawala - of analysing the codes on the dabbas to evolving it into a spatial configuration. This was truly the most fascinating project in the class. Others were that of the joker, achieved through the act of juggling, and completely colourful while another interesting one was the magician, where I tried to crack the idea of anti-pattern (that a magician works with). Although it was a tricky profession, if there was a little more rigour in the project, it would have worked brilliantly. But theorizing the whole idea of magic for architectural space was something that I enjoyed in my mind. I didnot discuss it with the student since it would make no sense to her. So I kept myself low-key.

I think the students got an idea of anthropometrics and the process of evolution of space. Since the first two projects were too exploratory in terms of form, we consciously kept this one as an exercise for evolving space. Now, we need to introduce them to function, while the students need to learn how to communicate their designs ideas through their work.

photo titles in order (expression spaces of):

bus conductor

priest

magician

bus conductor

dietician

dermatologist

astronaut

Raag based item songs...

Sitting back and pondering over music, it occurred to me that some of the most raunchy songs in Bollywood are based purely on Indian Classical Ragas. Here are some:

Dhak Dhak Karne Laga, Beta

Raag Shivranjani

Sunta Hai Mera Khuda, Pukar

Raag Bhairav

Tu cheez badi hai mast mast, Mohra

Raag Bhimpalaas

Hai Rama yeh Kya Hua, Rangeela

Raag Poorvi

Is Pyaar ko main kya naam doon, Mujhe kuch kehna Hai

Raag Shivranjani

will add more if i get more. I have detailed writings to write on music. dont know how to put it down. Anyways. lets see...

Comic of the day

Of unknown imagic realities

When I went back to inquire about my lost wallet at the counter, they said that they dispose off any item that is left in their space after waiting for a few hours. I reached late. It seemed that they passed my wallet through some device like a paper cutting machine, because I could see that my purse was split into thin slices - My notes, passes, cards, and the leather of the purse too. I wondered what kind of a place that was, where they didn't even bother removing the money inside the purse? They could have used it themselves, if not me. How could they be so selfless in disposal? I collected the bits and pieces of my sliced wallet, cut notes (which almost seemed like chopped cabbage) and carried it back.

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At once, only one single peacock came and dashed into my forehead. It felt soft. Later, they grew in number. In series one after the other, all entered into my forehead. I did not feel them inside me. Where did they go if they hit me on my forehead? Where did they disappear? Did they melt in me - why don't I see the wings? Why don't I feel the tickle of the feathers - just the long neck and streamlined body hitting me like a wagon. Like a train of birds bursting into me...

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The creatures were colourful. They looked like beautiful stones with patterns. They were small button-like things falling on to the green leaves. I wondered if I had seen them ever in my life. I reassured myself of all discovery channel programmes on tiny creatures. But these did not confirm to anything that I had seen earlier! How could such creatures (whom we would woosh away) be so beautiful? Those shiny beatle-like little moving creatures on the leaves - I wondered if I must woosh them away or keep gazing at them.

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A thousand butterflies hit my head. They were colourful, all flying in a line. Forcefully. But they were weightless. I don't remember how they entered me, where they went? But they came.

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I kept thinking that it was an aeroplane. Perhaps I felt so because it was a tubular. But when it would not show me anything in the sky (nor did it take off), and moved only in an opaque tube/pipe/tunnel, I corroborated to myself that it must be a train. The tube turned and twisted - I am not sure how I recognize the turns and twists - perhaps due to the movements in my bowels. After some time, it gushed into a larger volume, I could finally see some spiraling tracks. I got down from there and moved towards the exit from the station. As I came out, I realized that I was in Japan. But how did I realize that it was Japan? I had never seen Japan! But at that time, I felt, it was Japan.

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Someone shot a rifle in my abdomen. A fountain of blood came out. But it did not hurt me at all! How was that possible? I did not even see who did it! I pressed my abdomen to stop the flowing blood, but not to control my pain. Because it did not pain at all.

****

I haven't understood my dreams! But they are fascinating. And I would like to learn more about them. Why these set of images for me in my dreams? Have to be decoded.

Any takers?

Ideas worth exploring in pedagogy:

Problem House:

That all students pin up their "problems" with any subject onto a board alloted to them for a week. Perhaps each class has a dedicated board. Every one is free to respond to any one. Its a physical sharing of problems and solution.

FMS (Flexible Marking Scheme):

That Students themselves give dates of when they want to be assessed. As in, they set markers for themselves. How it works? If a project goes on for 10 weeks, students are asked to keep 3 assessment dates for themselves during the process. They work according to their time schedule and not the faculty's.

EAC (English Assistance Cell):

The place where students would go to communicate their thoughts in better english (written and oral and any other) - for all students who are trained / not trained in English.

Annual Day at AOA

The annual Day of Academy at Rachana Sansad was fantastic. I enjoyed all programmes and the end also left me in nostalgia. I missed my class mates. I missed myself being on stage. I missed making mistakes on stage. All that...
There were 3 performances on Sheila ki jawaani. And I loved the fact that no one cared about the lyrics: particularly the part "I'm to sexy for you" - it was almost a lament when these sweet simple girls from first and second year performed it. But it's the music that we are supposed to enjoy anyway! Who cares what the lyrics are!

Similarly, profanity & erotica was everywhere - in plays, songs, and performances. I particularly liked the skit by the hostel-ites. It dwelled on the idea of separation from homes and the craving of the body for another. Where on one hand, it surfaced the tension of being alone, it also somehow brought out its translation into the need to feel another flesh. Does it mean physical security or craving for another physical body, I dont know. But on the other hand, it elaborated how such ideas are negotiated by them - from pseudo-sensuality to actually being subconsciously pushed to making relations with the opposite / (same?) sex, or make them voyeuristic, or developing uncommon habits to curb these thoughts...It is difficult to imagine how are these thoughts survived. How do they manifest?

Also of how we like being like someone. Imitations, replications, representations - all of it. And there is this huge amount of fun in all of it - erotica, mimicking, voyeurism, comments...And amidst, messages are slipped - who likes whom, who dislikes whom, what do they think of certain teachers, what they think of their study, what they think of things around them - that is the power of a space (here I mean space in the realm of public, made by public).

And I was wondering how background sound with huge amount of images irrespectively makes you nostalgic - especially if the images relate to your past. But that's essential I suppose. After all, we do build relations over 5 years, and they are validated thus!?

I liked what my class performed. And i particularly liked the selection of their song - Choli ke peeche kya hai. The song is grooving and all of them danced so well. I hoped to have more of my friends (students) on stage. Many of them are too conscious perhaps. But I am sure they will resolve this unnecessary and unwanted issue of the 'self-complex' in the years to come.

What I constantly asked myself all the time was: "Anuj, do you want to be in this cyclic college atmosphere all your life?" - it was scary. Rather, I haven't clarified this for myself. I then saw Suresh Singh, Jagdish Rajde, Sachin, Pooja and others, and felt a bit reassured. But the question is not answered. What do I see myself as 10 years down the line? And in some ways, it also echoes Correa's question to me: "Do you want to teach all your life?" - Why would he pose it to me? Oormi once said: "Anuj, the profession needs people like you. The state of the environment is such only because people like you choose not to practice." But I say to myself, "Teaching is my practice." This debate with myself is endless. But what is more important to me is that I am doing what I enjoy doing. That's it. What is work if you force yourself to do it! Maybe, when I am contemplative again, I shall elaborate this over a new post.

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reflections:

The only silly part was the presentation of the NASA AVs. both of which i felt were absolutely silly - in the way they were designed, and the way they were presented. but they would never know how to speak for a presentation, unless they go out of their only mythic NASA space, to other talks, and see how to TALK! (I am referring to the way you deliver a speech, the tone of your voice, the confidence with which you speak, the emphasis on certain words in your speech, etc.). They love to make their powerpoint presentations animated - even where it's not required - and it always jams their computers. That's to show off their skill! The Panels had so much text that even a book would fail to contain it! And the drawings were to technical to be creative. There were hardly any graphics showing the context of the design in the surrounding but; hold on - there were details of how beds would be placed in the room and what would be the bedsheet covers like! Especially the police officers mess' spoke all about the swimming pools and gymnaesiums, but never about the aspect of policing - and how its probable translation into an architectural language! I wondered if that's the was cited as the best NASA design, what would the other 100 designs be!


THE ABOVE PARAGRAPH REWORDED:
I remained unimpressed with the work displayed by students who participated in NASA convention this year. Although one could see a lot of work, it was difficult to relate the design to the aspect of policing. The design did not speak about how the architectural language related to the activity of the police force. The representational skills that were used for the presentation, i felt, needed to be explored beyond 3d views and plans sections. It would have been really nice if there was a feel of 'discipline' (as would the police have) in the verbal presentation of the visuals. It would have really been interesting to watch at the panels if all of the text was more graphical, and diagrammatic. I almost felt disinterested in reading plenty of text - filling up every inch of the panel. There needed to be some breather space to appreciate the drawings. This is where I felt that the representation drew from its earlier counterparts. Being involved in NASA since 1st year, when I was briefed using NASA sheets of 5 years prior to 2003, and having read all of them in the past 8 years (so in all a reading of NASA of 13-15 years), the tools of representation should have been able to mature much more, which has failed to take place.

However, what is worth learning is the dedication and the rigour put in the work. But one has to always keep a check that this discipline must not regulate the creative thought and ways of creative thinking. According to me, Indiscipline is essential for creativity. Because, indiscipline has a pattern of production. This should be explored and channelised. Creativity many a times in the realm of NASA has been about cartooning how they slept at odd hours, or how 'new' couples were paired, or inconsequential things like that. But seldom have they explored cartooning as a way of presenting their entire panel! The sheets draw representation ideas from 10 year old NASA sheets - of the self! All are horse-blinded!

Anyway, even if people learn that, it should be enough. At least they get into the act of production. I hope they met new people, discussed ideas and did not lose out opportunity of networking in the chase of displaying their rivalry with others.

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And for the first time, I took no photos of the event. I realized that photos distance you from the engagement. I was thoroughly in the crowd and I am glad I did not get into archiving it!

Aeroplanes

My nephew obsessed with aeroplanes, as I have also mentioned earlier...here are more of his drawings, although on paintbrush!
I like how he's maturing with his sense of space...

Quote Unquote

Charles Correa's references and anecdotes:

"Hinduism accepts things decaying"

"The medium is the message"

"The man who invented the internet didn't get a penny"

"An Indian mother is never nasty to her son-in-law."

"You can't work on urban problems without political backing."

No TV Day

The "No TV" campaign by Hindustan Times doesn't seem as successful as the "No Electricity" campaign (by RED FM?). Although HT floods its newsprints with 'how successful it was' today, I feel all this hype is just constructed. to begin with, locating problem in TV is highly political.

To begin with, they never explained why No TV day instead of say, No Travel Day...What was the benefit to the people by watching No TV? Without even justifying why, they went on to give alternatives for what can be done if you don't watch TV. And they contacted all the cafes, restaurants, art people and heritage walk people around the city to come up with offers, in favour of / support of the event. In turn, they must have given them coverage and publicity. Basically they made you step out of the house. Most people took their cars, or flood the public transport without any reason - burnt petrol (read 'waste energy') just for not knowing why they weren't watching television. These are our educated people, wanting to support a cause, which has no justification!

Today's Hindustan Times ad reads "We had fun" (see pic).

Of course, they (HT) had fun:
1. They got a lot of publicity from the event (after all, they want to establish themselves in Mumbai)
2. They earned lot of advertisements (money).
3. They did a lot of marketing and developed PR.

All of the above done still keeping people wondering why 'No TV'?

If one sees the amount of advertisement that HT has got out of this NO TV campaign (check Sunday HT), it is phenomenal. It got about more than 100 brands to endorse themselves though placing an ad in HT. Free coupons, discounts, sales, etc...And I am sure people were ready with their scissors to cut coupons for pizzas and 10% discount meals - a complete Kishore Biyani Big Bazaar trick. Completely market driven.

(Obvious reasons for watching TV will be enlisted by beginning to blame TV as the Idiot box, which is much a transferred epithet - It's saying that 'people who watch the kitchy TV programmes are idiots'. The they would criticise the saas-bahu soaps; its ready material for them. They would also say that the reality shows are no more real, and go on and on and on - BUT, they would never talk about channels like Discovery, TLM, or Nat Geo. Or for that matter, they could have asked for a movement to create more sensible TV programmes. But the problem was that they did not know why No TV)

So let us reflect what No TV day did:

• Clearly, it escalated the sales/profits of Hindustan times.
• It made more people step out of their homes on a holiday, making them burn fuel and congest roads.
• It prevented people from watching TV - even the people who watch news, or their daily dose of 'pravachan' or discovery or TLM...
• It increased the people's consumption of outside food, making them waste more money by stepping out of their homes.

Okay, i have no complaints for people who painted a picture or two at their homes, or looked at a butterfly fluttering outside their window or just listened to some music on their i pods. But my argument is that they would have done it anyways.

Here is something from the Society of the Spectacle:

"The spectacle grasped in its totality is both the result and the project of the existing mode of production. It is not a supplement to the real world, an additional decoration. It is the heart of the unrealism of the real society. In all its specific forms, as information or propaganda, as advertisement or direct entertainment consumption, the spectacle is the present model of socially dominant life. It is the omnipresent affirmation of the choice already made in production and its corollary consumption. The spectacle's form and content are identically the total justification of the existing system's conditions and goals. The spectacle is also the permanent presence of this justification, since it occupies the main part of the time lived outside of modern production. "

First Draft - An Evening in the City

Scene 1:

I place the letter on His desk and wait for him to call me in. I wait for the next 4 hours. He leaves the office. Dhaval says it's done. You're free. And vacuum occupies my head. I walk to the station thinking why He didnot address me.

Scene 2:

The crowd rushes inside the compartment as the train halts in Dadar. The man in front of me (moving in) suddenly turns back, picks up his wallet and starts hitting the boy behind him. The train moves. The boy is brought to the centre of the compartment after 4 hard blows. Suddenly in an overly packed compartment, a human trap is made to punish the boy. People join in for slaps and punches - some elbowing, some kicking, some pinching, some tearing apart his hair. All have ideas: "Don't kill him", "Give him to the police", "Today is 27th, the last week of his pay back perhaps to his boss", "Throw him out"....They remove all his clothes and throw them out of the running train.

Scene 3:

The person besides me makes himself almost uncomfortable to see the boy naked, crying and pleading. They laugh as he accepts his crime. All decide to throw him out of the moving train. I remove one earphone from my ear - now listening to multiple sounds. Another man consoles the man who was being pick-pocketed and indicates him to stop beating the boy. The man enjoying the breeze on the footboard on the other end of the compartment directs the side on which the platform should appear. They wait until Andheri arrives and throw the boy naked on the platform.

Scene 4:

In an overly packed compartment, more people gush in, laughing, joking, talking, pushing...They talk about the whole racket - the trade. While they have already forgotten about the boy, and filled their minds with their own everyday insecurities, I secure my wallet. Putting back the earphone in my second ear, I listen to myself. I wonder if I had an opinion on the boy, on the act... The song fades, and I stop it. And vacuum occupies my head. I walk to the bus station thinking why He did not address me...