Heading No(w)here...

I would not believe myself being so restive until I started tying out at least 10 mails to different people for keeping myself busy with things. Suddenly I realize that it is so important to have work. I think work gives a background to other things that we do. The reason for the need to spend time in leisure activities is work.

Work has to be monotonous to accommodate and appreciate other activities? Isn’t it? I wonder if it is really true. And I am thinking this because I have no work to do meanwhile except preparation for further studies. I think this is the distraction that prarthana keeps talking about. To give a range of random things that I have been doing, let me mention a few – I have been visiting college frequently for meetings (the smallest of them), spending time in the library, guiding students with their thesis here and there, meeting people he help them take a decision with their studies, writing off mails to faculty at other institutes, contacting people whom I could help with their work, meeting people who are keen in getting some designing stuff done with me, preparing for fellowship research, looking up sites which publish research papers…

All these above were explored not for the sake of money, but for keeping oneself busy. one month of no work is after all, not good for a graduate – according to Indian social setup. It’s very embarrassing to tell others what I have been doing currently. So I end up saying that I am freelancing, or I am involving myself in research, or I am studying for further education. Answering calls at home on week days is like announcing “I am at home, not working”, or sitting at the library means answering the staff and juniors that meanwhile I have nothing to do in life…

Of course, it will change. There are good times and there are bad times. But there are times when you don’t know good or bad. This is one such time, when there is a lot of room to experiment, but there is no motive to do so, no drive or no purpose to involve in various things. Sterile as I say it…it’s going on...and on…and on…

there are things to write...opinions, views...but there is no disposition for the same...and the above is what i end up typing...!

KRVIA Fellowship Proposal

In a recent article on ‘Redefining Architecture’ in a local news paper, Architect Hafeez Contractor points out, “Go to Barcelona and you will be surprised that even a cab driver there is aware of the architects behind the different structures. Here, nobody is even aware of many of us, leave aside acknowledging our work.” Further, he adds that, “The field of architecture is highly neglected in India, and more importance is given to other creative fields. Though Architecture is the father of painting and sculpturing, but it is not recognized…”

The three questions that the above note raises are:
1. How does one ‘define’ architecture for the general masses?
2. Who do we expect to acknowledge our work?
3. What are these “other creative fields” that are given importance if architecture is the mother of all arts?

Simmel explains that “the nineteenth century demanded functional specialization of man and his work” . Further he states that each man identifies himself with these “supplementary activities of all the others” rather than the parent one. The histories of architecture and interior design in the world and India are not separate. In fact, the field of architecture has split up into other fields of ‘design’ post the industrial revolution. Architecture became a profession in India only after its independence, when people did not make themselves conscious about ‘design’. However, one can track a simultaneous growth of interior design and this awakening towards ‘design’ in the public mind.

Therefore, architecture is often perceived as a field where one designs/‘decorates’ interiors. Architecture never got a chance to detail its scope to the general public, who was to recognize and appreciate the production. A field, which was closer to people was interior design. Though earlier, it may have been a luxury of the elite, over the time, it has also become available to this general mass. Infact, all this while, what was closer to the public, who was to acknowledge architecture was local arts and crafts, which was created, produced and used by locals.

The problems which remain with us are whether we must deal with ‘architecture’ and ‘interior design’ as separate or one, and in either of the cases, how they affect the practice and production of space?

Ending abruptly...search for a new beginning

Life’s is a bit tough
If you want to do your own stuff

I realized this today, when I had gone to Indian Architect & Builder, where I was previously working that there have been changes and revisions in the contract document after my final letter that was given at IA&B. Just to reinforce my thought that my resignation has brought in a change…in whatever way, though it may not have responded to the same points and issues I raised, but someone did consider the fact that things have to be defined more precisely.

The following is what I had submitted:

Thanks for giving me an opportunity to be a part of IA&B. it is interesting to observe how meanings of notions too change with perspectives. I am referring here to your comments on “professionalism”. I did not want to part at such unforeseen terms, but I have to share something with you, without any ill feelings towards anyone:

1. Firstly I donot feel that my resignation/conduct has been unprofessional.
My appointment letter clearly states that I am on a CONTRACT and as per
that, i am eligible to leave the company (on whatever reasons) at a notice
of a month, which i was willing to. But on the other hand, the contract also
states that if the company wants to remove me, it has to do so at a notice
of ONE MONTH. I donot know which one of the above must be applicable here,
but my termination today itself is completely incorrect and the decision is
totally "unprofessional".

2. As my appointment letter declares - i have been appointed as a "CONTENT
WRITER". I have been more than upfront in carrying out activities such as
designing, graphics, site execution, supervision, preparing 3D visualizations, transcription and a whole lot of 'undefined' works for the company. Your "verbal" argument about being "multi-tasking" doesnot substantiate the profile as all of the above jobs are functionally specialized fields and technically, the company must have separately accounted for all the above jobs carried out by me apart from "WRITING". According to me, this has been extremely "unprofessional".

3. My salary for the first three months was incorrectly notified by your employee and was only rectified after i pointed out (which otherwise would have been overlooked). Even after complaint, the issue took one and a half month to get sorted. On the other hand, there was no intimation about TDS deductions or any such curtailments at the time of appointment. I have still not received a detailed induction which states the company policies despite of repeated requests to our HR. This i feel should be termed as "unprofessional" behaviour.

4. Listed Holidays, unpaid for and not even readjusted. These are the only set of 10 holidays that employees on Contract are eligible for. I believe as a part of "professional" conduct, the company should have followed its own rules.

5. (Talking for myself) I have still not been reimbursed for the expenses that I have made at the Expo Venue. A "professional" conduct would imply immediate sorting of due transactions.

Above all, I think I have been sincere enough realising the urgency of the situation during the Expo, and turned up even when i met an accident and broke my face. Also, I have been extremely committed in delivering important files at the exhibition venue even when i was medically unfit and told to have a complete bed rest.

Finally, i hope that the company will hand me over The TDS certificates of the past four months at its earliest, such that i may file my Tax return soon. I do hope to receive my due expenses made for the company and i believe, the company would be extremely professional in taking care of these two small issues.

I believe that the employer-employee relations should always end on an amicable note. I would further say that i have been honest and sincere towards my work at IA&B during the last four months, and i thank the company for accommodating me.

I thank you.

Anuj Daga.


No doubts that Sarita replied me horribly in a following mail, which I donot wish to share, as I do not want to expose the naivety of the ‘Head’ of IA&B in her own idea of professionalism, but I am happy that I expressed everything that I had in mind, before leaving the job.

The Ling

Sketch

Absurdities

Mornings for me are completely charged with emotional and inspirational thoughts. Every morning i construct a story in my head and decide that i will write it down. But the speed of thoughts is so fast than that we write, that i always end up losing many good ideas to write upon.

Some of these ideas are purely graphic...i wish i could draw and explain. So the million and one absurdities that my journey provides me with, every day, are lost. I will try and find a better ways to document them all one day...but i fear that most of the better ideas will have evaporated by then...

I want to express my ideas in motion...because lately i have realised that the dynamics of form is accentuated in motion. At the same time, some things can not be conveyed if motion is not used. Like:

Every morning as i come out of the churchgate station, there is the tempo standing outside the BIG BOX(the station) where fisher-women line up to take up the huge baskets filled with sea food on their heads to carry it to the suburbs of the city. The interesting part, apart from the grace of the act is, i feel, the gang of hovering crows, who, while flying, try and pick up fishes for their day's food from the big baskets on the women's head. I have a whole post to dedicate on this exciting event that happens every morning.

It's very embarrassing for me to take pictures of absurd moments in the city. while this becomes a very easy job for an outsider, i have not been able to capture the above in my past four months of journey to churchgate.

There is another one of this woman, with a cow tied to a tree under which she sits, and sells fodder to the passers-by to feed the same cow. The situation, i feel, is terrible, because the fodder is before the cow's eyes, she knows she has to eat it sometime, but it is only at expense of the on goer that she may be allowed to eat...

The city operates in a similar fashion. People find similar ways of managing their existence. Those are validated somehow. And those who choose other means; well i have another story on that!

The 5 years of Education

A boy works very hard for his own notes to gain better grades, ends up getting only 25 over 50 with a ‘good’ remark on the notebook while another student (who is the teacher's son) taking the same subject in the same class gets a 40 over 50 without attending the requisite amount of classes.

A girl out of frustration due to limited time to complete portfolio leaves the project on her group members and fleers away to home. The portfolio is completed by the peers till the next day submission date, till when, she doesn’t even bother to check the final work. The project gets the second best grades, and all members (including those who do not work) get the same score. After graduating, the girl asks for the same portfolio for securing a job over an interview.

A girl by virtue of being intelligent does not attend the essential number of classes as prescribed by the college. She misses the pre-final marking date and escapes with no work. She still manages to secure the best score in the internal markings. Others just borderline or pass, though being consistent with their work and attendance.

A boy copies all the notes for a paper submission from his friend, who honestly writes in the answers himself, and gets better grades than the original. The original paper bears the mark ‘Copied’ by the Professor.

A girl dresses up well on the day of the submission and gets good grades and comments inspite of no content or essence in work. Her work is shown as one of the better samples to others in the group.

A boy gets 10 other people to work on a submission, produces enormous drawings and gets promoted in flying colours. Others, working by themselves, are mocked at for not having enough drawings.

A girl is kept behind for a term only because the number of students promoted that year was too high. The same design with minor alterations produced in the next semester is promoted easily.

(others may add to this list)

Parting away with old memories

I wish i could keep them forever...
but had to give up my 'moh' towards them...

all went in the dustbin!

The Eternal Debate

I said, "I am not interested in doing commercial work."
He said, "Do you think any thing is non commercial in this world? So then what do you want to do?"
I replied, "I want to do ethical work."
"It's just a matter of perspective. You have to first earn enough to be listened. You can't live only with imaginations. You have to be practical"

I said nothing

And pondered over this eternal debate of the two words.

Commercial: kuh-mur-shuhl
–adjective
1. prepared, done, or acting with sole or chief emphasis on salability, profit, or success: a commercial product.
2. able to yield or make a profit
3. suitable or fit for a wide, popular market

Ethical: eth-i-kuhl
–adjective
1. pertaining to or dealing with morals or the principles of morality; pertaining to right and wrong in conduct.
2. being in accordance with the rules or standards for right conduct or practice, esp. the standards of a profession.


And I thought

Can there be a situation where one is paid for one's imaginations?

After all, it is something which can be ethically commercial or commercially ethical!

Symbols in Origami

It's a Language - It's Communciation...