Bebdo: An experimental musical documentary on Goan drinking culture and Feni.
@ UNBOX LAB RESIDENCY
We spent a short week traveling around Goa and discovering stories about Feni, the local alcohol made of Cashews. From the original factory to the local bar and its consumers, we completely got (h)it! Since it had to be shared at the Unbox final party, the idea to explore the limits between a DJ/VJ set and a realistic documentary came quite naturally.
Could pop culture dance with tradition? That was the question. Please enjoy our not so sober answer.
Documented by the team, edited by Ana Mcguire (video maker) & Yash Chandak (visual designer), Soundtracked by Kabir David (musician and writer) & Eve.
Goa, Jan 2018
Khadi: An installation
to reflect on automation
and hand power.
@ MOZILLA FOUNDATION FEST
The Khadi - or spinning wheel, was traditionally used to spin cotton in India. Strongly associated with Gandhi and its colonial independence desire, the object has been perceived as a symbol of self-sustenance for decades in the country.
Nowadays, automation, urbanization, virtualization and other similar phenomenon have found people more and more distanced from the opportunity to craft their own life's artifacts.
The Khadi 2017 was, therefore, a humble attempt and metaphorical message to encourage handmade things and "hand-powered" people.
Babitha and Romit, as part of the open IOT network, were invited to present their conceptual approach at the Mozfest. Eager to bring some physical thoughts engendering physical actions, they had shared many articles and books extracts as well as the will to use the iconic Khadi in their installation, which inspired me to hand make a drawing Khadi for unique postcards to be made and taken away by visitors.
Conceptualized and guided by Babitha George & Romit Raj (both design researchers). Interpreted & handmade by Eve.
Bangalore / London, Oct 2017
Meet the people of
Koramangala 1st Block.
QUICKSAND DESIGN SPRINT
Initiated as a field team building exercise within Quicksand, we got thrown on the streets by our seniors to document our neighborhood. It was actually great to speak to people and try to capture the vibes of the area through pictures, words, and sounds.
Made with Samyukta Kartik (graphic designer), Shradha Rao (design strategist), and initiated by Kevin Shane (communication director).
Bangalore, March 2017
The last fisherman: a dystopic space to recall a possible future for fishers.
@ ST+ART FESTIVAL
The street art festival ST+ART, at the Sassoon Docks (Mumbai’s first wet dock) had invited Quicksand to create an installation in a dedicated room. Gathering viewers from all backgrounds, such a free art event was the opportunity for us to communicate our research with less traditional mediums and reach another type of audience.
"The Last Fisherman of Bombay" concept was based around a dystopic future imagining of Mumbai with an automated fishing industry. The UV light installation room critiqued the rapid urbanization of Mumbai, and interpreted a radioactive wasteland that Mumbai may become in the not too distant future."
I spent a week building things with the team. As a pragmatic maker, I got first confused by my mates' dreamy plans, but also quite enthusiastic to help with the feasibility part. I somehow ended up in cars scrapyards and welders workshop.
Read more about the process and story
Made with Anisha Thampi (visual designer), Tiara Arora (writer), Yash Chandak (visual designer), Yasha Jain (technologist), Yuvraj Jha (concept artist), Avinash Kumar (designer).
Mumbai, Nov. 2017
Future Indian crafts: What if new tech could revive old craft and new crafts reuse old techs?
EYEMYTH FESTIVAL PUBLICATION
What is the future of craft in India? How could India be like 50 years ahead - politically, economically, socially, and technologically?
Whereas traditional Indian crafts showed a unique aesthetic, new technologies - even if locally produced and designed - have adopted an international look, and achieved commercial successes with the same.
On the other hand, the practice of craft has been slowly dying and is relatively undervalued and paid by customers. No wonder, the job doesn't appeal to potential talents anymore. The question of "how to revive crafts in India" is regularly raised and considered in the country. But why reviving something dying? Why is it dying?
If the craft is an iterative hand work practice, there are many ways we could "revive" it or rather - review its definition and fields of action. Instead of trying to resuscitate something which may have died for reasons, why not wonder how it has mutated and how it could adapt and help a future context?
To envision the future of craft, we started with the question of the future by itself. What if the government would ensure strong ecological reforms and surveillance systems? What if communities would be even more gated? What will the human hands be doing in our virtual world? Could craft help illegal purposes? Could it be a local and historic luxury? How would it look like?
Co-written and designed with Hugo Pilate (design researcher)
Bangalore / Delhi, July 2017
GIF's of Teacher's
Colony 2017
QUICKSAND DESIGN SPRINT
While launching an ethnography treasure hunt, Quicksand had shared a list of cultural artifacts to be documented in 5 days. I spent 6 hours walking in a suburb I had lived in for six months. A dense and narrow part of South Bangalore, where goats chill in Rickshaws.
Initiated by Kevin Shane (communication director).
Bangalore, June 2017