Road-map

>I wrote the road-map in August, at the beginning of the semester. As the first semester ends, I thought revisiting it would help me to see it afresh. 

>FYI: All words taken from the first road map are in this colour. The new changes are in this colour.

Reading list: 

>My initial reading was very limited. I do not think that either of them were reflected in the works.

• Against Space Place Movement Knowledge by Tim Ingold
• The Invisible Cities.

(Both of these are separate texts yet expands on the concept of space through very different perspective.)

I will add few more readings (few suggested by the college, rest I picked up myself):

• Design Noir: The secret life of electronic objects by Anthonny Dunne and Fiona Raby
• The pattern on the stone- the simple ideas that make computers work by Daniel Hillis
• The Poetics of Space by Gustav Bachelard
• The New Media Handbook by Andrew Dewdney and Peter Ride
• Behind the Image by Anna Fox
• New Media in Art by Michael Rush
• The New Media handbook by Andrew Dewdney and Peter Ride
• Plus reading the works of various philosophers like Kant, Manovich etc.

>Few of these readings I could reflect on as the works progressed.

Research areas: 

Primarily, I want to explore: space, city, and habitat.

I had few questions. 

The first being is what space means to me? What are the areas/ interrelated areas that I am looking at? I enjoy working in areas which explores/works around the relation of space with human. To illustrate, let’s take the example of how one feels inside a tunnel if left without any light source or mode of movement. The architecture of the tunnel is such that if they are made to walk alone, then we go through varied thoughts and emotions. Without elaborating of the thoughts, I would define the process. As light source is not mentioned, the first instinct would be find a wall which would help in navigation the distance. The next step would be to ensure the ground is free of any obstacles, so one would go slowly by putting one foot forward and then the next. The tunnel acts in a strange way. It works in our mind as this two sided open tube, yet the darkness inside acts as a one of the main hindrance.

More than looking at the human point of view, I am interested in objects through which I create experiences that we would either interact or register at an unconscious level.

The other part to this enquiry is by understanding how space evolves in a city and it’s relation with the inhabitant. It leads to the question of how we interpret the meaning of the spaces around us and how the perception changes over time/ in future.

These were the reasons that led me to choose Mine the City. Though the trajectory has been different than envisioned. It helped me learn new things as well. And given the feedback I received during both the critiques, I am reading more on story-telling, specially semiotics and culture. 

I think right now I am not thinking about creating something new, rather reflecting on the existing materials and trying to see if there could be new ways to see them. Also I am interested in digital media and the scope it provides in terms of experimenting.

In terms of application, I think both Mine the City assignments have been precursors to help me understand the scope with the independent project. I also know that as the work progress I will get acquainted to new skills. As of now I have learned video editing, improved my illustration skills and understood the importance of materiality.

Semester 2:

As I progress to the next semester, I would like to implement the concepts I am learning now. Improve my skill, specially learn certain digital tools like basic coding. I think I have not explored much though I am part of CEMA. And though techniques are not the end to the world, it does help in expressing ideas specially as I wish to explore the digital format. Also I think one of my weakness, is my lack of knowledge in aesthetics. Hopefully with continuous reading I can improve the knowledge base.

Re-tracing Bangalore (working title)_Mine the City_Independent project

I am right now working on a new project that will extend my learning from Mine the City. [Stuff like: Storytelling, typography, understanding the juxtaposition of text and image are what I learned in this semester.]

What I am intending to do for the project is to revisit the design process of how the present day map of Bangalore came into existence, and re-create a map that will fictionalize certain variables that can open up new conversations and thoughts.

My initial research suggests that Bangalore has undergone massive change. Lot of adjectives which are used to describe the place today like the ‘garden city of India’, peaceful, a ‘pensioner’s paradise’ etc. stems from certain design philosophies that were used two centuries back with the advent of the Britishers. I am not changing any of those thoughts here. But what I intend to do is to build dialogues by creating alternative realities by experimenting with the process of mapping. I am not sure at this stage if ‘reality’ is the right word. It could be fictional history etc. I am still reading to learn how to accomplish this project. As it is in an early stage, I am going through many readings, philosophies, works etc.

Everyday tons of websites, products and apps are launched. But only few stand out and sustain themselves in the process. A lot of the products are just tweaked here and there; sometimes they are a by-product of an interesting concept gone wrong. Coming from an arts background, I really feel that establishing a line of thought, process is as essential as having a good idea. Concepts and ideas could stand the test of time if only it has been executed through a thorough methodology.

The other thing is about introspection. Compared to an artists, a designer who works on commercial brief often have diverse work portfolio. It is essential that we keep questioning where these works are going, how they are received and what their future is, et al. To expand on this I will use the following talk of Anthony Dunne:

https://vimeo.com/37557758

It is called What If... Crafting Design Speculations.

Anthony Dunne had coined the term critical design with Fiona Raby. This video is essentially explains that. Though the terminology is new, but from what I understand, the process of thinking critically is not really new. Why I find it relevant right now is that in the mapping project, I will basically be pointing out few facts, questioning their basis – all through fictional stories. Interestingly movies have explored this concept long back. They would use scientific data to create make-believe environments and bring in characters from real life and create situations/variables where certain issues are questioned. Take the fictional story in Da Vinci Code, it was popular because it used certain known facts, created a logical story based on them and opened up different line of thought.

I agree with Dunne that not everything needs to be solved; at times it is about questioning what is already there. I want to expand on the previous idea of how a map is ‘built’, expand their roles and see if by playing with certain elements I can bring in a point for discussion. What I hope to create is a build space that resembles the real, yet is not.

A friend of mine pointed out that it should not turn out something 'cliche'. And I really cannot promise that. But I am definitely pushing myself to understand what it means to reflect. By looking closely at an ubiquitous map, I am trying see to things that has been overlooked. I think before creating something new, it is necessary that I learn to question. Questioning the validity, finding answers, looking for solutions, creating newer objects and again looking back- that is what I mean by a process.

And I know how vague it sounds right now. But that is good. Somewhere I have to start. Being confused is at times good because it makes us work extra, and I think it will be fun.