Reviews

1

13th July

Present: Avy, Yashas, Ramesh
Devashish explained about his concept - Human/Box narrative.
1. We do not know yet what will happen between the two actors in your
narrative - human/artificial. It is yet to unfold.

2. No need to go into Nietszche/Ubermensch and such concepts.You could go
into Indian mythology. Devashish said he has been going into mythology and
thinking why he woudl consider using that as a tool.

3. You want to get into grammar and semiotics - Look at Panini's
generative grammar. Western thought concepts will anyway come into the
making of your final form/product. But why not pay attention to the Indian
side also and see what happens? Yashas said "You could even discard
Western constructs and explore Panini for whom language was about the
relationship between you and the object. Then there is also question about
the origin of language (which is also a box. For you the box can become
language."

4. Don't get too ambitious. The post-modern is that everything is
fictional - science is also fictional - and you can take the tack if
necessary.

5. The more ambiguous, the better your form might be.

6. What research have you done in sci-fi? Many designers use sci-fi as a
critique of the present. The future is a critique of the present. Sci fi
can be used as social critique. Look at Archigram and Superstudio.

7. Yashas said avoid issues of good and evil - See things as technologies
for instance soma was a technology both the devas and asuras wanted.
Discard morality.

8. Avy pointed out that mythemes cannot be easily discarded or you have to
find a way to discard them. Would a narrative be effective if the mythemes
are discarded or subverted?

9. References: Roberto Kalasso' K - Philip K Dick - Valis, L Ron Hubbard -
in Dianetics/Scientology he has an artefact which is a box. What about it?

10.What if the human is inside the box - the box is mass media/consumerism?

11.References: Jean Baudrillard - the Simulacrum - the Schizo.

12. Look at various layers - look at social and political - the

metaphysical may be too complex.

13. What about looking at box structures, systems, complexes - the
apartment blocks in gated communities, the LIG flats, their ubiquity.
Construct a narrative that is dystopian using the middle class with its
wants that leads them into box?

14. You could use this research/testing to make speculative boxes that
could move into design. See box as constructs/habitats and see what
happens.

15. Add a little madness, humor, hilarity to the narrative?

16. Start doing - find out. Bring visual materials for next review. Tell
us what is THE BOX. You are working in an interesting conceptual space -
document the future through this. The future is now. Show us boxes -
containers - and we will see how they can become metaphorical, critical,
speculative. Don't legitimise your process - take a general approach to
then narrow down.




2
29th July
Closing in on background to build my narrative upon.

Avy and Ramesh both say ambiguity is good. There is no need to define the premise in one line. The form could emerge through other forms of defining the content. 

Ramesh says theory as a form is good too. It works well as a support and would encourage me to write further however it is necessary to begin constructing these ideas and theories. 

Begin to visualise and take some time to create. Set up spaces to understand your content as well. Use this as trial rounds moving toward the final installation.

Strcutural play within how you construct your narrative may also help understand your form. 

The futurist manifesto 1969

The dada manifesto. 

We spoke about how meaning can be enhanced by various kinds of triggers. 

(The rotating canvas to question which way is up?)

Its not necessary to get stuck to the option of new media to achieve this. Experiment and realise your requirements. 

Start constructing these metaphors if that is the language of your project. Maybe one metaphor could speak across the board. It could be one simple idea that defines the experience or project. 

Understanding spaces and what happens to objects and materials when contrasted one against the other. Displacement. 

References to the "readymades"

Avy spoke about P.O.V

Whose perspective are we giving the viewer? Is it the box, or is it man?

At some point i need to turn the questions around onto the viewer. Extract another perspective from the trends. 

"you think like the machines you develop" 

"What happens to the organic within you? wisdom, emotion? instinct?"

References that came up:

Antony Gormley

Jianet Winterson

Abhishek Hazra's Diploma Project

Ayisha's Video Installation

2.5 - 3
11th August

Matt  :  

Iconic images  - Common motifs

Abstract / metaphoric - balance between ??

Dialogue

There is a playfulness in the construction - exploration of form

There is a means of story telling within most images. A relationship with the characters.

Repetition of form allows for association which opens doors to interactivity

Box within a box within a box - the endless image

Hyper fiction / narrative

Watch Monty python

Life of Brian Opening - Terry Gilliam

Single step animation - added humour / dry

Balance between too abstract and too literal

3D works better than the 2D flat images.

Need to to work on at least a 100 to be able to experiment with

Ramesh and Avy

The sequencing is too literal.

The images are strong but not stand alone.

Fill the space in between.

What is the secondary medium that can allow you to make that connection?

A tendency to read it according to a timeline - renaissance to post war - stages of man are popular themes.

Clustering to create meaning. Not according to similarity in motif, but in idea. Challenge viewer to think laterally.

Try to understand from viewing. How do people read images, join the dots, make connections.

Don't exhibit. Allow people to view, change and leave a comment to draw insight from. What are the connections people make?

What would happen if you expand the image bank? How many more meanings could you make?

Side effects of the medium is that it may look western so keep that in mind.

What is it that i want to say? It requires streamlining. On one level it works as just a play with the form of the box but then what? Don't get obsessive. How do you want to construct your narrative?

Take a break to read and analyse what you have created so far and understand the direction you are going to be heading in.

4

13th September

Avy, Ramesh, Yashas

Devashish has moved forward in his conceptualization and iterations of what his final installation might be for his project “Box’.

He presented three to four concepts, and some threads emerging from these concepts.

He wants some of his artistic explorations/drawings to be part of the installation.

The installation ideas themselves are quite good but he was confused about which one to go for in terms of aesthetics, semantics, feasibility of execution, experience for the audience, the questions the audience might take back with them.

Panel discussed the pros and cons of each iteration and has left the choice for the final one with him as it would be his autonomous way of voicing his point of view.

He has to decide on ONE track and at his next review present to the panel the iterations relating to that one track he has chosen.

While it is interesting that he is seeking to create a combination of concept drawings, structures, experiential involvement of audience and interactivity along with sound and possibly light in a space, the panel is waiting to see what his configuration will be ultimately and what the experience is that he is aiming at to provide in terms of his concept.

Panel asked him to realize that it is not just things that happen to people in the “box”, to the “box” itself but also to consider what those outside the box might be and the inter-relationships and interactions between the three.