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OBJECTS EMBODYING EMOTIONS
Objects are not merely their physical manifestations of their form - they hold memories, stories, metaphors and emotions. Meanings are ascribed to objects by people, and a single object may hold innumerable meanings for different people. Objects can be a source of joy, sadness, nostalgia and self-respect. The act of creation and destruction of objects can also mirror the collection and dispersal of fleeting thoughts and secrets. In this section, the artists and storytellers have conducted in depth explorations into the meanings and emotions that arise from interacting with various objects - some of these objects have fallen into disuse, and some transform themselves into livelihoods and become representations of the self. In this sense, each artist has sought to hook a specific emotion of the audience to understand various aspects of their respective objects of inquiry.
OBJECTS
EMBODYING
EMOTIONS
Where Does Ro Go?
APARNA
Where Does Ro Go?
Aparna has written and hand illustrated the story of a little girl, Ro, who learns about the core of the potters' knowledge system - working with clay, experiencing failure, and exercising patience. Despite the world changing around them, the potters' work ethic has endured. The story touches on the emotional attachment one feels towards a self-made object. In another nod to the source material, Aparna's illustrations have been created through clay slip or kesaru, which is used to smoothen clay pots.
Type Story
Jahnavi considers the question of what happens to an object when it becomes obsolete? Apart from the fact that it fades from the lives and memories of people, the skill and knowledge associated with that object also fades away, which menas that people whose livelihoods are associated with that object might abandon it and move on. This is the case with typewriters. Jahnavi has created a website in an attempt to conserve the vanishing skill and knowledge associated with the machine, while at the same time catering to the interests of the typewriter enthusiasts.
Type Story
jahnavi
Khud Ka Maalik
jheena
Khud Ka Maalik
Jheena has sought to portray the realities of empowerment through self employment keeping in mind the ideals of entrepreneurship. Using the humble push cart as the most basic form of self employment that requires limited capital, but allows the owner to have a livelihood and act on their own authority, Jheena sees how different people feel about their status as self employed individuals. Jheena's findings are recorded in an audioscape, containing sound clips from her various interactions, accompanied by an illustration.
Writing Book
Research shows that the human brain processes information better when putting pen to paper, rather than typing. Writing is linked to improved creativity, critical thinking and problem solving skills. However since the advent of the Internet and computer technology, more and more people prefer typing to writing. Lavanya seeks to bring to light the benefits of writing, and have people see for themselves how different and therapeutic the experience of writing can be. Using school exercise books as inspiration, Lavanya has created a writing workbook with different exercises and activities designed to get your hands moving and your thoughts flow.
Writing Book
lavanya
A Girl Picks Up A Pen
Pakhi
A Girl Picks Up A Pen
Pakhi has used the ink pen as a trigger object to explore the emotional tug of the act of writing. She has created a series of paintings using acrylic on canvas, that tell the story of a girl who overcomes her initial reluctance to pick up a golden nibbed pen. The pen is a metaphor for empowerment, and the story takes us through the emotional turmoil of taking action to attain empowerment.
Payana (Journey)
Rahul looked into the emotions felt by users of typewriters, in a world where they are slowly becoming obsolete. He has created a short film, exploring the emotional turmoil and love felt by a man for the tools of his trade - something that cannot be replaced or extended to the modern equivalent of a typewriter, i.e. the computer.
Payana (Journey)
Rahul
The Ritual : The Therapy
Rini
The Ritual: The Therapy
The starting point of Rini's inquiry was the matka. She considered the historical, economic and socio-cultural aspects of the matka. Rini's installation delves into the idea of the matka as being a receptacle for secrets and emotions, and also plays with the idea of catharsis through the act of breaking a pot.
Mara (To Forget)
Sonali began with the idea of the disappearing typewriter, due to society's selective forgetting - in connection with this, she explored the fading away of a script (here, Kannada) as the permanence of the script is seen here as something that is being held by the permanence of the ink mark of the typewriter. The disappearance of the language (and of the object) is addressed through a human lens - due to the human nature of forgetting. which results in the loss of usage and value of an object. Sonali's installation expresses all of these emotions using the deconstructed form of a typewriter.
Mara (To Forget)
sonali
The Girl and the Ghatam
sonira
The Girl and the Ghatam
Sonira's starting point of exploration was the ghatam, which is essentially a matka specially designed as a percussion instrument. She created an illustrated pocketbook, through which she seeks to build awareness and popularize the Ghatam amongst today's youth, which will hopefully be a gateway to further exploration into Carnatic music. The Girl and the Ghatam is a simple read with illustrations, and QR codes that lead to actual performances by Ghatam artists.
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