Monday, January 19, 2009

IUDI, COLLOQIUM

The formation of IUDI is much awaiting formations, awaited for many years. Although it its formation has to wait for even IID organization, that was really surprising. The formation of IID has given rise to many events if not for cause definitely for strengthening bourgeois & gentrified culture practice. The one day conference was well organized; however the presentation by Mysore & Bangalore was pathetic. Since they gave impression of that the course is need for the market & not ideological prerequisite. The presentation of CEPT was as accurate as ever, trying to justify everything that exists, perhaps that was too accurate at the level of rational science. I really doubt the imaginative plane ever existed when one talks about Urban Design or rather design. There seems to be answer for everything. The robust complexities of Indian Cities reduce to verifiable, designable object.

The hegemony that ever existed ever when it comes to Urban Design cannot be denied, at least the way it was represented. Although I see this event as a buttress to the profession, by the fact that the first school formed 40 years back. The next one twenty years back & now 3 institutes are two year old. One may look at this historic movement rather critically & summarize the Geo-politico, hegemonial precedent. However I am not quietly disappointed to the fact, that our presentation came with conviction & standpoint that it existed for comprehensive aspiration. The questions after presentation were simply to fracture the advantage that KRVIA has for its long lasted Endeavour. The problem with us is that we all look too young, as Rajat Mentioned that, at KRVIA there is no distinguishable notion between who is in which year of who is faculty & student or HOD. The questions which rose were really childish & uncalled for at this forum, including by AGK. They were almost as raised as if our thoughts are impregnates to such eventualities. We do not know the who is colonizer or process of colonization when it came to exchange program.

The fact that the questions were pregnant with philanthropic colonial aspiration of wisdom sermons. At last I believe that Sonal has done excellent job in organizing the whole play. She has huge ability to organize & do follow-ups. And of-course the right temperament for teaching profession.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

OSCAR OSPREY

There seems to be sudden urge for another award for acclamation within Hindi cinema. The regional acclamations are denounced for global presence. It seems to be the flavour of contemporary practice in art, architecture & any other form of art. The remote connection I can establish of Hindi cinema within the realm art is only possible through medium of technology & not through the medium of representation. The Oscar aspiration is perhaps parallel to Pitzeker in architecture if not exaggerated. The Pitzker award seems to be aligned with thought of regional appropriation while Oscar is universalism. The recent effort to align Hindi cinema with universal appraisal is boisterously visible in the depiction. The dated song of 90s, morphed with regional language, prolaiming its global aspiration without any intellectual integrity is worth of notice for critical appraisal. The epic heroism, linear ritualistic pattern of cause & effect story line seems to be the only way of manufacturing the cinema.

The debacle of recent Hindi cinema at Oscar is not surprising as it hinged on idea of popularism at the level of issue but definitely not at the level its destiny. The usual flavour is convenient & comfortable for us; perhaps we like to live with that singularity of structure thought pattern. The white transforms in to black, yet morphing & emerging of gradation of grey is not of any concern or cause. I am not worried about what it takes to be Oscar winner; I am seeing the pseudo philanthropic aspiration that is visible in various other art forms. The recent rise of art form in disguise of moral decorum within our context is rising up to reassure our society whose values are palpable, confused & relegated to only entertainment. The concern of iconic buzzard that prevails within various art forms is to be able to entertain…….

Friday, January 9, 2009

MY FAVOURITE TWENTYFIVE

MY INSPIRATION FROM FAVOURITE TWENTY FIVE

(FIRST TEN ARE AS IN ORDER)

1- ADOLF HITLER FOR REVOLUTION, RENOUNCE, RETALIATION, IDENTITY, RACE
2- ALBERT EINSTEIN FOR EVOUTION, SCIENCE, IDEA, HUMANITY, PHILOSOPHY
3- CHRISTOPHER ALEXANDER FOR EXPEDITION, WORLD VIEW, COURAGE
4- CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS FOR EXPEDITION, CONVICTION, IMAGINATION
5- SARDAR PATEL FOR COURAGE, CONVICTION, EXECUTION
6- NELSON MANDELA FOR SUFFERENCE, RESELLIANCE, CONVICTION & PHILANTHROPY
7- FIDLE CASTRO FOR RESISTANCE, CONVICTION, CAUSE & STUBBORNNESS
8- KARL MARX FOR REVOLUTIONERY IDEA, SOCIAL WELFARE IDEOLOGY
9- MICHAEL JACSON FOR ANGER IMAGE, CAUSE FOR SUFFERANCE & MUSIC
10- DOUGLASS JARDIN FOR INVENTION, CONVICTION & EXECUTION IN SPORTS
(NOT AS PER ODER)
11- LE CORBUSIER FOR IMAGINATION, CONVICTION, RETALIATION IN ARCHITECTURE
12- MARLIN BRANDO FOR SILENT DEPICTION, RUTHLESSNESS IN CINEMA
13- AMITABH BACHAN FOR ANGER DEPICTION OF DISCONTENT YOUTH, AGELESSNESS OF ACT IN CINEMA
14- PETER EISENMANN FOR DENOUNCE, IMAGINATION, FREE REPRESENTATION IN ARCHITECTURE
15- DIEGO MARADONA FOR RUTHLESS ANGER, SKILL, EXECUTION IN SPORTS
16-- MAHARANA PRATAP SING FOR CONVICTION, RESISTANCE, PRIDE OF TERRAIN HISTORY
17- MOHAMD ALLI FOR SPORTS & PHILANTHROPY
18- MANMOHAN SING FOR LEDEARSHIP, DIPLOMACY, ENTERPRENEUR POLICY IN INDIAN POLITICS
19- DHIRUBHAI AMBANI FOR ENTERPRISING TO MASS IMAGINATION & EXECUTION
20- KHAN ABDUL GAFAR KHAN FOR FRONTIER LEADERSHIP, BELIEF & CONVICTION
21- SALMAN RUSHDIE FOR COURAGEOUS CONTEMPORARY WRITINGS,
22- RATAN TATA FOR ENTERPRISING, IDENTITY & COMMITEMENT TO NATION
23- JOSEPH STALIN FOR STAND AGAINST CAPITAL INFLUENCE, NATIONALISM
24- IMMANUEL KANT FOR THEORY OF COHENSION AMONG SCIENCE, NATURE & RATIONALISTY
25- NARENDRA MODI FOR COURAGE & CONVICTION AGAINST THE PSEUDO SECULAR FORCE.

Tuesday, December 23, 2008

KRVIA ANNUAL-2008

The annual event on house & housing was partly successful, since it gave chance to each faculty to speak on related issues. However the failure was perhaps on part of defining the limitation or scope of the topic, since KRVIA being desing school. The majority of presentation were hinging on idea at policy level which to mind is non controvercial. The moment you begin to define the territory of thoretical framework, it becomes controvercial or uncomprehensible. I thought the presentation by Rupali, Rohan & myself were of later kind. I assume without predjudice that most of them thought three of us were simply bullshiting. I was very convicing about my presentation, yet it may be criticise of being international without contextual. It is not surprise to me & as if i am not aware of that at all. The inspiration can be global as long as actions are local. The generation of fiftis by large is exactly opposite. The inspiration is local & action are global. The hallmark of the pseudo pan indianness, vastu, hindi cinema certain outcome of that which are convicing themself very hard to determinsitic change of the world from that viewpoint.

Sunday, November 30, 2008

TERROR

“SAME-----SHAME”
Its same time again,
Its same terrorist again…
Its perhaps same time of the year…
Its same terror & same massacre…
Its same media terrorizing each other for mirror….
Its same “salaam Mumbai” from Delhi…..
Its same condemnation & same grief…..
Its same time again for blame game……
Its same bewilder time for political priorities….
Its same time for resignation & scapegoats…..
Its same time to visit affected areas & not affected people…….
Its same promise consolation money for victims…
May it be same chasing for collecting…..?
It shall be same bribing & same scandal…..
Its same time for some inspiration for Hindi movie…..
Its same masked anger & fight, same epic heroism….
It same mediocre awards……….
Its same collective mediocrity, we shall relish…..

Let there be same systematically constructed history of courage for poll war....
It shall be same muddle in the middle…..
Its same muted mystery…..
“Isn’t it a time to mirror ourselves meticulously……
Of our priority to whom to fight with?”…..
Is it a real terrorist or terrorizing 552 at parliament…....
Or else let the same paradox prevail
at its will……

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

NORWAY 2008


Year 1990: I have visited most of the European countries on my way from US to back home. The visit lasted almost a month through comfortable E-rail First class unlimited pass. The last day of my visit was Amsterdam, where I drew my plan for next visit to Scandinavian Countries sometime in future. This is precisely that imagination which was carefully nurtured and protected for many decades. The water edge of Norway is as much real in reality as you imagine through photograph.



The landscape is tentative (ephemeral) & figurative simultaneously. They seem to be contradictory however it seems to be compounded to form a unique terrain. The cold ripping thorough body mercilessly, shadows are always longer irrespective of the time of the day. The absences of point shadows are almost scary as longer one is destined to disappear anytime. Does that really shape the general psych/ culture of people! If yes than how, I think it really need careful examination of culture & value of that context.



The wealth of tropical climate is suddenly become as valuable for us as you peep out of window everyday, seeking for the morning sun. However the tenderness of light that definitely making general gesture of Norwegian to be humble, tender & reaching out. The usual day is one with rain, blizzards & cold. The time seems to be of no consequence for us, as absence of light makes it difficult for your perception to hold your judgment of time




The built landscape is leisurely following the planes to contoured landscape with great ease. The entire fabric appears to be a giant jigsaw puzzle; each of them is carefully interlocked with others. The result of that leaves unwinding trails negotiating the contours levels. The fabric finds it edge relentlessly at it meets water. The dialogue of colorful building & dark water is extravagant as much as unreal. It is further heightened by absence of sunlight most of the time.














LECTURE AT BAS, NORWAY
I am not very convinced about the lecture/ talk on urban design. I am very comfortable with undergraduate program because of my involvement for many years. The problem that postgraduate program suffers is that it really takes design cell as model without any further inquiry. My imagination of postgraduate study is about implied theoretical investigation than explicit problem-solution model. Furthermore, this problem persist due to its consistently dwelling on planning realm & not able to operate in design mode. I quite often get confused or not convinced by myself of such presentation.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

ARCHITECTURE & FASHION DESIGN

All design disciplines are art form & have few things in common. However there is a difference between architecture & other design discipline is that it has stronger representational demand than rest. As one move away from architecture, art, literature, the representation becomes less dense or may not exist.

The recent jury of third year architecture has been very ridiculously dwelling on mannerist mode where idea of built form is pre-determined. The any variation from pre-determined form is succumb to severe criticism. I personally believe that we are jumping directly to the manifestation & not through the filter of inquiry. The manifestation can be anything, slight skewed geometry is not necessarlly mean quality architecture, or exotic materialism that percolates through recent architecture also does not mean quality architecture. Here, my argument in first paragraph of fashion design being less dense a artform due to its weak representational commitment is seem to merge with architecture beyond any recognition. The publication & media attention that architecture gets is detrimental to the discipline. The recent visit to BAS also confirms my notion that good institute refrain itself from any such deviation. We need much stronger critical theory to bring architecture where it belongs to, or i fear, if thats the course of future than media determines what is good architecture. In such case than media would flourish, architects would flourish, & collective mediocrity would flourish.

Ethical and Moral Construct of Modern