B-Log

The land of stock photography is more coloured now. It has acquired a few new shades.
Now flooded with pictures of Indians, proliferation was never before expected to show its traits in such ways.

Wherever you search, something Indian would appear atleast once on each page of the search result. No more are we depicted through pictures of Rajasthan or roadside beggars. Our pics are as slick, classy and clean as the others’.

The country has started to make a mark at every level in the world. The world needs to cover all the developments and its effects. We are also becoming more comfortable in our skins. Realising that being an Indian isn’t such a bad thing after all. There’s a revival of national pride. Therefore brands talk to us with visuals which depict us as we are. Indians are working at par with people of other nationalities. They have more things under their control now. Therefore, commanding more respect.

It is being recognised that we have a different set of perception and identity. Our value sets and aspirations are unique.

This is, as I said… just a trait… a sign.

I saw this chair at Kilol in New Delhi and stared at the hinge for a while, trying to figure what the hell is it doing there. Could not understand if it was just some ornamentation or was it designed to do something. I started to fidget with it and just then a rather bemused sales lady showed me what it really was. (I assume she does this everyday in order to maintain the chair’s existence.)

And there it was. It opened up into a step-ladder. I loved the way it hinted you that it can turn into something and teases you. And then there’s this “wow” moment of seeing the way it’s designed and it’s transformation. I am not sure if it was really an old chair or was it conditioned to make it seem so. The store has ethnic Indian clothes and linen. And if the chair is old… just imagine the sense of design and utility they used to have back then.

There you have my handsome model, Adi, demonstrating how to use the step-ladder who’s head I mistakenly chopped off in the shot while rushing to make sure he doesn’t jump off the ladder.

I’ve started to believe that the best things don’t exist. They exist but one doesn’t realise that they do. They are there and yet not there.

Only when you are not aware of things, is when things happen the best. I think too much effort is spent on being aware and less on doing something or anything.

Only when you stop being aware of yourself, is when you are at your best. Such are the best things in life.

It’s like a fun place to work. Work which does not feel like work at all. It’s fun. It’s one’s passion. And often I wonder if I should be getting paid for having so much fun?)
It’s like a good actor. Only when you don’t feel that he as ‘acted’ is when he has acted the best.
It’s like comfortable clothing. Only when you’re not conscious of what you’re wearing is when you’re at your natural self.
It’s like a good plan. A plan that works so smoothly and effortlessly that it doesn’t feel like a plan at all.
It’s like good design. Something that works so well and creates such an experience that it doesn’t feel like it has been designed. It feels like a part of one’s life.

Design emerges from and for need. Often we humans misinterpret these needs. We humans…? i.e. beings at my institute.

The tuft of insulation guarding their grey-matter from the chilly winds, has suddenly lost all meaning and cause. Or, chances are that they all hail from Down Under, and got their seasons all confused.

It’s not that people had never done it before. But now, it’s an epidemic which has swallowed atleast 6 people in the last 3 days.

Whatever may be the reason, men with perfectly healthy, bouncy, silky hair are going bare. Shed those locks and shaven their heads.

Is bald the new beautiful?

Means to ends. So fiercely we protect and pray for them both.
Workplace and home. Sacred.
India.