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Journalism of Courage
We met Daku at a farmhouse. A couch conversation led to his latest work at various points in the city,where Stop signs have stickers with messages such as Stop Honking,Stop Shopping and Stop Raping near malls and flyovers. The graffiti artist was one of the many participants at the Unbox Festival at Zorba.
In its third edition,this year,the organisers Quicksand,Codesign,BLOT! and Blindboys chose to break the theatre-seating format of a design fest to hold a more mash-up style,exploratory,programme. There were multiple stages,several work rooms,bespoke lab spaces and open resource networks spread across four days. If one group was discussing the viability of cycle commerce,another was exploring the construction of sound through a demonstration of repairing violins.
On its heels,was the India Design 2013,a stylish platform to establish India on the global design map,which had star designers and visionaries from India and abroad share their ideas and experiences,held at the NSIC Exhibition Grounds in Okhla. While the seminar format hadnt changed,something else was happening. The contemporary Indian exhibits by Indian designers seemed to have evolved to a global standard. Collaborations took place,new materials were explored and fresh idioms were translated into everyday living room objects.
The organisers,Ogaan Publications,showed what attention to detailing meant,with their colour-coordinated dining table chairs,paper windmills in corners and lounge areas that were crafted by modern Indian aesthetics. What we found particularly intriguing is the idea of love that every international designer emphasised on,something we dont hear of in design circles in India. Italian designer Fabio Novembre,for instance,believes designers must make things for love,not to feed their egos.
While critics of the festival thought more Indian design could have been showcased rather than giant structures of Italian goods,others claim,for a first time,it was important to look good. Heres where we would have wanted one of Dakus signs,which would read Stop Pretending.
