Design for Dignity & AccessAbility: 2 Swedish exhibitions at NID

Estimated reading time : 3.5 minutes

Hej Hej Tjena!

The National Institute of Design and the Consulate General of Sweden in Mumbai have organised a Swedish exhibition ‘Design for Dignity’ which showcases products that are designed to improve the quality of life for differently abled people. Produced by the Swedish Institute, the exhibition encompasses 22 products and highlights the importance and benefits of being inclusive while developing products for the future.

A photo exhibition titled ‘AccessAbility’ based on the everyday life stories of differently abled Swedish and Indian individuals, is on display as well. ‘AccessAbility’ consists of personal accounts of 14 individuals from Sweden by Swedish photographer Markus Marcetic and 11 individuals from India by Indian photographer Sunil Thakkar. These images tell stories of their dreams, hopes, sorrows, love, family, daily life, work and spare time.

(source : NID mass email)  

(a flyer from the exhibition)

Semiotics

Semiotics is the study of meaning making. Semiotic analysis looks for the cultural and psychological patterns that underline language, art and other cultural expressions.

Plato, Aristotle, Saussure , Jacques Derrida, Levi Strauss, Roland Barthes etc. have deeply contributed to this study of semiotics. Gender studies, study of myths, Study of objects, study of the human mind  etc. all are included under semiotics.

Perception of Female Beauty

All of us have different notions of beauty and as women we try to live up to that. We, women aren't happy with our complexions and therefore we are responsible for the huge fairness creams market or the tanning lotion market. Shampoo advertisements show that women get long, flowing, billowing hair after using their unique shampoo. The lip balm, lip gloss, mascara, eyeliner, kohl, lip liner, eye shadow industries are booming because of us.

A female is considered beautiful if
1. She has long, flowing hair
2. She is fair
3. She has a curvy figure but is thin at the same time
4. She has expressive eyes and sensuous lips
5. Soft -spoken
and you can add your own perceptions to this list.

like-obsess- ocd

I have written this blog to explain the differences and the fine links between liking something, being obsessed with something and obsessive compulsive disorder.

Obsessions happen because :

1. You want something truly with your heart but can't have it.
2. You want something but know that it is bad for you so you force your mind to divert from giving attention to that habit/ object.

Obsessions can be with anything. For instance girls might be obsessed about a particular guy so they become clingy which might chase away the guy. In this case the girl wants something truly with her heart but can't have it. Another example of being obsessed - Suppose x wants to smell shoe polish all the time because it smells so good but doesn't because he knows the harmful effects of it.Sometimes people are obsessed with food.They don't eat to live but live to eat. Reasons for that might be many like stress levels or pressures in our lives.

When we know the bad repercussions of our obsessions then we have enough power within us to control them. If we do those things/ take those things in a controlled and regulated manner and we will be guilt free.

But everyday simple obsessions cannot be confused with obsessive compulsive disorder. In O.C.D. people feel the need to check things repeatedly or have certain thoughts to perform rituals over and over again. These actions cause distress and get in the way of daily life.

Healthy people also have rituals, such as checking to see if the stove is off several times before leaving the house. The difference is that people with OCD perform their rituals even though doing so interferes with daily life and they find the repetition distressing. Although most adults with OCD recognize that what they are doing is senseless, some adults and most children may not realize that their behavior is out of the ordinary.

There are advantages of O.C.D. as well:
Suppose one wants to check the security of the house again and again before sleeping. This is an advantage as, the slightest chance of an intruder getting in might be eliminated. Also, the person who checks the door would get mental peace.

All of us without realizing or not realizing have a few obsessions.There is a great difference between liking something and being obsessed with it. When you start liking something too much then it becomes an obsession. People with O.C.D. are not abnormal. they are normal human beings so should be treated as one. Do not worry about obsessions if you know that you can control them.

Sample Newspaper Report

Sample Newspaper Report

The date has been manipulated.

Any resemblance to characters - living or dead is purely coincidental.

IN THE TERRITORY OF SWORDFISH

-Harshika Jain

30 June 1984

An NCC expedition off the Bombay Coast, 60 nautical miles into the seas was in operation on the INS Ranjit, a destroyer Naval War ship. It was a part of the All India Public Schools Camps.

As a part of a mock drill, a log of wood weighing 25-30 kg was dropped off into the sea. There were waves which made the wood piece sway and float here and there. The boys on board who knew how to swim had to go fetch the wood. All backed off except one boy – Vinod K.Kumar  from Modern Public School, Delhi who was willing to take the risk.

He got down into a 4ft x 2ft navy raft with a navy personnel and they paddled towards the log of wood. 200-300m away from the log, he was asked to jump into the sea, swim and get it back. The journey towards the wood was on the most part uneventful. But when he was coming back with the piece of wood along with him, he was followed by a swordfish.  Luckily he was very close to the boat. Otherwise this act of bravery might have turned into a gory bloodbath.

Desh Hamara, Nagar Hamare, TV Show

Desh Hamara, Nagar Hamare

WRITTEN BY- HARSHIKA JAIN

Assumption: I am the TV compare and I’m giving the viewers a cultural tour of Delhi.

Me: Hello everyone! Today our channel ‘Love to Travel’ is going to cover the cultural hub of all cities! Any guesses? (Pause) Yes it’s DELHI! Every city has a unique quotient that sets it apart. Delhi’s spirit is not to be trifled with. It is a unique amalgamation of 7 cities. (Pause)

SCENE1:
Me: we will begin with the Imperial Architecture of Delhi.

Threshold

Alice: Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?
The Cheshire Cat: That depends a good deal on where you want to get to.
Alice: I don't much care where.
The Cheshire Cat: Then it doesn't much matter which way you go.
Alice: So long as I get somewhere.
The Cheshire Cat: Oh, you're sure to do that, if only you walk long enough.”
- Lewis Carrol, Alice in Wonderland

Threshold, a new beginning, an entrance, all those words were buzzing in my mind for a long time. I tried to co- relate the word with our life and found many similarities. In fact many, many similarities. The word may have different connotations and hold a different significance for people.

Comparing threshold to our life, becoming a teenager, beginning college, becoming someone’s sister in law etc. all are new beginnings for us. I feel that each day of our colourful and sometimes not so colourful life is a threshold. With so many opportunities being thrust at us, we keep on wondering which doorknob to turn and enter. Just like Alice got somewhere after crossing many thresholds, same is with us human beings. Days are also like doors. One day ends and we are at the threshold of another day.

Memories, happy, sad and bittersweet speed through my mind like flashes of lightning. All the numerous thresholds that were crossed, the real and imaginary doors that were stepped into all are being remembered. Oh, that hilarious moment when I actually ran into a glass door and instead of stepping out of the door, the broken glass pieces stepped out of me.

The emergency horns in the flight are blaring. I am standing on the wing of the airplane. We had to evacuate the plane due to some glitches. The next moment would be a threshold, a threshold to be a part of the wind and be a companion of its wanderings. I only have to walk or rather fly long enough.

3-2-1 and...

My Experience at Nami Island, NAMBOOK 010

I heard a lot about Nami Island before going there. Even at home, months before going, I was very excited. I attended a book festival NAMBOOK 010 there. When we arrived at the banks of the Bukhan River, a breathtaking view awaited us. I was awed by the beauty of the river and I could almost predict what wonders lay ahead of me. Finally we boarded the ferry and after five minutes, we were delivered on the Island. Tall furs and pine trees were there and the whole Island was bustling with activity. I could see loads of people and some cyclists flew past us.

Eco Friendly Nami Island (Naminara)

-Harshika Jain. All rights reserved.

Nami Island is a place which nurtures creativity. Most of the structures on Nami such as statues, décor and installments have been made from recycled material. The three ‘R’s are followed here namely- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Everything ranging from water to scrap metal to glass bottles is reused and recycled here. This is what which makes the island unique. Now let me site some examples.