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Confessions of a designer

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!” A statement as old as civilisation itself, reiterated through the history by writers, poets and artists. But is ‘beauty’, really in the eye of the beholder? How then, have we all conformed to the same standards of ‘beauty’? Are we emulating the ‘good’ because it was voiced by a stronger and louder personality with a sense of euphemism that cannot be denied. ... ... ... As design students, we are not taught to appreciate the importance of aesthetics, we are supposed to inherently possess the knowledge. However, each of us come from a different lifestyle with preconceived notions of how the surroundings should be. Just as curated knowledge cannot override the emotional biases completely, global exposure to standards cannot eliminate locally imbibed, culturally derived sense of aesthetics. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder… Only through art can we emerge from ourselves and know what another person sees. —  Marcel Proust
Recent posts

Architecture will always be my first love…

O nce upon a time, when I was young(er), the tiny world around me was religiously devoted towards the preparation for the rest of their lives. Plans, charts, objectives, desires and goals. They sought ‘stable’ and relatively popular educational options, following the trail of many ‘successful’ people. I, on the other hand, stood my ground, refusing to ride the bandwagon. I had my qualms about jumping into a world full of engineers and doctors, not that these professions are not alluring, but they did not intrigue ME at the time. As a child I never had one favourite subject. Each year heard me declare my love for one or more subjects. Science, language, mathematics, history, fine arts, performing arts, have all held me in rapture at one point or the other. For far too long, I had planted one foot on the ground, while the other on a boat, strongly threatening to float away. And then, I decided to dive. Letting the waves and current lap me up in their flow, I felt like Gu

A day in our name...

"Happy Women's Day!!!"  Come 8th March and the chant begins. Some really do believe in it, some don't, but go along nonetheless and the rest vehemently oppose. I'm not particularly joyous enough to say it aloud, though if anyone wishes me, I thank them politely. To me, the celebration of this 'one day' seems a little worrisome. So I balance myself precariously with my feet in two different boats, sailing through the fast current. Just like any other new idea, this one comes along with its own baggage of pros and cons. And yes, I do believe this concept is new. One day!  Today of all days,  I feel marginalised. Rationally thinking, why should me and my fellow women of the world get just one day to ourselves... International Women's Day! What about the remaining 364 days of the year, not considering the leap years. Do we restrict the celebration of womanhood to this one day? Or do we get so remarkably busy living that we need a day to remind u

The book was better

Are you/ were you at some point an avid reader?  Then you must have  quipped "the book was better" more than once. As a dancer, I learnt early on how one expresses with every tiny gesture. With a pen in my hand, thick sheets of paper underneath, being able to put words to my expressions makes me feel alive. Maybe my eyes do tell a story, but its often the ink that intricately elaborates it. Words, thus, are an insight into an author's life. Written pieces, even the smallest sentence, of pure fictional origin, somehow draws its first breath from its writer.  The pen is fuelled with ink dipped in experiences that left the writer's soul parched or inspired.  If you are nodding your head, or agreeing to this someway, then the rest of the blog would be much relatable. If you have any questions, you may turn back or continue to read with skepticism surrounding every word henceforth.  If writing, the act of creating narratives from an expression or idea, is personal

A brief history of story telling... maybe...

Inspiration knows no boundaries.  It can come from anywhere and hit you. A tiny pat on the back might not make you cross over the bridge, but a smack across your arm will make you lunge for that one thing you desire.  Sometimes, you have a really well articulated idea, demanding narration and publicity. But mostly, you only hear whispers. Like small wisps of imagination, these whispers take nurturing and constant attention to grow into the stories they become. However, before they become stories, they go through 'growing up' just as we do. The infant with a hint of greatness ahead but lacking in communication. Anything you write at this stage, feels inadequate and raw.  Keep trying and your story grows into a smart child. Petulant maybe, or even stubborn and yet imaginative with an insatiable curiosity. This is the most imaginative part of the idea but with no anchors and unconstrained wanderings. At this point your story seems to move in multiple directions with no defini

Letters in gold and all that is old...

If you have been reading my blog for a while now, then I believe you are aware of my obsession with books. And with the territory of my love for reading comes my immediate lust for bookstores. Especially old ones. Each bookstore is like a treasure island, hiding deep secrets in the highest shelves and enticing me with beautiful leather bound spines. The older the place, higher the shelves and deeper the secrets.  I have been on the hunt for antique bookstores for a while now. On prowl, I often visit quaint streets and calm lanes, away from the crowd. Breaking all my assumptions,  the recent one I discovered, is in the heart of London and ever so exquisite. Any street in Leicester Square is full of people in the evenings. Drinks, food and good times. Come one, come all, Leicester square has something for everyone. The chatter and vehicles buzzing past me drown every sense one could feel, and still I walked steadfastly on my trail. My wonderful smartphone was thirsty and unable to h

Something Borrowed

“She drinks pints of coffee and writes little observations and ideas for stories with her best fountain pen on the linen-white pages of expensive notebooks. Sometimes, when it's going badly, she wonders if what she believes to be a love of the written word is really just a fetish for stationery.”  - One Day, David Nicholls