Issue Four

The Kerala Issue

 

Dayanita Singh's Kochi Box

We chat with the photographer and bookmaker about her explorations with the book object and finding the intersection between book and exhibition. 

 

 
Interactive, multi-disciplinary festival Unbox makes a return after a five year hiatus from 15th - 17th February in Bangalore, with a unique programme that aims to “deconstruct the past, deliberate on the present and assemble ideal futures”. Visit @unboxfestival for tickets and more details. Here are some of LOVER’s picks for Day 2 (16th Feb) 1030am Letters x Places Inspired from local hand painted signage, this workshop by Universal Thirst will give participants an introduction to Kannada letters. It makes space to observe and interact with letterforms by creating a personalised piece of lettering. 11am Reporting from the Countryside People's Archive of Rural India (PARI) share their journalistic approach to archiving and documenting the lives and cultures that don't make headlines. How do they find their stories? What are the challenges that come with reporting from within unheard and unknown communities? 5pm Future Scenarios for the World of Work A 15 min lightning talk by Urvashi Aneja of Tandem Research with visuals by Avinash Kumar of Quicksand on how emerging technologies are rapidly transforming the world of work - from the types of jobs to ways of working, followed by discussions and interactions. 530pm Let's Talk about 'Here' “Social media is surveillance capitalism created by greedy men who are feeding off your every little joke, sunset photo and hows-my-family-this-morning posts. Jon Rogers on going offline and the real places we love.
Interactive, multi-disciplinary festival Unbox makes a return after a five year hiatus from 15th - 17th February in Bangalore. @unboxfestival brings together technologists, activists, policy makers and the creative community to ideate and collaborate on the most pressing challenges facing India today. By examining themes such as humanising technology, the role of technology in ecology and conservation, emerging economies, inclusive design and reimagining cultures, UnBox Festival 2019 aims to “deconstruct the past, deliberate on the present and assemble ideal futures”. The unique festival programme encourages participants to explore intersections across design, art, culture, technology, social innovation, enterprise and policy via storytelling sessions, panel discussions, workshops, exhibitions, installations and performances. The three day event takes place at the Bangalore International Centre in Domlur. For tickets, head over to the link in @unboxfestival’s bio. Here are some of LOVER’s picks for Day 1 (15th Feb) 10.30am A Thousand Wells Across Bangalore S Vishwanath on what has been done for Bangalore’s lakes and perhaps more importantly, what can be done by individuals and small groups that can bring positive change. 12pm Learning Cultures Bas Raijmakers and Aakash Sethi in dialogue about the shift from training cultures confined to classrooms, to a learning culture that is founded on collective knowledge and expertise and is built on a premise of lifelong learning. 2.30pm What is your feminist infrastructure wishlist? The Center for Internet & Society and Nayantara Ranganathan explore what it means to have infrastructure that is feminist by creating spaces, networks, and systems that are equal, inclusive, diverse, and accessible. 5pm Tech Ecologies Is it possible for technology and ecology to work in tandem, in sustainable ways, to enrich rather than devastate the natural world? A panel discussion on the ways in which technology and ecology might co-exist productively through means of art, design, story-telling, DIY science and imaginative conservation.
Inspired by cardboard’s insulating properties @cardboardbombay was designed to equally comfort both the solo diner or working professional, as a socialising group. #cardboardbombay #indiandesign
Excluding core, shell and services, the tables, chairs and bar stools, light fittings, products and sculptural walls at @cardboardbombay are fabricated from cardboard. (P.S. Even the dowels are made from the material!) #cardboardbombay #indiandesign 📸 @thisisweeny
@cardboardbombay, BKC’s most recently launched all day cafe is made out of what else, cardboard. 40000 sq feet of this recyclable and biodegradable material if we’re getting into numbers. Designed by architect @nurukarim and fabricated by Haresh Mehta, Cardboard is an experience, both a cafe and an installation which advocates sustainability. 📸 @thisisweeny
Excited for subscribers, friends and family joining tomorrow’s bazaar walk around Mangaldas Market with @bombaywalla and @nomad97india, who recently set up their first permanent home in the neighbourhood. Tour their store on LOVER now. Find the link in our bio. #indiandesign #loverandco
Now on LOVER: a tour of @nomad97india’s first permanent home and an ode to the fabric shops surrounding it. Link in bio. P.S. We’ve teamed up with No-Mad and @bombaywalla for a curated bazaar walk around Mangaldas Market. DM us to register your interest. #indiandesign #loverandco #viewonweb
Coming up in LOVER’s current retail issue - the @nomad97india Fabric Shop in Mangaldas Market is an ode to the bazaar, designed to mimic the traditional gadda-covered wholesale fabric shops in the neighbourhood. #indiandesign #retaildesign #loverandco
“Is there a fundamental difference between an artist and artisan?” “An artisan will always have the capacity to become an artist, but an artist can never become an artisan. He wouldn’t want to either, not in our art scene. Unfortunately an artisan is seen as one of lower status, with less pay, and no fame in sight. What many don’t recognise is that an artist may be responsible for the idea, but an artisan is the one who carries it out both technically and aesthetically. Without artisans, the Indian art, design, and fashion world would topple.“ @sudheerrajbhar of @chamarstudio on the backbone of the creative industries. On LOVER now. Link in bio. #indiandesign #sustainabledesign #loverandco
 

ART

Scenes from the Kochi Biennale

Illustrators Sameer Kulavoor and Lokesh Karekar let us peek into their travel sketchbooks.
 

 

TRAVEL

The Museum Hotel

We stay at a little known boutique hotel in Cochin that is at once ephemeral in nature and filled with history. 

 

 

 

DESIGN

Gunjan Gupta's Chairy Tale

An interview with the artist and designer about her exhibition Kissa Kursi Ka.

 

ART

3BHK

We get comfortable at  Home Sweet Home's Kochi exhibition and discuss the curious case of Bangalore's apartment art galleries. 

DESIGN

Viakerala

We visit the studio and flagship store of homegrown design label Viakerala and talk identity, animals and Malayalam type with its founder Theresa J. George.

 

 

 

 

DESIGN

At Home with Annah Chakola 

Take a tour of this BohoGypsy's Kochi abode.

 

 

 

 

ART 

Dia Mehta Bhupal

Our pick from the 3rd Kochi Muziris Biennale, the Hyderabad-based photographer who sculpts her subjects lets us into her world.