In the world of Visual Art, we are standing atop a cliff, over looking a sea of infinite possibilities, but we are too overwhelmed by our inability to see beyond the horizon of what we already know. Still firmly rooted in the past, like in other walks of life, we are unable to let go of what we're so used to. The future awaits, seducing us to make the plunge and dive in and begin our tireless swim to the shore of infinite possibilities.
All is changing as painting, photography, film, animation, architecture, the performing arts and science & technology are becoming more and more integrated, blurring the lines that divide us, erasing titles and previous notions. To all the traditionalists who question the integrity and quality of these new media as Art, i say "F**k you and your myopic vision!" The canvas of creation dwells far beyond the realms of oil, acrylic and gouache, and cannot be comprehended by the bulging egos of artists, critics and gallery owners. The process of creation and the creation itself is all that matters. Even artists are just an expression of the collective consciousness, so there is no need to put oneself on a pedestal.
The works of art of the future will talk, move, touch and feel. They will jump with joy, squeal in agony and radiate with bliss that will slide into the experience of the viewer. The future works of art will not just be heard, seen and touched, they will be felt, within. The wall between the viewer and the creation will collapse and combine the observer with the observed. People will take home with them in their minds, more than just a mere sensory experience, and the need to ask the creator "what does this mean?" or "what are you trying to say?" will vanish. Art of the future will go beyond the need for words and commentary to supplement for lack of creative expressiveness.
But, will we accept these changes? Will we make the plunge, and begin our long swim towards the new shore? Or will we continue to splash in the ponds of what we shat out so long ago?
Only time will tell, but for some reason that i can't quite put my finger on, i'm feeling rather optimistic.
Friday, October 29, 2010
Numbers
Numbers are the trignometry through which we understand the arithmetic of life.Numbers are important to:
the mathematician- lost in the struggle to code the universe,
the astrologer who maps the movements of the celestials,
the stock broker who has had to sell his house, car and even his wife,
and the gambler who lives by the roll of the dice.
The only true number is Zero, which is greater even than infinity.
the mathematician- lost in the struggle to code the universe,
the astrologer who maps the movements of the celestials,
the stock broker who has had to sell his house, car and even his wife,
and the gambler who lives by the roll of the dice.
The only true number is Zero, which is greater even than infinity.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Karma Yogi Series: Red light Vigilante
Morena, Madhya pradesh
September 2010 Courtesy: Harmony, The Magazine
The sickly old woman came running across the courtyard of the dilapidated dwelling, and began to sob. “I am suffering netaji. You are our only hope. There is no money, only news of a pension and my health is getting worse!” She prostrated before him, as if he were some kind of a God, and continued to lament at his feet. He comforts her, reassuring her that things will be better. The Netaji, the woman was lamenting to is Ramsnehi. A tireless vigilante, who has been rescuing women and young girls from the evil of prostitution in the region since 1952.
Ramsnehi, was born to a farmer in 1933 of the Bedia community, in the notorious Chambal district, famous for dacoits, prostitution and drug trafficking. Since the time of the Mogul Empire, prostitution has been the Bedia’s traditional occupation, after which they have fallen down the ladder of high society, from catering to the zamindars and now even truck drivers. The women have been the breadwinners, while the men are lazy drunks who pimp them. Snehi’s first real experience and understanding came when he visited his aunt, a prostitute, in Meerut, in 1953. The apathy he witnessed amongst the women of his community moved him so much, that he vowed to devote his life to abolish the flesh trade from within his community. So acute was the problem, that till 1957, no bedia had married, as it was strictly forbidden within the community, and girls were ceremoniously initiated into prostitution as soon as they hit puberty. Those who refused were forced into it, and the often streets echoed with the screams of young girls as they were beaten up for not earning their allotted quota for the day or refusing to solicit clients. A Bedia soliciting truck drivers on the highway earns any where between 15-50 rupees a customer, while those who’s relatives are more ambitious are sent to Metros such as Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi, and from there on, the girls are often sold in the Gulf and other parts of the world. “All these women are my mothers, daughters and sisters. How could I just watch all this and do nothing?”
The sickly old woman came running across the courtyard of the dilapidated dwelling, and began to sob. “I am suffering netaji. You are our only hope. There is no money, only news of a pension and my health is getting worse!” She prostrated before him, as if he were some kind of a God, and continued to lament at his feet. He comforts her, reassuring her that things will be better. The Netaji, the woman was lamenting to is Ramsnehi. A tireless vigilante, who has been rescuing women and young girls from the evil of prostitution in the region since 1952.
Ramsnehi, was born to a farmer in 1933 of the Bedia community, in the notorious Chambal district, famous for dacoits, prostitution and drug trafficking. Since the time of the Mogul Empire, prostitution has been the Bedia’s traditional occupation, after which they have fallen down the ladder of high society, from catering to the zamindars and now even truck drivers. The women have been the breadwinners, while the men are lazy drunks who pimp them. Snehi’s first real experience and understanding came when he visited his aunt, a prostitute, in Meerut, in 1953. The apathy he witnessed amongst the women of his community moved him so much, that he vowed to devote his life to abolish the flesh trade from within his community. So acute was the problem, that till 1957, no bedia had married, as it was strictly forbidden within the community, and girls were ceremoniously initiated into prostitution as soon as they hit puberty. Those who refused were forced into it, and the often streets echoed with the screams of young girls as they were beaten up for not earning their allotted quota for the day or refusing to solicit clients. A Bedia soliciting truck drivers on the highway earns any where between 15-50 rupees a customer, while those who’s relatives are more ambitious are sent to Metros such as Mumbai, Kolkata and Delhi, and from there on, the girls are often sold in the Gulf and other parts of the world. “All these women are my mothers, daughters and sisters. How could I just watch all this and do nothing?”
Sunday, October 3, 2010
The Game
From the most awesome love making you've had in you're life time, or being stuck in traffic for an hour and a half or the death of a loved one, its all a scam. Maya. An illusion. a view of the world that you you are projecting onto your self, and the people and things around you. Its all a game. And in this game, there are no winners, no loosers. Just the game and the players. Even those, pretending to sit on the sidelines, without any interest or concern, are playing the game. Their role, in a reel of infinite takes and retakes and retakes. And much like bollywood, we dance, sing, cry, scorn. But in this film, we each can take up what ever role we want. You can choose to play the Hero, and i the villian that tries to slay you or the hot goddess of love that you've come to encounter after many life times of being apart. Whether you slay me, or make love to me, dosen't matter. But it also matters, coz the way you slay me, or make love to me, is how you will be slain or made love to in another movie, on another set, maybe in some other galaxy. At the end of it, we all pack up and call it a day, moving on to another set, another role, another set of characters, another world.
But illusion does not necessarily mean no fun. You can use you're illusions to make you're world what ever you want it to be. Whether its being King of Tumbak Tu, or driving a Ferrari with a hot blonde in the passenger seat, groaning all along the drive coz she's dying to navigate you're dick right into her pit lane; or simply inventing a eco friendly substitute for paper world wide. You can choose what you want to do. But myfriend, it is now that i ask you the question, do you think you know what you want. If yes, go ahead, satisfy that desire. That and the countless others that come you're way, for In the dominoe of your desires, will the pattern of reality unfold, and the meaning of truth will assimilate into you. A desire that pinches the mind is way better satiated than shoved under the carpet. But, whether you feel good about your self depends on how pure that attempt to satisfy that desire is. For all desire is pure. It is the darkness that works behind the scenes, so that we may bathe in light. for we are all the light, projected by the darkness into itself.
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