Art of Noticing
Shelter
Have you ever paid a close attention to the ad billboard, or brochure of any housing projects?
They are almost sure to have a non-native, pale skinned model exercising in a gym.
Or a happy white family with blond haired kids playing around.
Or a healthy elderly couples (non-local) walking in the exotic mini park within the premise.
I have hardly seen any middle class, dark-colored humans, in the advertisements of these concepts yet.
What is it that these builders and promoters are trying to convey here?
Are they exploiting the upper middle class mindset of society, which has assumed the superiority of the western lifestyle on self? By having western essence in the advertisements, is promoter trying to deliver the lie of comfort and delight to the deluded individual?
Hundreds of projects around Bengaluru are in shambled state within 10 years of the erection. They stand, as the sheer evidence, for the false promises imposed on the fantasy of ownership.
Restrictions
Recently, when we were strolling around the streets of BTM Layout, we spotted a dog pooping in the middle of the road. The owner of the dog picked up the poop and immediately dumped it inside a plastic bag which he had carried along. Having witnessed too much of weirdness in this era of social media influenced society, we were wondering if any new trend has started online! Within a minute, we spotted the above board. Felt relieved, realizing that the world has not gone completely insane yet. But are we in the beginning of it?
Clearly, the above rule applies only to the house dogs. Street dogs give a damn about this dog shit.
As a part of cultured and educated society, we too have bound ourselves into set of rules and regulations, which applies only to the domesticated humans.
Instructions are everywhere. Follow traffic rules, wear masks/ helmet/seatbelts, pay taxes, don’t litter the place, No parking, No honking, Go slow, No billboards etc.
Those who are concerned will follow without imposition, and those who are not will not abide by them genuinely anyway.
What if you had authority to put your own sign boards over the places, what would you have written?
Below are my choices:
- Queue please : At each bus station
- Wash your hands: Male pee stations
- No entry: for late comers in movie theaters
- Behave responsibly: at tourist places
- No cake cutting: At weddings / public places
- No phones: Inside a theater
- No Music: At Restaurants
And the list grows…
Unheeded
The above images are of the stone structures formed naturally at St Mary’s Island, Udupi, India.
Even though they seem perfectly symmetrically and artificially sculpted, there is no humans’ contribution for this beauty.
Strange and sad thing to note here is that most of the tourists visiting this island, ignore this very beauty, for which this island is famous for. As soon as they enter the island, they swarm into the water and spend time playing in the beach.
Curious
He has a limitless sky to fly, countless flowers to visit and a lovely partner to connect with.
All he is curious about is, in the reflection where he meets himself and the familiar world, flipped.
Have you ever tried to notice the tiny birds flying around your surroundings? I tried and identified a bunch. here they are.
The details we miss
What is the best way to observe or study an ordinary surrounding, in detail?
I believe, it is by painting the scene. It is while drawing and painting that we observe the minute little details, those subtle colors that define the ambience. Painting is the best way to evaluate ourselves and see what we easily overlook.
It is when we sit to draw a simple image, we just saw on our way back from a morning walk, that we understand how many details we miss seeing in our day-to-day life.
By the way, what are the colors of the leaves of the tree standing outside your room window?