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Planet KHOJBefore I visit Vidarbha: a sound installationAcross last month at Khoj, I worked on a processing sketch titled, “Before I Visit Vidarbha.” It attempts to carry forward my exploration of urban food systems as a part of the PetPuja project. Background: Some 90,000 farmers have killed themselves in parts of India. Many reasons have been ascribed to this. And the government has gone from denial to acknowledgment to offering limited solutions. The media has of course been following this extensively. Some deeply, some not. More can be read about here, here and here. This project explores how highly complex issues like this could be experienced in some interactive sonic/musical way. Description of project: This is a musical instrument which sonically interprets the farmer suicide cases reported in the English media. There are two two layers of sound, one a chant and the other a groan. The buttons at the corners of the red triangle can be pressed to add sounds to the soundscape. The comment here is on the way grassroot situations are dealt with at macro/governmental levels it becomes a play, a game. The visitors to the installation were invited to similarly play with the situation. The way they want. The repetitiveness of the keywords which are picked up from news reports hints on the limited vocabulary the media works with to interpret this situation. Technical description: RSS feeds of news reports of the farmer suicide cases are pulled in (thanks newsrack) keywords are extracted and built into a chant (using the text-to-speach for Processing: RiTa). The groan is built by chanting the same words very slowly (words/minute). The buttons manipulate Sine waves of different frequencies. Documentation:
This is the recorded sound of one of the sessions: vid1.mp3 The project works best when run as a desktop application: CitySpinning @ Khoj (pictures)
CitySpinning @ Khoj (pictures)
From an 'ex- eveteaser'1. Your - age- background
Age: 29 Software Engg 2. why do you refer to yourself as an ex 'eve teaser'. what did you do? I have given up on eve teasing. I got introduced to you by narrating my story. 3. what is eve teasing to you- what was the range of things that you did Mostly caressing the bottom or thighs in crowded places. Rubbing private parts against the butt. 4. when and why did you stop? Because I was punished in public. 5. how do you approach a woman stranger now? if you find her attractive? I am married now. So no question of approaching. I have lot of friends who are girls. 6. how did you hear about Blank Noise When I was browsing regarding eve teasing. 7. did you discuss being an 'eve teaser' , strategies and ways with your male friends? No I used to operate alone. To my friends I was a decent guy. 8. did anyone except the woman who experienced it, really know that you could violate someone? No. I had a decent image. 9. do you feel that 'teasing' to an extent is ok? if yes then where do you draw the line? No it is not acceptable in any form or shape. The answers are not meant to be seen as absolutes or solutions. It is but 1 person's experience. I thank him for sharing. Some of the others in the mass of peopleListen and read below In conversation with some men on the streets of Delhi and Bangalore. These men were from across age groups 19- 65 and mostly from a mid income group or low income group. Some were tourist guides, some shop owners, auto rickshaw drivers, student union campaigner. According to you, what kind of man sexually harasses or 'eve teases' women on the street? "It's the impulsive type of guy that teases girls" "It's the youth that eve teases girls on the street. Another person will treat her as his granddaughter or niece. If he calls for her on the street, he will perceive her as a family member". "The guys who try to act smart are the ones that tease women. I don't know how to be smart or play cool..I am not like them". "I am telling you. I am from a decent family. I don't do this kind of stuff. I go out to do my work and I come back home straight after that". "The kind of guy that teases his sister will tease a woman on the street". "It's the 3rd class or the middle class guy that harasses women". What attracts you to a woman? what kind of woman? what about her? what do you do then? " Her figure. Her body. If she has a good figure I am interested in sex, only sex. I am not interested in marriage". " ...her hairstyle. her removing her hair from her face.." " She should look fit. Others should find her attractive. Her body- her chest, hips...she should have a flat stomach, other parts of her figure should protrude. She should have nice hips". " Clothes? I like women in sexy clothes". " I remember she was wearing a pink colour suit, I remember her hair, I remember her make up, her eyes....I really wanted to approach her. I wanted my eyes to speak to her...and try to approach her". " I like the simple and sober girls. The girl who wears a simple salwar suit and braids her hair. she should have long hair". "...I gave her my mobile number and said that your incoming is free and my outgoing is free". " ...I could sit down on my knees and let her know that she is the most beautiful girl in the world". " I like foreigner girls". " I do have a mother and a sister. I dont have a girlfriend or wife. Will you be mine?" For those of you familiar with how it works in India- the most frequently delivered line to an 'eve teaser' is- ghar mein maa behen nahin hai kya? Don't you have a mother or sister at home? Credits to Ekta and Rajshekhar from Blank Noise who were instrumental to making this happen. Prelude 1Before we begin the 'Gent's Only' event we will be making publishing a few ideas that will hopefully bring to notice the range of men on the street.
For starters, we found this on youtube. Posted by someone called the 'missing agent'. This video has been called "Eve Teasing at the Party". FUN? module for jacket: portable snack kitThe module (attached to the jacket in the picture below) is made from milk packets and cloth. Four pockets are sticked to a foam piece with velcro to stick to the jacket. The four pockets can be used to sprout moong, gram, beans etc., in quantity enough for a good snack.
“Voice” under the safdarjung flyoverThe message behind the jacket says: “Yeh meri jagah hai” (this is my place).
When I stood under and around the flyover, my jacket saying that “This space is mine,” a drunk guard came and asked me how I could lay a claim on the flyover. It belonged to PWD. He called his senior on the phone and told him that some person was claiming ownership of the flyover! “Voice” @ the Parliament + Rashtrapati BhavanThe message behind the jacket says: “Yeh meri jagah hai” (this is my place).
“Voice” @ Delhi UniversityVoice @ Delhi UniversityThe "Voice" performances at Delhi University in New Delhi. I was interested in performing in the space because of all that I had read about the "darkness" (lack of illumination) related crimes (mugging, sexual harassment, rape etc.) there. I wanted to comment on the possibility of individual-driven infrastructure and see what a singular source of light can do to an area. Can it make people take roads which they would otherwise avoid?Delhi University, New Delhi10 photos
 in front of a delhi police poster about safety at night-time for girl studentsin front of a delhi police poster about safety at night-time for girl students "I am the light""I am the light" standing in a traffic police shelterstanding in a traffic police shelter talking to the construction workers at the school of economics who found the jacket intriguingtalking to the construction workers at the school of economics who found the jacket intriguing near the hostels of the St.Stephen's college, lighting up a playground.near the hostels of the St.Stephen's college, lighting up a playground.  near the vice-chancellor's officenear the vice-chancellor's office talking to Abhinav, member of Disha, a non-political students' body. Abhinav felt the jacket could be quite useful for Disha.talking to Abhinav, member of Disha, a non-political students' body. Abhinav felt the jacket could be quite useful for Disha. talking to curious cops in front of the Delhi University metro stationtalking to curious cops in front of the Delhi University metro station at the Delhi University metro station.at the Delhi University metro station. “Voice”: a jacket to say what you want. Anywhere. Anytime.At Khoj, as part of the Peers 08 residency for masters students. one of the things I have been working on is this as-yet-untitled jacket. The jacket has velcro at the back and different modules can be attached to it. The first module I have worked on is this array of LEDs, which with a stencil can spell out different words. It is intended to be a platform and mechanism for people to say what they want in cities. Across boundaries and restrictions and politics. Some quick pictures of the jacket:
(the front)
(the back) And of the initial trial of the prototype in Khirkee (around Khoj):
(explaining the project to some curious Delhi cops) Yesterday night I started walking around different parts of Delhi (Okhla, Priya cinema, Bhikaji Cama place, Khirkee) and tonight will be walking around more neighborhoods. Sundeep has been photographing the walks/performances. Will post the pictures here soon. The statements (in Hindi) I have been wearing are:
As part of the “modular jacket” project, I am making other modules which can be attached at the back of the jacket too. Will write more about them soon. 2 out of 1000Over the years we have figured that there are over 1000 ways in which you could build Blank Noise. For now, we propose 2.Every Sunday, 2 projects will be shared at Blank Noise.Blank Noise This Place and Blank Noise Action Heroes.
Both spaces are slowly building up with your participation. Thank you! For those of you who are new to this:Blank Noise This Place: We ask you to go to the place where you experienced street sexaul harassment'- photograph it and send it to us. Along with the photo send in an account of what exactly occurred and where. We will upload all photographs at http://flickr.com/photos/blanknoisethisplace/ All photos will be tagged on a world map. Let's Blank Noise This Place! Blank Noise Action Heroes: is a separate blog, an offshoot of Blank Noise. This place collects and builds stories of resistance. We ask you to share your strategy. How did you deal with street harassment? How did you fight or respond to it? All Action Hero testimonials sent in by you will be uploaded at http://blanknoiseactionheroes.blogspot.com Who takes responsibility for uploads etc? Every city has a 2 week rotating set of 'lead volunteers' who make this happen. They send emails, put in that 'extra' bit to ensure participation. Last few weeks have had Dana Roy , Sunayana Roy from Kolkata, Suparna Kudesia from Delhi, Amrutha Bhushan from Bangalore, Nabila Zaidi from Lucknow. We encourage Blank Noise members from each city to sign up as lead volunteers towards both online events. Hope to hear from you soon! more undisturbed demisethe encounter with death made me look more closely at other instances. found 2 more carcases in the same building. this puppy has been dead for much longer. on another staircase...
 another dead dog lying on the 11 th floor.....  this made me reassess other deaths i had seen on my earlier explorations. death has a peculiar face when it has been undisturbed by humans. this puppy looks like it has been runover by a road-roller. but i found it in a cement factory lying undisturbed in a corner. there are many dogs living in this factory.  a recently dead dog on MG road in front of the demolished buildings. runover by a car perhaps...  there were pigeon nest on a ledge above this. but apparently not very safe as this broken egg bears testament...  death on the 9th floorwhen i first went to the building on barakhamba i was surprised by 2 dogs on the terrace. the dogs were as surprised as me and quickly disappered down the stairs.
the next time i went there about 2 weeks later the 2 dogs were lying dead on the staircase!  Dont know much about death but it looks like a violent one. perhaps poisoning. looks like the dogs puked out blood in their last moments. they were lying half a flight from eachother on the 9th floor. perhaps trying to make their way down in desperation.  as they are lying in the shade, the decomposition has been rather slow. no birds of prey seemed to have reached here. 3 weeks later the bones are showing through....  and the maggots and beatles.... look at the center-bottom.   <span style="font-weight: bold;fontI am prepared and I use both my hands to push him away.
extends his hand to grab I start walking faster I could no longer hear his steps behind me I tapped his shoulder firmly Too bad he tried to mess with the wrong girl I went to the Ice cream parlor close by to get my cousins a tub of butterscotch. I would look “ugly”, “unwanted”, and “undesirable” BLANK NOISE/D THIS PLACE Watch out for this place every Sunday morning. To participate revisit the site where you experienced sexual intimidation in public, photograph it and send us the picture with an anecdote. I f you would like to participate in getting people from your city involved in Blank Noise This Place, do let us know by writing in at blurtblanknoise at gmail.com Lead volunteers on a rotating basis. Current volunteers include: Suparan Kudesia- Delhi, Nabila Zaidi- Lucknow, Sunayana Roy- Kolkata, Amruth Bhushan - Bangalore and Varsha Chandwani- Mumbai SEND ME YOUR PHOTO: TO EVERY BLANK NOISE SUPPORTER/ VOLUNTEER/ MEMBER This goes out to any one that has been involved with Blank Noise in any way- be it online support and participation, street interventions, documentation, research, performance / other An all new Blank Noise Volunteers Flickr Album is finally up and running! Here is the link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blanknoise/ Saptarshi Chakrabarty and Purba Sarkar from Blank Noise Kolkata have set it up and are managing the flickr album. Please note that we are in process of setting this up and not even half way through- thousands of people have volunteered so far but the flickr album has only 200 photographs-
Please add in details such as blog address, city you are writing in from, what you do/ profession/ occupation, and how you participated in Blank Noise. Mail in at blurtblanknoise at gmail.com subject titled 'your name + photo' We hope that you will write in as soon as you can. From the rest of us at the Blank Noise Team |
Networks @ Khoj
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KHOJ International Artists' Association
S-17, Khirkee Extension,
New Delhi - 110017
Phone: +91-11-65655874, +91-11-65655873
E-mail: interact@khojworkshop.org
NAVAJBAI RATAN TATA TRUST
