Intellectual Observers

One November evening, a curious observer loses himself in crowded lanes of Assam, trying to find that one elusive visual, symbol or object that could possibly reflect the identity of an entire state. A visual communicator, he comes face to face with the question- how should one design forms? Why should forms reflect local culture in an increasingly globalized world? While traveling in and around India, the observer finds himself questioning the interplay between culture, communication, identity, urbanization and advertising. A consumerism driven visual aesthetic unsettles him and he begins to look for an alternate. He finds it not in the work of 'trained' designers but in creations of local artisans. Soon he realizes how market forces shape visual culture of a region- forcing him to ask, "did you ask my city, before you put up that hoarding?"