Awakening the senses; connecting to the roots.

(By guest author Mr. Jinan K B)

Proposal for a conference on re-thinking aesthetic sense education

Why?

Destruction of cultural diversity through standardized art/design/ architectural education

The biggest threat of modernity is homogenization of the human cultures.

Architects have been homogenizing habitats all over India and today even the traditional crafts are also getting homogenized, standardized and mechanized.
About a century ago we had diverse cultures with distinct way of life. This is due to how aesthetic sensibilities of people get manifested in the things they make. Contextually rooted aesthetic sense is what once created the diverse cultures around the globe.
Even though the architect/designer has to function in local contexts the art, design and architectural education is non-contextual. Formation of aesthetic sense has no connection to the cultural specificities of the learner.

So when year after year students are subjected to a western design process and learn design through western history and western sense of aesthetics, is it any wonder that generation after generation gets estranged from their own history, culture, individual sense of beauty and their very being.
This is true of all educational institutions around the world.  This also true of all art forms- theatre, dance,

In the name of self-expression, creativity etc the collective nature of aesthetic sensibility is being destroyed. Creativity and aesthetic sensibility as biological response to live or as an existential nature is being misappropriated as ability of some and misunderstood as a tool to be learned / cultivated.

Unfortunately the search for alternatives has been limited to the paradigm of modernity or to the age old shastras. Probably what we need to do is to understand how the rural tribal non literate people are still retaining their aesthetic diversity in spite of the urban interventions.

Purpose

The purpose is to rethink courses that are responsible for development of aesthetics, exploring issues of originality, authenticirt, identity, culture etc

Proposed Process

1. A seminar to deeply understand the problems, connect with willing partners and explore possibilities. One could also precede this with online dialouge

2. Work with about ten or so architecture, craft and design institutions to rework on courses related to development (conditioning) of aesthetic sense like colour, space and form, composition, drawing etc for an year and then have an exhibition com seminar. This could be done by inviting teachers from these colleges to attend a two week program/ workshop to develop courses that can help students to connect with their own contexts to awaken the aesthetic sensibility. Possible places are NIASA, Pune or any other willing institution.

3. Seminar after one year and then this could become a regular event and include other art forms.

Probable partner organizations

IFA, NIASA, IIA, IIID, COA, Craft NGOs/ Institutions, IGNCA, Swaraj University, SIDH, Sadhana school, DCC, Aurovile, ChinamayaVibhooti, Various educational mafia’s, etc individuals

I think the most important task we need to address is the homogenization of aesthetic sense. I think this is the most important thing we can learn from the artisan communities as they have been able to keep alive the diversity to a great extent whereas the educated have been totally homogenized.

I propose that we should organize a national seminar on -re thinking aesthetic sense- involving not only architecture profession but also art and design education.

We could invite other schools to partner in this re-search.

We should also have a major part dedicated for art education in schools as the real tragedy begins at that level by having art education and also not having art education. This could be after an yearlong or even two years activities and could culminate in a national seminar/ conference.

The usual way is to talk about the writings by great people of the past like Bharata, Nagarjunaetc but go on with our usual way of imitating the Bauhaus or other western process.

Talking about the past- great Indian culture- doesn’t help.

1.How did traditional cultures retain their aesthetic rootedness thus maintaining diversity?

2. why is that the modern spaces/ artifacts created by the well trained and educated is looking alike?

3. why is it that other professional courses like engineering etc produce beauty disabled people?

3.What is the process by which aesthetic education can be rethought of?

4. Is it rooted in the being? Is it rooted in the material? Is it rooted in the context of where we live? Or is all of this together influencing the formation of aesthetic sense? What role can educational institutions play in this?

From time I joined NID to study (1985) I have been consistently addressing this question. I am enclosing two papers on this issue-1 I wrote when the MaxmullerBhavan organized the looking forward event and the second is the paper I presented at the design education seminar at Hongkong last year.

Hope we would be able to take this forward.

This material has been received from our guest author -

Mr. Jinan K B
who has done considerable work in the given field.