Located on the border of Maharashtra and Karnataka, I visited 'Gokarna' which means 'Cows ear'. It has the most untouched expanses of beaches and pink skies that one could ever see. What makes it interesting is the cultural mix of the Kannadiga population with Maharashtrian surnames. The architecture has a distinct style that is visible in the small town and its temples. The photos document hand painted signs, patterns, elements and moments that we experienced in the sleepy town of Gokarna with its scenic beaches.
FORT KOCHI - PICTURES FROM THE PERENNIAL PORT TOWN
This was my first visit to see the biennale. Firstly, I was impressed with the new solar-powered International Airport at Kochi, it was an engineering and architectural achievement. The next thing you see it that outside the airport all the men who were waiting were mostly drivers in crisp white shirts and 'mundus'. They spoke impeccable english in a South-Indian accent, while taking us to our homestay in Fort Kochi - the heritage part of town and the heart of the biennale.
Once we were on the road, you can't help but notice an almost wild, rustic greenery that descends onto every part of Kochi. While getting into Fort Kochi, we went through small lanes, the by-lanes are even narrower preventing too many vehicles from getting in. The warehouses are close to each other and are all wooden, with rickety stairs, large windows and overwhelming doors - that lead to more doors. Every venue of the biennale that had art, had old rusty hinges, peeling paint, moss covered tiles and musty walls; they owe this grunge look to the humid, salty sea breeze blowing on Kochi's backwaters.
SRI LANKA - SERENDI’PRETTY
My friend, colleague and calligrapher Pradnya Naik and me were invited to be a part of Typoday 2017, Sri Lanka. We were conducting a Tact-Type workshop combining everyday materials and local scripts. Typoday is a design conference which is a celebration of Indian typography, calligraphy and font design. Designers, students and agencies from all over Asia and beyond come to attend this conference. After completing the 3 day conference and workshop hosted at the University of Moratuwa, Colombo. We explored different parts of Sri Lanka, staying with local families, traveling by public transport and depending heavily upon Google Maps. The tear-dropped island of Lanka is surrounded by the sea on all sides, making it a coastal land, with scenic beaches that have clean water and beautiful marine life. But as you move towards the centre it becomes forested, and densely green with plush hillsides, tea gardens and old English towns. We travelled from Colombo to Kandy by train, made a days trip to Dambulla and Sigiriya, then headed off for Nuwara Eliya by a local bus and then drove down to the Akurla beach near Hikkaduwa in Southern Province, Sri Lanka. A muggy weather, with spicy local seafood, warm-hearted families, clean but traffic-filled roads, neat urban architecture, different car models from China, Japan and Europe, and peace-loving friendly people. Most of Sri Lanka follows Buddhism and hence the influence can be seen in the architecture, across caves, monuments or temples.