year end round up

end of the year and so much updating to do. i dont know why i have become so lax on the daily log- actually- i do. something to do with some of my incessant need to say what i mean in 'public' space'- in this case- this one about everything and anything i might have an opinion on. reeks of conceit, you may say- and i do agree. but it used to be so much fun. and besides everything , it used to work as a sort of notation for myself. besides that the uploads of photographs have proved to be extremely useful for all and sundry to use in presentations and publications. so i do feel bad to let that part go.

regardless, here is a quick update. the workshops went off well enough. the nala sopara landscape turned out to be just as dramatic as i thought it will be. the sites ainsley and me chose for the 10 different panellists were each completely different from one another. sanjukta began with a dance around the railway station. later, sonal and mriganka mapped subjective experience on the site, the dutch architects looked to resolve ecological issues, jorn made the students write screenplays, mukul 's workshop had some gorgeous photographs, vishal created a laser show and a song for the site, rajiv and robert fantasised transience from nalasopara onto the airport and kamal sculpted the history of indian cinema from 700 hundred films- or he almost did.

the site is madness. anarchy on the ground. we have no illusions about the fact that 5 days merely scratches the surface. more probes are necessary.

other highlights- the tiss/pukar workshop in deonar. tried out a "dharavi in different descriptive systems." from the grid to the labyrinth, from the home to the dungeon. through films and the crazy proposals by developers.

this year's 'reflections' is out. will post what i contributed. 'nature denatured/recaptured'.

new year's began with a fabulous lunch at 'global fusion' and ended with another at sur's. small easy relaxed party after a hectic maddening year.