Takes Three to Tango

We had surprise visitors at our studio on 8 July 2023. Three alumni from NID’s earliest batches who have witnessed massive global and national change through the lens of art, design, and commerce caught up over coffee and beer. I hung around this rainy evening to pick up rare insights from design host Anthony Lopez, graphic maestra Alpana Khare and VP UX at Barclays, Ramu Dhara.

Design, the lower rung

Alpana’s piercing wit still lingers. The only contender to her elegant language was her splendid monochrome sari, and perhaps, her portable Japanese ashtray. Five minutes into hellos, she asked where she could smoke. I became a fan. Studio tour, medium talk, cappuccino, and reviews followed while we waited for Dhara to join us. Delayed by the rains, when he did join, the quick catching up and extended gossip soon headed to more serious ground. Alpana’s experiences working with cultural institutions, government departments, and foreign clients reinforced how design is always pushed to the lower rungs of consideration in large-scale undertakings, ranking below budget, time, and others. Aesthetics and culture always lose to politics and economics, she said.

Collateral damage

Dhara, who lives in the USA, chipped in with his first-hand accounts on the Western way of handling things. Having been a professor for more than two decades, he brought a wealth of experience to the table. As the subject shifted to longevity and sustainability, Dhara offered an interesting case study from his classroom for us to consider: NYC subway tokens. How does one choose between a viable low-tech solution (metal coins) and a costlier high-tech solution (metro cards)? How does one weigh the merits of technology against its demerits: the jobs it replaces, its installation and maintenance costs, its potential to alienate members of society? While looking to maximize efficiency, how does one counter the loss of soul that tech developments of the past few decades have unintentionally brought about?

Lighthearted and bare-it-all, the conversations spanned a sumptuous variety of topics. Beer flowed as much as the rain poured. McLaughlin and Zakir Hussain played in the background as the three savants rolled back the years and predicted possible futures. Alpana shared nuggets on commercial cinema and special education, spheres that her children work in. Dhara stressed on the need to keep the body active and engaged. Anthony discussed his vision for the studio in the coming years. I, your faithful scribe, chugged it all down.

Further reading for the curious:
A Brief History Of How New Yorkers Have Paid For The Subway via Gothamist
LOW←TECH MAGAZINE - This is a solar-powered website, which means sometimes it goes offline
Buen vivir: the social philosophy inspiring movements in South America via The Guardian