Odds
Video sculpture speaking to the artists’ lives in India and in the US, and the silent memories from the traces people leave in their lives.
This project was created in collaboration with Megha Goel, one of my best friends at ITP for the class Video Sculptures.
"A throw of a dice doesn't abolish chance."
- Stéphane Mallarmé.
Concept
Megha and I grew up and continue to have roots in India. Our life in India defined who we were before we moved to New York and still does. Our project aims to explore the duality of the immigrant experience and how we often balance our current lives with the cultural and familial ties we have with our home countries. Despite being physically distant, we remain connected to our family's day-to-day lives back in India through technology. Our project seeks to shed light on the complex and multifaceted lives that immigrants lead, as they navigate the intersection of different cultures and communities.
The Numbers
1
In traditional dice games, especially the ones we grew up playing with our families, the number 1 initiates the game for each player. This was used to show our life in New York, as our life here is just beginning.
6
The number 6 is the highest value and makes us progress the farthest. Our life in India was shown with the number 6. It was placed at the bottom to show that our life in India, even though not seen directly is the base on which our life in New York is getting built.
2, 3, 4, 5
The other numbers are to show that our life has potential for more versions in the future.
The Tilt
The die is tilted to show the state just before a die lands. This moment of uncertainty shows that life could lead us to other places.Videos
The videos are a curation of our lives in New York and India.The Structure
Execution
The structure of the die was made with 80/20 and the sides and numbers with spray painted birch plywood. This structure housed 2 screens inside. The project is tilted using metal supports.
