Taking steps to bridge the gap
The concept of outsourcing from critical constructive points of view was recently explored at Goethe Institut/Max Mueller Bhavan, where a seminar and exhibition on ‘outResourcing’ was held.
“In ‘outResourcing’, artists reflect about what it means to let something do a job for you, because it’s the exact opposite of the DIY (Do-It-Yourself) approach,” explains Kristoffer
Gansing, artistic director, Transmediale festival for art and digital culture, Berlin. He mentions the relationship between India and US to prove a point.
“When there is outsourcing between these two countries, Indians complain that we are getting Westernised, while Americans are angry that Indians steal their jobs. Whichever way you look at it, both sides are losing their authenticity.
In this seminar, we are not picking sides, but just showing ‘outResourcing’ as a new hybrid that can work,” he adds.
Throughout the seminar, technical talks were given on ‘Rebugging and Insulating’, ‘re-sourcing the ready-made’ and ‘Manufacturing and Copying’. Prayas Abhinav, a faculty member and researcher at Sristhi School of Art, Design and Technology, spoke about his own ‘outResourcing’ project titled ‘mas’ ing: Insulation’, which created zones of privacy among the public.
He made items like a magnifying glass, coffee mug and plug with a USB security key, which could only be accessed by the one with whom the private information was supposed to reach. “I just saw it as a way of bringing something back and recovering lost ground,” notes Prayas.
