WORK BY YOUNG MINDS FOR THE "YOUNG MINDS"
Location - Bangalore
Collaborators - ShikshaLokem and InvokED
Faculty Members - Narendra Raghunath and Yash Bhandari
SMI Bangalore's first-year foundation students had the chance to participate in the Shikshalokem and InkovED conference, which took place at the National Institute of Advanced Sciences on March 1st and 2nd. The three main areas of the conference were left up to the students' design. These included the exhibition space, the stage, and the foyer. this work was done in 14 days as a part of their Workshop ( Visual Thinking Tools ). It was extensive and labor-intensive task done with substantial materials. The entire design was based on the standard, and the focus for the same was Education.
Our job included designing and creating three big arches for the entrances, 12 foot stage backdrops, and signs for the partners. putting on display two installations, a central diorama animation piece, and the paintings in the foyer. One uses the visuals from the digital paintings to tell different stories, while the other is based on the Connect 4 game, in which players are given two colors and can add red to indicate a negative experience or green to indicate a happy one. To make all of these products, we used materials like steel, plywood, and MDF. Under the guidance of our facilitators and experts, everything was completed in our on-campus workshops.
We were required to organize our work around the common topic of education. All of our installations centered on it and the three terms—collective action, leadership, and the mission to movement. We were instructed to focus our efforts on the topic of education and create installations that revolved around it. All of our installations were based on the themes that we were given. These served as the conference's central themes.
My work specifically entailed designing the complete exhibition space, where we had to display the countless beautiful paintings created by school-age children from all around India, depicting their visions of the future India and leadership. I worked on this project with Venya, Arshia, Ira, Kankon, and Siddharth in my group. Our group was separated into three groups, and Venya and I worked on the exhibit that was modeled after the Connect 4 game. Ira, Kankon, and Siddharth worked on the graphics and the map that was placed on one of the frames, while Arshia worked on the cube installation. In order to avoid becoming overly technical, we decided to create cubes instead of replicating the Buddhist temple installation cylinders, which was our original idea. The graphics team did a fantastic job by using various caricatures from the paintings and creating three distinct stories that were stuck on the cubes. Arshia was a big help since she worked on arranging the cubes in a three-side frame in addition to traveling back and forth to several marketplaces to choose materials for us. To build the framework, we employed ball bearing method and pipes.
I was attempting to figure out our installation with Venya, while the other teams worked on their tasks. We had trouble determining the right measurements for our installation at first since we didn't know much about Mathematics. We made it 3 feet tall instead of the original 5 feet. We used Illustrator to draft the forms that were then laser-cut. then we began constructing our set using a 16mm MDF board. We had a few challenges when making the same, which we resolved after having the forms laser-cut with the help of our facilitators. Throughout our project, we were fortunate enough to have access to a plethora of high-quality tools and materials that allowed us to bring our vision to life. In particular, we made use of advanced software such as Illustrator, which enabled us to create intricate and precise designs with ease. Additionally, we had the privilege of working with a variety of materials, including MDF, as well as powerful adhesives that helped to ensure our final product was strong and sturdy. I felt happy and satisfied that everything went smoothly when I saw individuals using our installation and adding their colors.
This particular role was incredibly demanding, requiring a high level of dedication and skill. However, it also presented a unique blend of opportunities and experiences that proved to be highly beneficial. The role offered exposure to novel materials and concepts that expanded our knowledge and understanding. We were able to learn valuable lessons on cooperation, teamwork, planning, and time management, which are skills that will serve us well in our future endeavors.
One of the most significant benefits of this role was the practical experience we gained in dealing with clients. This was a valuable opportunity to learn how to interact with people from diverse backgrounds and navigate difficult situations with tact and diplomacy. As foundation students, this experience was especially meaningful, as it helped us to develop our professional skills and prepare us for the challenges of the workforce. Overall, this role was a transformative experience that provided us with invaluable knowledge, skills, and experiences that will benefit us for years to come.
