Research, writings
I am certain that should we ever share some time over a cup of tea, we will be able to have a meaningful conversation about pretty much any field. I have done research and scholarship work in various topics on art, design, architecture, and urbanism. Topics have included:
For instance, consider "The Other Villa Tugendhat" graphic research I hand-drafted at Virginia Tech (#1–#6):
Additionally, I have curated or co-curated multiple exhibitions. For instance, I was a part of a student team that planned and curated the exhibition "Camera Work: An Evolution of Photogravures, 1903–1917" at Middlebury, Vermont, USA (#7–#8). We submitted a proposal in spring 2011 that was accepted by the university's museum staff. The exhibition called "Camera Work: Stieglitz, Steichen, Strand and Company" happened a year later in fall 2012 with minor modifications to our accepted proposal. As an art critic in a Vermont’s independent voice newspaper ‘Seven Days’ mentioned, “a judicious selection of images allowed viewers to trace photography’s stylistic transition from dewy romanticism to muscular modernism.“
The following is my writing sample from the proposal:
- sustainable design standards and guidelines
- emerging methods and materials in sustainable design
- phenomenology, genius loci, places and placemaking
- physical, metaphysical, 'pataphysical architecture
- Villa Tugendhat by Mies van der Rohe in Brno, Czech Republic (#1–#6)
- Ingalls Rink and additions by Eero Saarinen, Kevin Roche, John Dinkeloo in New Haven, Connecticut, USA
- Salk Institute of Biological Studies by Louis Kahn in La Jolla, California, USA
- social impacts of urban renewal in Japan and USA
- local Kerala and colonial Portuguese architecture in Goa, India
- modernist and post-modernist architecture
- American architecture and urbanism
- early twentieth century photography (#7–#8)
- windows and communal cohabitation (#9–#10)
- psychedelic art in graphic design
- ancient Asian and Western art
For instance, consider "The Other Villa Tugendhat" graphic research I hand-drafted at Virginia Tech (#1–#6):
- Designed and built between 1928 and 1930, Villa Tugendhat by a German master architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe is a spectacular project both in design and engineering. It is now a UNESCO World Heritage Center and the building’s museum in Brno, Czech Republic. By merging at times conflicting literary and visual resources, this hand-drafted graphic study simplifies the building into a set of carefully scaled plans and perspective views. Using those, elevations and axonometric views are recreated to explore relationships between primary and secondary indoor and outdoor spaces.
- The main pedestrian entry on the second floor, front terrace, does not reveal the true scale of the building. Contrary to this modest street façade, the view from the garden side reveals a generous structure that unites indoor and outdoor spaces. The basement level, almost entirely underground, contains mechanical equipment including water pumps to combat high underground water levels. The often-photographed, iconic, southeast view cleverly obstructs what I believe should be called “The Other Villa Tugendhat,” which faces southwest. This too is an essential part of the villa without which life in the primary spaces (owners’ bedrooms and bathrooms on the second floor, owners’ dining room and living room and study and bathroom on the first floor) would be impossible. The secondary spaces include chauffeur’s quarters and garage on the second floor, maids’ quarters and kitchen on the first floor, the basement with additional servant and utility spaces.
Additionally, I have curated or co-curated multiple exhibitions. For instance, I was a part of a student team that planned and curated the exhibition "Camera Work: An Evolution of Photogravures, 1903–1917" at Middlebury, Vermont, USA (#7–#8). We submitted a proposal in spring 2011 that was accepted by the university's museum staff. The exhibition called "Camera Work: Stieglitz, Steichen, Strand and Company" happened a year later in fall 2012 with minor modifications to our accepted proposal. As an art critic in a Vermont’s independent voice newspaper ‘Seven Days’ mentioned, “a judicious selection of images allowed viewers to trace photography’s stylistic transition from dewy romanticism to muscular modernism.“
The following is my writing sample from the proposal:
- This exhibition, as its name suggests, is split into two main sections: “The Evolution of Camera Work Photographs from Pictorialism to Modernism,” and “The Art of Photogravure.” Note that a visitor is not limited to start with either of the sections. A different personal experience can be achieved when one section is seen before the other one. Furthermore, by having the flexibility of multiple circulation flows, a class visiting at the same time as other visitors will not limit anyone. ... The photographs are located on a horizontal strip that virtually ties all of them together. The center at five feet provides easy viewing angles for both short and tall adult visitors. ... Clear architectural language of horizontality is present in the exhibition space. This element is inspired by the original “291 Gallery” where Stieglitz and his Camera Work photographic journal exhibited.
