There could not be a proper conclusion to this year of technological adaptability than the exhibit of the annual Yantra 4.0 currently being held at Nepal Art Council in Baber Mahal. The showcase of innovative amalgamation of art, tech, and science has been attracting quite a crowd. Among the crowd of people attending Yantra 4.0 are school students, college students enjoying their winter break, and professionals who have come to look around the exhibition.
The annual art, tech, and science festival has some very interesting displays in this fourth year, and is different in many ways, too. The joint effort of Karkhana, Robotics Association of Nepal, and Siddhartha Arts Foundation's Education Initiative, Yantra 4.0 has been built around the theme of 'Adaptation.'
The number of exhibits is lesser when compared to Yantra 3.0, but the creativity in each of the pieces on display more than makes up for it. The projects range from visual artist Kiran Maharjan's graphic novel to photographer Manish Paudel's idea of waste as something beautiful, an interactive game, the Peace Pond where floating Lotus flowers with LED lights come together to form the symbol of peace, etc.
Karkhana's Pavitra Gautam said it took around six months to finish preparing for the exhibition which opened on December 27. "We had an art-tech workshop for engineers and artists to introduce them to the basics of each other's work. For Yantra 4.0, we've tried to add a bit more educational component with workshops for schoolchildren, and the game 'Homework' designed by three young students from the Karkhana Innovators Club," he explained.
Visitors are automatically drawn toward the large wooden sarangi that stands almost in the middle of the second floor. The sarangi has all but turned into a remnant from the days of the traveling Gandharva singers, and Yantra engineers and artists have made an effort to bring some attention to this dying tradition. Visitors can learn about the different notes produced by sarangis while playing on the sensor-infused version of the instrument.
A second-year medical student, Aakarshan Timilsina was enjoying the exhibition with his classmate Sachin Subedi on Monday afternoon. Having spent considerable time over each of the project, Aakarshan said, "I really liked the concept of The Irritating Machine. I felt it was very innovative."
Sachin added, "Yes, it was a very good combination of art and technology. The whole exhibition is a very good effort at multi-sector integration."
This is Aakarshan's second time visiting a Yantra exhibition. The 20-year-old claimed that he looked forward to this year's event with eagerness and even brought along his friend Sachin. Aakarshan was also thrilled at the 'Homework' game developed by young students. "It's so inspiring to learn that we have such talented youngsters. This is beyond our comprehension and here they are doing it so well. It goes to show that with proper guidance we can do anything."
'Homework' is an interactive game where two players have to click at two different umbrella handles to protect their homework from rain.
In one corner of the hall, The Irritating Machine awaits visitors quietly. An innovative project by artist Kabi Raj Lama, it was brought to life with the help of some engineers in two months. As we enter the darkened room, we are met with 13 portraits of past and present Prime Ministers of Nepal such as Sher Bahadur Deuba, Surya Bahadur Thapa, Girija Prasad Koirala, Baburam Bhattarai, and Pushpa Kamal Dahal. The idea, artist Lama explains, came up because politics continues to be a big issue despite our leaders failing us time and again.
For this project, Lama carved the portraits on large blocks of wood and then printed them on lokta paper. When a visitor stands in front of a portrait, the sensors trigger the light effects and an audio clipping of the particular PM's speech to play. The clippings are taken from the politicians' interviews and speeches where they're heard expounding their plans for the people and for the country. Since there are 13 portraits, any number of audio clippings can be heard at once depending on the number of visitors, creating havoc. Hence, the name The Irritating Machine.
Yantra 4.0 has also taken inspiration from the movement of the Mimosa pudica, the Sensitive plant, and created a steel and plastic setting that replicates the shrinking movement when a viewer passes by the sensor infused interaction zone.
The other attractions at the festival are three installations born out of research on topics like watch, umbrella, and shoes. These take up ample space on a higher setting in the gallery and are accompanied by photographs and research notes that showcase their historical significance in our society.
Pavitra points out that our traditional acknowledgment of art is limited to its confinement to canvas. "We're used to thinking that art is only captured on canvas, that science is a subject, and technology is rocket science. We take small things for granted. The three objects—shoes, umbrella, and watch—are very important technologies of our life and they have an important significance in our history. And with 'Adaptation' being the theme of Yantra 4.0, it was a great way of showing how we have adapted these technologies and these technologies have modified itself with time and smarter technology. Now, we have air umbrella, magnetic shoes, and we have smart watches but how did they get there is an important idea of adaptation."
Each project is an effort of the engineers and artists to incorporate art, technology and science in the most creative way possible. Pavitra says, "At Yantra 4.0, you can see a different form of creativity. As an educator, I'm drawn toward the interactive game developed by the school kids which I believe is one of the most creative works at the event. Here are these 12 and 13-year-old kids whose works are being showcased alongside professional artists and engineers. It's brilliant."
Yantra 4.0 has also prepared design challenges for students where they will have to design towers with straw and play dough. The challenge is to construct a strong tower whose strength will be tested with a simulated earthquake. Students are instructed about the importance of strong structures right before the challenge starts.
As the year winds down amidst unrest and pain across the country, perhaps this exhibition is among the few bright highlights of 2015. Yantra 4.0 is not simply an exhibition demonstrating the vast potential for interweaving art and technology. It is an example of how young minds can learn and develop if only they are given the correct environment to do so.
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