Field Notes:
The Other Book of Things
Sometimes physical things are so familiar to me, so ubiquitous in my surroundings, yet I don't know their purpose, or their provenance. Worse still, I don't know their names.
Sar: The Essence of Indian Design is a book to remedy this. An anthology of Indian objects, everything from the iconic - the Sumeet mixer, the Gandhi topi, sticker bindis to the contemporary - updated classics from designers such as Divya Thakur of Design Temple, Sian Pascale of Young Citizens, Ayush Kasliwal of Anantaya - is on display.
With 200 items handpicked from all around the country, the book explores and celebrates the way design fits into our lives. With its simple format - a description and an image for each item - and striking visuals, Sar allows the reader to appreciate the essence of the object, and it titled aptly for it. A worthy addition to this coffee table found on its pages.
Last year authors Swapnaa Tamhane, an artist and curator; Rashmi Varma, a fashion designer; and photographer Prarthna Singh hit the road together in search of all the best things. We asked them to take us behind the scenes.
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