#sooding products

[sooding]

REMAKE IN INDIA!

[sooding]

Today, designing automobiles, electronic, and electrical equipments. I see in my life a natural extension from my past. While making furniture, I researched and studied how each civilisation is evolving, is different and is similar; be in it's bone ratios, or concepts of a healthy and natural proportion + space, even local or imported natural materials which match geography and emotions. Today, all of that comes in use, every-time my team asks me to respond, I ask myself, is this the best we can do? Then the answer appears, it's the best we can do now! Tomorrow, we start again. Here are 2 chairs I made last. The Bangalore brand which had commissioned these pieces was clueless, just gave me photos to make these from. In my typical attitude of why not, ended up making them in hard teak wood, and also did some good old world bunai (cane weaving). Et voila!

[sooding]

If you don't give importance to the government, it has no power

The profiteering model of governance Is the reality not just the India of today, in many countriesI wish this wasn't the truthI wish i wasn't so awareI wish we don't give up the India of my dreams(The planet is whole another thing altogether) We are allowed to buy expensive cars With roads fitted in potholes We are allowed to build expensive homes With no power or water We are allowed to consume expensive brands With no dignity of labour We are allowed to pay keep our help under the poverty line With no humanity We are allowed to waste what we eat and drink With no thought for the hungry sleeping on drugs to kill their hunger We are allowed to kill the hopes of a billions hearts With no respect for education We are allowed to be treated by guinea pigs With no respect for life We are made to pay tax With no respect for accountability We are fuelled to fight for religion With no questioning of religious organisations spends We are bled till we dieWith utter disregard for the benevolence needed in care If we let injustice happen to ourselves, we are a part of it. As a soul on the planet, i often ask myself, what and who gave governments the authority to determine where borders end and start, what language i speak or write in. And then I am reminded of a quote which i read when i was in school in Calcutta, “if you don't give importance to yourself, no one else will". And governments use the law and order, tax, land title machinery to give itself importance.

[sooding]

The art of saying no! And then building!

What next?

It's a question I have been asking myself for over 2 years now, the answers have always been many. Options galore, this peculiar situation sometimes even reminded of the signature line in a friends email. Which primarily meant 'people with fewer ideas have more value for their own thoughts'. 

These years would take me back to a great piece of advice i got at the start of my business career. 'In India you can make money from anything, the only thing you have to do, is decide what you want to make money from'. I realised that it's true of any country, all that matters is how in tune you are with the demand and if you can supply it. 

Working in advertising, branding, design, new-media, digital, mobile, visual arts for exactly 13 years today. I am finally convinced; having an idea isn't good enough; i NO longer want to be an arm chair thinking creative. I NO longer want to give ideas to other people and make a fee. I NO longer want to help only others grow. I say NO, NO i will not just talk in thin air, and give advice.    I will make tangible things, and make them prolifically. I NO more feel the urge to solve everyone else's problems, and consult ;-) I feel the need to build something I can touch, and feel. I am slowly learning the art of saying NO to distractions! 

[sooding]

Figure out your product’s purpose, and keep designing and re-designing it. Shrink the gap between what it does and why it exists, and don’t stop until the gap disappears. Happy working week :-)

Vikram Sood