Activating Indofuturism
Applying a lens adapted from Postcolonial Futurisms
A MASTER OF DESIGN THESIS BY PRIYA BANDODKAR
Read the Indofuturist Manifesto.
This thesis activates a largely unexplored futurism discipline for India, called “Indofuturism”. It proposes Indofuturism as a means for Indian people and their descendants to respond to colonialism in India and its ramifications in post-colonial times.
It imagines an Indofuture, an alternative future for India, wherein India was not colonised. The vision of Indofuturism has multifold intents and is rooted in India’s cultural history.
This research activates Indofuturism by creating five Indofuturist artefacts that serve as examples and an Indofuturist Manifesto that summarises the vision of Indofuturism.
Five artefacts were created to actualise distinct intents of the Indofuturist lens as envisioned through this thesis.
The underlying concepts of the artefacts were visualised and designed as Thought Experiments applying Speculative, Critical and Dark Design as methodologies. These artefacts are built as interactive installations using virtual reality, 3D art, creative coding, physical computing, volumetric video, dance performance with the intent of creating multiple avenues of engagement for the audience. Each artefact is comprehensible as a standalone piece.
As I belong to the international Indian community,
I wish this application of Indofuturism to facilitate the activation of Indofuturist dialogue in future studies, bringing Indofuturism into conversations with existing Postcolonial Futurisms, and thereby give Indian people a place in visions of the future.