Category Arts & Culture

What is the “wall of humanity”?

The Wall of Humanity' is a noble initiative where people leave their old clothes, toys, books, furniture and other usable household items near a designated wall which may later be collected by the needy. The concept originated in Iran in 2015. At the time, Iran's economy was in bad shape and people with limited means were finding it tough to deal with the harsh Iranian winter. That's when some youths in the city of Mashhad came up with the idea of helping the poor in a manner which would not make them feel embarrassed.

"Leave what you don't need, take what you do"

They began to hang their old clothes on the city walls and it soon became a trend known as 'Deewar-e-Meherbani. A similar campaign was started in Pakistan by a young boy, which came to known as 'Deewar-e-Insaniyat. It included donations of food, clothes, medicines and books for the needy.

In India this concept first immerged in form of 'Neki ki Deewar in Bhilwara, Rajasthan. Today, similar such walls of humanity have sprung up in dozens of Indian cities including Mumbai, Chandigarh, Mysore, Allahabad, Pune, Nagpur, Nashik, Aurangabad, Bhopal.  

Picture Credit : Google

WHO WAS A SHAKESPEAREAN FOOL?

In the rich tapestry of Shakespearean plays, there exists a character who, despite its comedic antics, embodies far more depth and significance than meets the eye – the Shakespearean fool. Distinguishing this character from a clown isn’t merely a matter of costumes and gags; it delves into their roles and impact within society. The Shakespearean fool, unlike a traditional clown, possessed a multifaceted role. Such characters were not just jesters for entertainment but often served as insightful commentators, revealing truths about other characters and situations through wit, irony, and satire. They often disguised their wisdom within their humorous dialogues, speaking uncomfortable truths that others dared not vocalise.

Types of Shakespearean Fools

In the Bard’s theatricalmasterpieces, the depiction of fools transcends a singular archetype, offering a spectrum of characters that exemplify diverse facets of wit, wisdom, and societal critique. One such variant is the “clown,” a character like the Fool in King Lear or Feste in Twelfth Night. They skilfully interweave jests and puns with profound insights, often using humour to shield poignant observations on the world around them. Their seemingly light-hearted banter belies a deep understanding of the underlying truths of the society they inhabits.  Contrasting the down is the ‘wise fool’, epitomised by character such as touchstone in as you like it. These figures posses an innate preceptiveness that belies their outward Appreance of buffoonery.  Their playful antics serve as a tool to unravel the hypocrisies and challenge conventional wisdom. In addition, the “moral fool” emerges in characters like Edgar disguised as Poor Tom in King Lear. These individuals adopt a guise of madness or folly to navigate perilous circumstances. Through their seemingly irrational behaviour

Court jesters  

Court jesters were the predecessors of the Shakespearean fool, and held a pivotal position in the monacrch’s courts across the world. Beyond providing amusement, they acted as truth-tellers in a world where criticising those in power was perilous.

Costume

The iconic attire of a courtjester from its unique cap with bells and colourful costumes were symbols of their privilege to talk and mock without the fear of punishment. Beyond playing the role of injecting levity into a situation these comics possess a very rare privilege-free speech.

Comedy in the contemporary world Connecting the iconic Shakespearean archetype to modern stand-up comics unveils a similar underlying principle. Many contemporary stand-up comics, akin to the English playwright’s stock character, use humour as a medium for societal commentary. However, they do not don a garb that could help them evade punishment for speaking truth to power or even expressing their personal opinions on a sensitive tonic that has rattled society.

The social impact By dressing reality in humour, comedy invites audiences to reflect on society’s shortcomings, absurdities, and hypocrisies. It’s a mirror held up to society, making us laugh while revealing uncomfortable truths. Challenging authority and societal norms provides a space for dissent and fosters critical thinking. In essence, the Shakespearean fool, the court jesters of history, and the stand-up comics of today share a common thread – they harness the power of comedy to illuminate truth.The laughter they induce in the guise of entertainment acts as a vehicle to convey profound insights, provoke contemplation, and challenge societal norms. As we laugh along, we also find ourselves introspecting, confronting uncomfortable realities, and perhaps, contemplating the change we wish to see in the world.

Picture Credit : Google

What is a 3D printed robotic hands?

Researchers have succeeded in printing robotic hands with bones, ligaments and tendons for the first time. Using a new laser scanning technique, the new technology enables the use of different polymers.

Additive manufacturing or 3D printing is the construction of a 3D object from a 3D digital model. The technology behind this has been advancing at great pace and the number of materials that can be used have also expanded reasonably. Until now, 3D printing was limited to fast-curing plastics. The use of slow-curing plastics has now been made possible thanks to a technology developed by researchers at ETH Zurich and a MIT spin-off U.S. start-up, Inhabit. This has resulted in successfully 3D printing robotic hands with bones, ligaments and tendons. The researchers from Switzerland and the U.S. have jointly published the technology and their applications in the journal Nature.

Return to original state

 In addition to their elastic properties that enable the creation of delicate structures and parts with cavities as required, the slow-curing thiolene polymers also return to their original state much faster after bending, making them ideal for the likes of ligaments in robotic hands.

The stiffness of thiolenes can also be fine-tuned as per our requirements to create soft robots. These soft robots will not only be better-suited to work with humans, but will also be more adept at handling delicate and fragile goods.

Scanning, not scraping

In 3D printers, objects are typically produced layer by layer. This means that a nozzle deposits a given material in viscous form and a UV lamp then cures each layer immediately. This method requires a device that scrapes off surface irregularities after each curing step.

While this works for fast-curing plastics, it would fail with slow-curing polymers like thiolenes and epoxies as they would merely gum up the scraper. The researchers involved therefore developed a 3D printing technology that took into account the unevenness when printing the next layer, rather than smoothing out uneven layers. They achieved this using a 3D laser scanner that checked each printed layer for irregularities immediately.

This advancement in 3D printing technology would provide much-needed advantages as the resulting objects not only have better elastic properties, but are also more robust and durable. Combining soft, elastic, and rigid materials would also become much more simpler with this technology.

Picture Credit : Google 

Which Indian documentaries won Oscars?

Thanks to the Oscars, two documentaries from India- ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ and ‘All That Breathes’– have been in the news for a while now. But what exactly are documentaries? Let’s find out.

‘The Elephant Whisperers’, set in an elephant camp in Tamil Nadu, follows tribal couple Bellie and Bomman. Their lives are deeply connected by their shared love for Raghu, an orphaned wild baby elephant who appears to have had no hope for survival till the two take him into their fold and ply him with food and generous doses of loving care. When it’s time for Raghu to move on, he breaks those two hearts. But as it is with most things in life, the couple is left with Raghu’s memories to hold on to and new love to look forward to. While documenting the life of Raghu, ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ also allows us quiet glimpses of life in a tribal hamlet and the wildlife surrounding it-all in 40-odd minutes. Directed by Kartiki Gonsalves, this profoundly touching story was nominated for the Oscar under the Documentary Short Film category.

Set in our bustling national capital, ‘All That Breathes’ tells the story of brothers Nadeem Shehzad and Mohammad Saud who have taken it upon themselves – for about two decades- to care for raptors, particularly black kites, suffering the city’s notorious pollution. Even as it records how the brothers go about their task – without substantial help in cash or kind, ‘All That Breathes’ unobtrusively brings into focus social issues intersecting the duo’s lives, outlining the fact that it’s not just air that’s toxic. And, despite everything that’s going on, what dominates the tone of the film is the strength of compassion and the intrinsic interconnectedness in our world. Nominated for the Oscar under the Documentary Feature Film category, it has been directed by Shaunak Sen.

What is a documentary?

A documentary is a film either screened in cinema halls or telecast on television channels in one or many parts over a period of time Today documentaries are available for viewing on video streaming platforms too. The defining tenor of any documentary is its rootedness in truth and reality. While the director may take creative liberty with the work, a documentary always revolves around facts. It aims to bring together several aspects of the subject in focus. The subject could be anything from nature and society to social issues and personalities, the possibilities are endless. Importantly, since it strives to capture reality, any documentary-irrespective of its subject-involves a lot of research and reflects a tireless quest for accuracy.

How is it different from a film?

A film, or more precisely, a feature film, may or may not be anchored in reality. Invariably, feature films are fictitious, and cover a wide range of genres-from family drama, romance, and sci-fi to fantasy, action, and adventure. In fact, many of them created in India even involve song and dance sequences. Some such films may even feature characters doing what is impossible for individuals in real life. In short, feature films could be worlds of make-believe, a far cry from what a documentary feature film stands for. But, thanks to better reach, interest, and acceptance among film-goers over the years and constant advancement in technology, feature films moored in reality too are gaining increased endorsement the world over. Another factor of difference is that while feature films predominantly aspire to entertain, documentaries hope to inform and educate. (However, this does not suggest that feature films will not educate or that documentaries will not entertain.) The run time too is taken into account while defining a film particularly when it comes to award categories. For instance, a short documentary could be defined as one that runs for a certain duration, and anything running longer than that could be slotted under ‘Documentary Feature Film’.

Why are documentaries important?

Because they inform. And bring in varied perspectives on the subject they deal with. Especially with social issues, they help start conversations on topics that people have either forgotten about or are unwilling to talk about. They ask questions that many are uncomfortable asking. They seek to find answers on behalf of those who may not have the wherewithal to do so. Be it about our history, our culture, the natural world, or society in general, documentaries help kindle our interest/curiosity, call us to learn, inspire us to understand, and nudge us to act, if need be. They also have the social responsibility to be honest and balanced in what they put out to the world.

Picture Credit : Google 

Is glass a solid or an exceptionally slow-moving liquid?

Artists have worked wonders with glass ever since its discovery. A look at glass art…

Is glass a solid or an exceptionally slow-moving liquid? While scientists have not been able to figure that out, artists have worked wonders with glass ever since it was discovered in 3500 BC in Mesopotamia. Glass is an incredibly versatile substance to work with. Its ability to withstand extreme temperatures, resistance to chemical reactions and transparency make it ideal for use as vessels and window panes and also enables artists to give free rein to their creativity as they fashion beautiful objets d’art.

Artworks created from glass can be categorised into three types:

Glass art – large modem glass sculptures, usually displayed in public spaces. For example. “The Sun” created by American glass sculptor Dale Chihuly.

Art glass – small decorative pieces, designed especially for display at home (not for daily use) such as crystal ware from reputed brands.

Studio glass – sculptures or three-dimensional artworks. These include beautiful works of art like stained glass and Murano glass.

Gothic churches of Europe take pride in their lustrous stained glass windows. Each window was carefully crafted by piecing together small bits of coloured glass to form an intricate mosaic, be it a biblical scene or simply a geometric pattern. The glass pieces were held in place by soldered metal strips. The rose windows of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris are spectacular examples of this art form.

Picture Credit : Google

Shakespeare’s lost play

Literary scholars have always alluded to the fact that there are many plays by brilliant English playwright William Shakespeare that have not seen the light of day and Cardenio might be the most popular of them all.

Most scholars suggest that The History of Cardenio often simply called Cardenio was written in 1613. As it is one of Shakespeare’s later contributions, it is (like many of his later plays) believed to be co-authored.

In the last stages of his career, Shakespeare is said to have been working with a writing partner, English dramatist John Fletcher. The two of them co-wrote ‘The Two Noble Kinsmen’ in 1613 and prior to this had also joined forces to write a history play, ‘Henry VIl’l which is also known as ‘All is True’.

Cardenio

The argument of dating the play to 1613 is supported by the fact that the records of the treasurer of the King’s chamber to King James state that two payments were made to Shakespeare’s drama company King’s Men in 1613 for plays called “Cardenna” and “Cardenno” These two records are presumed to refer to the same play (Cardenio) as rules for spelling were not standardised in Shakespeare’s time. Therefore, these records are taken as evidence that Cardenio was written around 1613.

The titular character of this play is also a recurring figure in one of the most influential works of Spanish literature Miguel de Cervante’s Don Quote. Written and published in 1605, the first English translation of this Spanish classic came around 1612. Therefore, it is fairly safe for us to assume that Shakespeare and Fletcher would have taken inspiration from this translated version of the novel.

Never published

For some reason, John Heminge and Henry Contell did not include Cardenio in the First Folio (1623), which was the first significant compilation of the English playwright’s works. As a result, the play was never published or made available to the general public.

Lost and forgotten

Many scholars and researchers have come up with theories to justify why this play was not included in the First Folio and how or why it got lost.

One of the possible answers for excluding it can be that it was written in collaboration, but the folio does include co-authored plays such as Henry VIII and Two Gentlemen of Verona, so this cannot be the reason.

Another suggestion is that they did not include it as they did not have a written copy – because the manuscript was destroyed in the fire that burnt down Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre on June 29, 1613. Or perhaps the play, fresh from its early performance at the King’s court in 1613, was new enough that no copy had been made of text and that the only text of the manuscript was in the Globe when it burnt to the ground. Although it is hard to specify how Cardenio’s original text was lost, it is certainly fascinating to know how through the years numerous playwrights, actors, and directors have tried to reconstruct and recover this play.

In 2009, British academic Bernard Richards reconstructed Cardenio on stage. More recently in 2011, English director Gregory Doran crafted his own version of the play for production at the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Swan Theatre.

Musing about Cardenio in an interview with the Wall Street Journal in 2009, Canadian novelist Stephen Marche said “This work would have been a direct link between the founder of the modern novel and the greatest playwright of all time, a connection between the Spanish and British literary traditions at their sources, and a meeting of the grandest expressions of competing colonial powers…”

Picture Credit : Google