The exhibition was a collaborative project of Compartment S4 and Studio IF. The idea was to showcase cultural traditions, bio-diversity, local cuisines, unique agriculture practices and festival of Khirsu Village in one space. The exhibition was to provided local community a space to celebrate their cultural heritage and enhance experience of tourists.
BASA Tourism Centre at Khirsu
The exhibition is setup on first floor of BASA tourism centre. This impressive building was designed and built by CompartmentS4 for Khirsu block of Uttarakhand Government. Learn more about the building on Compartment S4 website.
The exhibition is setup on first floor of BASA tourism centre. This impressive building was designed and built by CompartmentS4 for Khirsu block of Uttarakhand Government. Learn more about the building on Compartment S4 website.
Research and documentation for exhibition
This exhibition took shape based on intense field work and participatory research & documentation with community of Khirsu Village. Click here to see the process of field research and documentation.
Demonstrating Prototypes to Khirsu Community
Multiple ideas were prototyped in collaboration with community at Khirsu and demonstrated to them to experience and share their feedback.
Setting up Final Exhibition
Stories were designed to be presented in visually rich panels and interactive installations. A curation plan was made for final setup.
Photographs of Final Exhibition :
The exhibition space is now open for all tourists and locals. This space was innaugurated by Uttarakhand Goverment Officials from January 2020.
Details about the exhibition :
1. Find all static visual panels : Click here
2. Interactive ‘Map of Khirsu’
Initital ideas and explorations
Landscape of Khirsu and Houses were mapped using digital tools and walking around the village. Based on stories of locals, places of significance were identified.
First prototype of map was on paper and second was on a fabric dyed using local turmeric to represent contour lines. Using custom circuits, sounds and images were linked to places of significance and made digitally interactive. The final prototype was demonstrated to community.
Landscape of Khirsu and Houses were mapped using digital tools and walking around the village. Based on stories of locals, places of significance were identified.
First prototype of map was on paper and second was on a fabric dyed using local turmeric to represent contour lines. Using custom circuits, sounds and images were linked to places of significance and made digitally interactive. The final prototype was demonstrated to community.
The idea and its execution
This interactive map was for tourists to discover Khirsu village. When a tourist comes to see the map, they can touch to key points and hear
teaser information about that place in voices of local kids.
The interactive map was fabricated with custom circuit embedded in an exhibition panel. Installation was made waterproof and simpler to operate for easier maintainance by community.
This interactive map was for tourists to discover Khirsu village. When a tourist comes to see the map, they can touch to key points and hear
teaser information about that place in voices of local kids.
The interactive map was fabricated with custom circuit embedded in an exhibition panel. Installation was made waterproof and simpler to operate for easier maintainance by community.
3. Interactive ‘Kuthaar’
The Inspiration
In past, community at Khirsu was self relient in terms of agricultural produces. They used to store grains in big wooden boxes called Kuthaar.
Over the time agriculture practice has impacted due to climate change and migration of people to cities. Now a days people are not using Kuthaar or repurposing them since they do not store same quantity of grains anymore. Kuthaar is a symbol of Khirshu’s living agricultural heritage which is changing over the time.
In past, community at Khirsu was self relient in terms of agricultural produces. They used to store grains in big wooden boxes called Kuthaar.
Over the time agriculture practice has impacted due to climate change and migration of people to cities. Now a days people are not using Kuthaar or repurposing them since they do not store same quantity of grains anymore. Kuthaar is a symbol of Khirshu’s living agricultural heritage which is changing over the time.
The idea and the installation
The Kuthaar, an object from Khirsu houses, is now a symbol of change. We found one such Kuthaar form a family. This box now stores stories instead of grains. Stories of how Khirsu’s natural landscape and life of people are changing together. This installation was not only designed for tourists but it was an asset for future generation of Khirsu. The sound tracks were curated from interviews of local villagers.
The Kuthaar, an object from Khirsu houses, is now a symbol of change. We found one such Kuthaar form a family. This box now stores stories instead of grains. Stories of how Khirsu’s natural landscape and life of people are changing together. This installation was not only designed for tourists but it was an asset for future generation of Khirsu. The sound tracks were curated from interviews of local villagers.
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