Kawita Kandpal
Time Lapse Farm Ledger
Time Lapse Farm Ledger is a narrative that follows the introduction of Monsanto to Southeastern Michigan and its adverse effects on my family's health, our farm, and regional wildlife.
http://itp.nyu.edu/~kk1985/blog/
Classes
Animals, People and Those In Between
Animals, People and Those In Between
In preparation for the foreclosure of our farm in May, I began the process of collecting our farm ledgers. The purpose of these ledgers is to record the day's accounting; however, my Father also employed the ledger as a diary and there were entries that gave me pause, as there were observations about Monsanto. Considering this, I retrieved seven ledgers from our home, one for each day of the week and selected a gestational stage to be represented in each ledger of a common field sparrow indigenous to Michigan. I am in the process of creating a space in each ledger as a place holder for the developing sparrow. I have extracted content from my Father's ledgers and these will be placed on the left hand page in proximity to a narrative about his interactions with Monsanto. On the right hand page, I will render seven stages of embryonic development of a sparrow in clay.
Background
I possess a background in biology and have always been interested in exploring a narrative about the life of the American farmer and the livelihood that may be evolving toward extinction.
Audience
Anyone who is interested in farms, farming, and farm life from a first person point of view.
User Scenario
I consider this piece contemplative and it is my hope the participant is able to engage with the narrative, while being present as a witness to a bird's birth. I am in the process of adding a projector to place video images upon the final gestation stage of the sparrow. The final stage consists of a baby bird with two heads.
The person of interest whom I would like to highlight in the video is former Monsanto executive and current Deputy Commissioner for Foods at the FDA, Michael R. Taylor. Should video footage of Taylor be insufficient, I shall employ video of Monsanto representatives and farmers discussing product safety on the record.
Implementation
The installation is made of paper and clay. The gameplan is to offer a narrative of farm life and the livelihood that was ours.
Conclusion
We possess complex attachments to a place. For myself, my life and livelihood are interconnected as there is a proximity that exists between the professional and personal, the economic and ecological.
Background
I possess a background in biology and have always been interested in exploring a narrative about the life of the American farmer and the livelihood that may be evolving toward extinction.
Audience
Anyone who is interested in farms, farming, and farm life from a first person point of view.
User Scenario
I consider this piece contemplative and it is my hope the participant is able to engage with the narrative, while being present as a witness to a bird's birth. I am in the process of adding a projector to place video images upon the final gestation stage of the sparrow. The final stage consists of a baby bird with two heads.
The person of interest whom I would like to highlight in the video is former Monsanto executive and current Deputy Commissioner for Foods at the FDA, Michael R. Taylor. Should video footage of Taylor be insufficient, I shall employ video of Monsanto representatives and farmers discussing product safety on the record.
Implementation
The installation is made of paper and clay. The gameplan is to offer a narrative of farm life and the livelihood that was ours.
Conclusion
We possess complex attachments to a place. For myself, my life and livelihood are interconnected as there is a proximity that exists between the professional and personal, the economic and ecological.