catalogue: concept and visualisation

The catalogue serves the purpose of a publication which informs the visitors about all the display in the museum. It gives them a deep insight about all tthe artefacts.

The catalogue cover is designed to convey the essence of the museum.

Its again lays emphasis on masks and makeup which are th core elements of any performance. Hence the focus has been on the face.Which give the expressions that highten the essence of any dance

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The layout also had to be simple and easy to use and understand

poster: concept na visualisation

Poster is a medium of advertising or publicity. Therefore it had to be on the lines on which the museum is designed. That is like the display the poster also had to be dynamic and living, such that it is able to convey and converse on its own.

I choose to make the poster for the Museum of Performing Arts, Kerala. To make to poster dynamic the image had to be really strong. The imakge in a way should convey the display of the museum, as to what to expect out of the museum.

The image shows a man applying makeup on his face for a performance, which is a very important part and even the starting of any performance.

Hence in a way the image conveys what the museum is about, its not static but dynamic and living .

The poster should convey the what and how without being too explicit so as to retain the mystery of the museum.

Display: concept and visualisation

After exploring concepts for the Museum and its functions in the community the museum display was for developing an evolutive programme of thematic exhibitions and related activities.
We had to break away from the conventional method of display and instead considers what (and how many) elements should be combined in the museum display and according to which functional hierarchy they should be presented and apprehended.
I worked on the lines where the object shall not be the focus of the display instead it would be the essence that the object creates.
I choose to work on a masked dance of kerala "kummatti kali".
The main attraction of the dance is their leafy costumes made out of grass and mumerous colourfull masks which represent characters from mahabharat and ramayana. They dance to the rhythm of onavillu a sacred stringed bow.
My ideology was that in order to create an impact on the visitors its necessary they undestand all the parts which together combine to form the dance.The display had to be dynamic and alive. Since its a dance the only way you can get the essence of its vigour ,energy and movement is by seeing the dancers in performance. After considering several pros and cons and applying all possible permutation and combinations i came to the final display plan.

The room is divided into two areas
1- the display zone
2-the screening area

The display plan follows a circular pattern because that is the formation of the performance.during which the dances are in the center and the musicians on the periphery.

THE DISPLAY ZONE

The first thing that you notice when you enter the room are the display boxes.The display boxes are suspended from the ceiling using the alluminium cables at an eyelevel .This enables comfortable viewing as the object becomes the focus because its at an eyelevel.
Their are eight small boxes and one larger central one. Each small box is rectangular in shape and divided into two compartaments so that we can dispaly two separate objects hence utilizing resources.

THE BOXES

The boxes have glass on three sides (the front and the sides)so that you can get the front as well as the side view of the object. The box has a wooden framework to make it stable and strong.The box is divided into two partitions .The partition of the box has a mirrored surface so that the back of the object gets reflected in it. Hence this arrangement gives us a complete view of the object.
The bigger box also has the simmilar arrangment but with no partition. The back surface of the box has a mirror surface.

OBJECTS DISPLAYED

The smaller boxes display several masks and musical instuments used. The central bigger box display the complete attire worn during the dance.
The display boxes have been startegically placed so that the visitor has to navigate their way betwen the dispaly and then reach the screening area. In this way they have to see everything displayed and nothing gets missed.

THE SCREENING AREA
I proposed to have a screening area in the room where we could at times screen movies on the kummatti dance , and when ever possible have a live puppets show where the puppets are dressed as the kummatii dancers , perfomning on the rhythm of onavillu.

Such an experience will be entertaining and not educating then just the display. Screening area forms an important part of this display because here you can see the objects in motion.
This will help them analyse the dance and experience it in full form.Thus help recreting the experince through sound and visual.

Museums are usually considered as cemetries. The displays are usually dead, not conveying anything. This dispaly focuses on giving life to these objects, to animate them so that you can experience a conversation between the objects. The display here is interactive and alive .

how and why catalogues?

Why a Catalogue?

It is essential that we are able to find and identify every object in the collection. Every object has information associated with it. This might just be the name and address of the donor, and where the object was used; but in most cases it extends to a complete history of who made or collected the object, where, why, how, when, and for what purpose it was used.
We have to record, and then organise all this information so that we can retrieve it quickly and easily when we need to. This might be in order to write a label for the object in a display; or it might be to help someone with some research.

Unique Identities

Every object in the museum collections is allocated a unique identification number, which allows museums to keep track of the object and its information through a computer-based catalogue of all the objects. Once the information has been recorded on the computer, it is there for anyone who may need to see it in the future.

Public Access

a catalogue sis not only beneficial for the museum but a much compact and condensed version is good for the visitors also. catalogues provides them with the essential information about the object . an online catalogue can be acessible by anyone anytime.

problems faced

1. displaying costumes

• the costumes need to be displayed so that the display can recerate the feel of the time when they were wore.
• the display needs to be three dimensions i dont want to pinn the costume to the board for display.
• displaying on manequines has always been done in several museums.
• cuming up with an innovative way of displaying.
• but i feel the best way to display the costumes is through manequins . but to give they life the manequiens to atke up different postures of the dance, that might be visually intersting
• or we can have moving manequines that have slight movement of arms and neck. but that will be too slow and the dance is actually is full of energy.

2 sounds

• sound form an imp part of any dance. hence i wanted to incorporate sound along with my object.
• sound could be placed in form of audio as well as video. but that might just take the attention away from the object.
• sound gives the enegry to a dance form, dances like kathakalli have a slow beat to them but kummatti kali has a fast beat to it. even if the visitor does not see the video by hearing the sound he can analyses what type of dance form it will be.
• it helps recreate the same atmosphere which is important to undestant the context of the dance
• this audio does not have words to it. its a symphony of lots of instuments palying together. therefore the visitor will not have a traslation problem.

3 text

• text is essential part of undestanding anything new. when even we go to a museum we are curious about the exhibit. hence text has to be placed which gives you a jist of the object dispalyed.
• at times the signage is not visible to the tousrist. so the important fact is the placement of text so that its visible and at the same time does not over shadow the object.

4- lights

• the folk art museum we visited i felt the lights were not properly placed . they were getting reflected on the glass surface of the display.

5 overall dispaly

• the overall dispaly should be able to recreate the experience of the place.
• object and sound i feel should be placed together because the together distinguish them selves from the other dance forms.
• ito give life to the exhibit i want to palce iobjects relevant to the dance near it so that people can get a better understanding of what all is used.

6 interactivity

kummatti kali:trichur district

In Trichur District, Kummaattikkali begins on the dawn of Thiruvonam. The players and the people who play the musical instruments visit the temple and pay obeisance to God. They receive clothes as gifts from the local elder. Usually the Nairs perform Kummaatti.

attire and ritual

Groups of dancers donning masks and adorning themselves with leaves and grass go from house to house and dance. Each household pays them in cash or kind. Originally, only Nairs performed this dance, and it was common to find masks stored in Nair houses. Today anybody can participate.

The distinguishing feature of the Trichur Kummaattikkali is the use of a large variety of imposing masks. One popular character in the range is a toothless old woman known as talla (grandmother). The mask of the talla has the hair tied on the top of the head, like the old women of the past. The ear ornaments are huge round ones. Sometimes brinjals are hung instead of the ear ornaments called Kundalam. The talla enacts according to the song sequences in the song and makes the audience laugh.

music
The Kummaattikkali of Trichur is more attractive and appealing because of its music. The songs are melodious and deal with devotional themes. Songs relating to the story of Mahaabali, which is the basis of the Onam festival are particularly catchy. The rhythm for the singing is not provided by a drum but by vibrating the string of a bow-like instrument called onavillu. http://kerala.indiavideo.org/heritage/festivals/onavillu-the-ceremonial-bows-112.php The bow is made of arecanut wood. The string firmly tied to the two ends with slats and bamboo is beaten with a bamboo sliver.

No special or elaborate training is required to dance. The style, as in most folk dance forms, is, by and large, learned merely through participation.

The number of participants vary according to their financial position. The players don their faces with the masks of Puranic characters like Siva, Kiraatamoorthi, Naarada, Hanumaan, Darika, and Krishna. The costumes are made of grass.

The song for the Kummaattikkali is sung by the leader of the group. The masked Kummaattis do not sing.

kummatti kali: palghat

Kummaattikkali in Palghat District

In Ottapalam Taluk of Palghat District, Kummaatti signifies the beginning of the agricultural festival. The performers are washermen. Kummaatti begins soon after the Makaram Harvest that takes place in January.
They wear banana leaves as costume. The performers wear arecanut spathe or masks on their faces. Charcoal powder is applied on the body. They do not sing. This has been performed since ancient days as an offering.
origin
Kummaattikkali can today be seen in its pristine form in the Bhadrakaali Temple at Putusseri in Palghat District, where it is an important part of the annual festival. The festival begins on the first Wednesday after the new moon in the month of Makara (January-February), and Kummaattikkali is performed on its seventh day. It follows a brief performance by children, called Tö lKummaatti. Here, children paint their faces with a paste made of soot, and over this black base make designs with a mixture of rice flour and lime. They tie a white garment round the waste and adorn themselves with bunches of fresh leaves. Once dressed, they go round the temple in a dance like movement 'Kummol, Kummol,' led by an elderly man holding a mask.

Another, and more important performance of Kummaattikkali takes place on the ninth day of the festival. This is given in a spirit of competition between two groups of people from two opposite parts of the village. An interesting legend lies behind this observance.
Mythology behind it
A long time ago, a devotee of the temple at Putusseri, Naanu Nair, was mistaken for a mad man and the people from two parts of the village bound him, kept him immersed in a pond and eventually drowned him. The Goddess of the temple, Bhadrakaali, swelled with rage. An epidemic broke out in the village and only then did the people realize that they have had committed a crime and offended the Goddess. So to atone for the sin and appease Bhadrakaali they began the practice of performing Kummaattikkali at the temple every year, wearing masks resembling the face of Nanu Nair. That marked the inauguration of the annual Kummaattikkali dance in the temple.
ritulas
In the festival, the two groups of people proceed to the pond where Naanu Nair is said to have been drowned. Holding masks in their hands, they stand on opposite sides of the pond. The masks are identical in size, shape and design. The participants first run around the temple and then go from house to house, receiving coconut, jaggery and rice by way of offerings. By now, it is evening, and they return to the temple in procession, with a small idol of the Devi carried on elephant-back to the accompaniment of music, torches and fireworks. There is dancing in the procession, and when this reaches the temple the celebration comes to an end.

another version of kummatti kali

Kummaattikkali, is also a key feature of the Konganpata festival held in the month of Makara (January-February) every year in Chittur, Palghat. This festival has a historical association. It is said that once the ruler of Palghat had to face a fierce attack from the Kongu king. The ruler of Chittur in a gesture of help sent his men to ward off the attack. It is in commemoration of this event that the Konganpata is celebrated annually. However, the participants in this are only children. It is believed that Chittur Bhagavati also took part in the war, donning the garb of a Yoddha (soldier), and killed the king.

rituals followed

The Kummaattikkali associated with the Konganpata festival is usually conducted on a Friday. The whole village assemble at the Devi temple to witness this. As a result of Divine Ordinance, two people are selected as Commanders in Chief. They are known as Muppatti. Many boys, in their early teens are ready to play their role as warriors. When the temple flag is hoisted, these young warriors along with the Muppatti walk south-west ward to Palathulli which is the boundary of Chittoor. This is to commemorate the soldiers who went to Palathulli to consult magicians in order to ensure victory in the war. By 10 A.M the boys called Kummaattikkuttikal (Kummaatti children) bathe in the Palathulli river and start walking, with slogans of victory.

The children assemble at the Bhagavati's Alttara (Platform of a banyan tree) before dusk. The Bhagavati Niyogam (Representative of Bhagavati) also gets ready for way. She wears colourful costume anklet, gold ornaments and holds a shining sword in 'her' hand, and walks in front of the army. The villagers, walk behind them with lighted torches, and the Kummaatti boys too follow the Bhagavati Niyogam with victorious cheering. This procession reveals the unity of the little village. The group go up to the puvattunkavu, from where the Bhagavati and the people disperse. Only the Muppatti's and the Kummaattis remain there. At midnight, the Kummaatti's return to Chittoor Temple.

The festival at the Devi Temple at Munduur, 11km. from Palghat town, is conducted in a different manner. The Devi is said to have once decapitated a washerman for practising black magic, and the Kummaattikkali at Munduur is in remembrance of this event.

In a tender sprout of the plantain tree are placed small pieces of a special wood strung together. One end of the sprout is adorned with a sprig of flowers, including some from the arecanut tree. This entire arrangement is then tied to the back of the performer so that the flowers peep over his head. Performers who wear this are called Mutikuttikal and escort the Velichappadu (oracle) through the village receiving offerings from the devotees on the way. On the following day, the Mutikuttikal come to the temple and dance in the company of the Velichappadu.