Imagined Realities

A Residency with Frameless, ‘Imagined Realities’ is a multisensory digital exhibition that explores the play of transitory journeys between the imaginations and the being, from ancient worlds to modern realities, in discovery of the wonder that sculpts the inner journeys and the world we inhabit. Exploring intangible emotions and narratives through a tangible process, the worlds are moulded by hand and shaped by inner emotions, creatures of imagination, wonder and myth, and narratives that ponder upon the relationship between the inner self and the natural world.

Team and Collaborators

Dhira Chakraborty

Roots to the Universe Team

Co-Artist in Residence -

Riya Mahajan and Ruby Bell - Moody Monsters

Vivian Li - ‘From the Ground / Lost in Synthetic’

Developing 'Imagined Realities'

'Imagined Realities' was developed as an exploration of fantasy, mythology, folklore and a deep connection to nature. We realised that the work had an organic appeal for families and younger audiences, and built upon the work we had developed at the Royal College of Art. As a hand-painted experience, Roots to the Universe went from a physical medium through multiple digital tools, till it found its way back to the physical world in this hybrid immersive space.

The innate philosophy of 'Roots to the Universe' is based on 'Koitur', the world view of the Gondi people that identifies the interconnectedness between all living beings, and the harmony with nature innate to Gond identity. Through conversations with artists, ethnographists, researchers, practitioners across the culture, we learnt of the oral tradition, and its place in the creative cosmology of the Gonds.

At the heart of the process were Durgabai and Subhash Vyam, acclaimed Gond artists who have brought Gond Art to the global platform, and with their help we created the story. We were supported by Aadiwasi Seva Mandal, an organisation engaged in service of indigenous identities, and Tribal Museum MP (Bhopal), which not only introduced us to many of the artists and researchers, but also generously shared music they had recorded with Gondi artists.

At Frameless, we had incredible support from James (Jim) Moorton, Jess and the broader Frameless team, who helped us understand design for immersive spaces, and worked closely with us to refine our work considering aspects such as sound, gaze, perspective and scale.