indu subaiya » Misc

New Years Eve 2011, Silverlake

indu — Sat, 31 Dec 2011 20:41:14 +0000

I want to save the New York Times

indu — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 16:25:02 +0000

After seeing Page One, the stellar documentary about the state of the New York Times in an age of dying print news, I’m more convinced than ever that the NYT can become more profitable than anything. I know there are a gazillion brilliant people who’ve been working at this issue for a long time but I think if I had access to capital that was willing to be patient for a while, I could figure out a model. For one, their online presence is so under-leveraged. The year in review in pictures can’t even be embedded in another blog – this gorgeous visual history – I can’t share with anyone other than via a hyperlink. That is the kind of difference I’d be exacting about if it were my company. It’s the kind of thing that actually makes a difference. When I sign in, why can’t I customize the page better? Why is Times Topics buried in a random link up top when it’s the coolest thing ever? And many more questions.

Billie Holiday sings Strange Fruit

indu — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 06:34:28 +0000

I read about this song in Lapham’s Quarterly, in a piece written by Billy Holiday herself where she talks about how the song came about — partly based on a poem and partly based on how her father died. Every time she sang it she had to run to the bathroom where she got sick – it took that much out of her. It starts, “Southern trees bear a strange fruit, Blood on the leaves and blood at the root.” I listened to it just now, and the waves of chills are still coming.

Back in Berlin

indu — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 20:31:47 +0000

After 7 years, it’s the particular joy of returning. Of finding the same painting on the side of a building, the same wind tunnel sound of the S train, the same dark dreams. And of course the Park Inn which caught my eye as soon as I arrived in Berlin and dominated my visual-mind-scape for the entirety of my stay – for reasons I can’t fully articulate.

Big Sur I love the way you smell

indu — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 23:17:54 +0000

I Love Light (Ojai)

indu — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 23:05:25 +0000

Meditation Series

indu — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 03:02:15 +0000

Seeing Blue Boy again

indu — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 02:40:19 +0000

I first saw this painting in the summer of 1983 on my first trip to LA with my grandparents who were visiting from India. I was totally taken – I remembering walking left and right and being puzzled by the eyes following me. I’d forgotten it’s name but remembered the blue. I remember being happy to be with my grandparents. The grandchild of Indian Anglophiles, I fell for the English grandeur of the Huntington Library in general. And then weirdly last week, I named a short film of mine Blue Boy, completely unaware that it was the name of this painting that had branded itself into my memory. I visited today, 27 years later, on my fifth wedding anniversary and it was just as pretty. And I checked, the eyes still follow you. Blue Boy, Thomas Gainsborough, c. 1770 at the Huntington Library.

The 2010 Health 2.0 Developer Challenge Launches

indu — Fri, 09 Jul 2010 05:18:04 +0000

A little over a month from conception. Welcome to the world! I hope you have a long and happy life.

Our Baldessari

indu — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 06:39:53 +0000

John Baldessari’s Pure Beauty exhibit at LACMA delivered the goods. He was there in person talking about how his “Nose” series was born out of the notion of visual cropping before cropping became an easy tool we take for granted in digital media. Here’s his Kissing Series: Simone Palm Trees (Near), 1975.

And our reverent homage.