AMITY-UNESCO RESULT
Answer: (Jarawa in Andaman, Lepcha in Sikkim,Jaunsari in Uttarakhand, Kondh in Orissa,
Bodo in Assam, Khasi in Meghalaya, Gond in Madhya Pradesh, Gaddi in Himachal Pradesh,
Rabari in Gujarat, Bhil in Rajasthan)
From Invisible Threads To Iconic Luxury Of The Little LV
Shirali Bansal
AIS Vasundhara 6, X A
You humans have always wondered too much, always diminished your mind into thinking you’re just a tiny grain of sand amid this vast universe. I, however, actually know what it means to be something so painfully menial – “smaller than a grain of sea salt” (though that may depend on how coarse you like your salt).
Now now, don’t you make the mistake of thinking me invaluable, for I am anything but. I am an intricately and arduously created Louis Vuitton microscopic handbag. The good news? You cannot lose your keys in me. The bad news? You could lose me even in the slightest breeze.
Before you ask how I was brought to life, I’d like to reciprocate by asking you if any of you remember your birth. I have, however, overheard some humans speak about how I was just a stunt pulled off by the New York Collective MSCHF, calling out the luxury world for its excesses. The brand, previously having made headlines with its tongue in cheek projects like ‘Satan Shoes’ and ‘Eat the Rich’, was no stranger to controversial releases. Did you really think I was a real LV? Well, LV never really gave permission for my designs, so I am not even an official collaboration. But who cares, when my price superseded even the originals!
My design was inspired by some iconic OnTheGo Louis Vuitton tote bag, only in yellowish-green colour in order to enhance my visibility. I was made using a ‘stereolithographic process’ which in my opinion, sounds like something Iron Man would use in his suits. I think, from afar, I look like a radioactive poppy seed, but a promotional photo shared by the Brooklyn-based art group, MSCHF (aka my creators), shows my intricate design in greater detail, revealing Louis Vuitton’s signature ‘LV’ monogram.
The first memory I have is of blinding light threatening to burn my translucent handles that eventually faded into a gorgeous room with too many big handbags around me. They were giants, and I remember some human shouting, “We lost the other minis! This one is the only one left for the auction!” and a voice replied, “It doesn’t matter. We’ll just make it a ‘brand signifier’ and call it ‘the final step in bag miniaturisation’,” like I was just something to make fun of the ‘mini’ trend quite popular among social media. I felt inferior to the others, a joke that would never be taken seriously.
It was summer in Paris, and I think it was selfish and ungrateful to feel mocked then, for I had been fortuitously privileged with a house of gel and was kept in front of a microscope to be showed off to the world. Yet all I could think of was my worthlessness, for there was no one interested in me. Afterwards, I made my way into the Just Phriends sale – an auction from Pharrell William’s auction house, Joopiter. I remember thinking “Who would buy me for even 10 USD?” when the occasion was mentioned.
Then, on a single day, my whole world was turned as I soared to the sky, metaphorically obviously. Someone had finally seen my undeterred worth and had bought me, for freaking 63,750 USD! I was ecstatic; call me silly, or wise, but that day I realised how truly little appearance mattered. It has been a year since my amazing adventure, and every day I revel in pride that someday, some other bag might just be inspired by me to go and conquer the world, or atleast – Paris.
Soulful universe
Album: Map of the Soul: 7
Artist: BTS
Released on: February 21, 2020
Genre: Pop, Hip-hop, Contemporary R&B
Synopsis: Described as ‘deeply personal’ by BTS, this album is a symphonic ode to the seven-year chapter of their journey as music artists. Every song in the album has its own meaning, ranging from reflection and unity to introspection and individuality. It broadly underscores the message of optimism and teaches us the importance of ‘self-love’. Meant to be an album that represents unquenchable thirst of an artist, it has bridged fine art and popular art through initiatives such as the global art project ‘CONNECT, BTS’ and the ‘Black Swan’ art film, featuring a modern dance interpretation of the early-release track.
Why is it worth listening: ‘Map of the Soul: 7’ provides the listeners with an array of euphonic harmonies, catering to every taste such as electronics, pop, funk, synths, and even 80s rock element. Members of the band showcase their unique rhythmic styles through their solos in the album, combining it with Carl Jung’s theory of psyche known as ‘Map of the Soul’ through the songs ‘Persona’, ‘Shadow’, and ‘Ego’. The mellifluous tunes are meant to heal the listeners, especially artists and form deep connection to their fans. The critically acclaimed album was supported by commercially thriving two pay-per-view streaming concerts ‘Map of the Soul ON:E’ which boasted an audience of 993,000 viewers from 191 countries.
Favourite song: ‘00:00 (Zero o’clock)’ is a comforting song which tells us that 00:00 is not only the end of a day but also the beginning of one. If the day didn’t go well, we shouldn’t dwell on it as there is a new beginning ahead when the clock strikes 00:00.
Rating: 5/5
Review by: Tannya Pasricha
AIS Gurugram 43, Alumna
(Tannya is currently pursuing Computer Science Engineering (Business Analytics) from VIT Chennai.)