Research & Practice Archive of Prayas Abhinav
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Highlights of Creative Practice

Installations, Exhibitions, Games and Performances
  • International ·
  • Performance ·
  • Toilet ·
A photograph of a moment from the Nanoresidency project by Prayas Abhinav at dis-locate 12 in Tokyo, Japan

NanoResidency (2012)

[Project]NanoResidency (a project at dis-locate in Tokyo, Japan) invited artists to perform in public toilets to respond to the spaces with performances of gestures and sketches. Toilets are seen as outer spaces, and also outer-space. These performances were statements commenting on the insufficient space for art in our cities and also as a radical kind of space-creation.
  • Internet Studies ·
  • Virtual ·
Screenshot of a Facebook post done as a part of the "Vacuum Suction" project by Prayas Abhinav at KNMA

Vacuum Suction (2015)

[Project] A project on the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA)'s Facebook page. A script that can deny its own existence easily is possible. The continuity can be said to exist only in the minds who engage over time and let their mind be influenced and subjected to. It does not exist in any discernible form otherwise. The script exists in the audience's mind only. The audience can become a part of the production anytime. Link: View
  • Homelessness ·
  • Speculation ·
  • Video ·
Still from a video film called, "A Place to Stay" by Prayas Abhinav

A Place To Stay (2006)

[Video Project] While thousands in Mumbai, lose their home every month, thousands also search for one. One of these thousands, Prayas is disoriented and frustrated, fearful of what would happen if he doesn’t find a place to stay. His friend offers him his place for the weekend, but for the week he still has to figure something out. He starts exploring Mumbai at night hoping to discover some places where he can sleep safely. As he begins his exploration, he finds friends who guide him to places he could never have imagined as shelters. And Prayas finds a place to stay! Watch video.
  • distortion ·
  • multiple-selves ·
  • Text ·
Photograph of an installation called "Another Pattern is Apparent" by Prayas Abhinav

Another Pattern is Apparent (2011)

[Installation] Another pattern is apparent (and all narratives are fiction) was a video installation working with the fractal nature of text and distortion. In the installation, a wavering body of text was projected onto a sheet of acrylic bent in a zigzag shape. The sheet of acrylic had a vinyl pattern stuck behind it which was obstructing the passage of projection selectively. This led to this ambient interplay of light, shadow and text with varying degrees and opacities of text in the room.
  • Innovation ·
  • Technology ·
  • Wearable ·
Photograph of shoes called "Bhatka Bhatka" by Prayas Abhinav

Bhatka Bhatka (2010)

[Object] These are shoes which with the help of a GPS, some java code and a LED and vibrator, helps discovering new and unknown places in the city. It has a button for the wearer to store familiar / known locations and then while walking, it guides the walk towards locations that might be possibly unknown.
  • Bamboo ·
  • Festival ·
  • public space ·
Photographs of an installation called Canopy by Prayas Abhinav

Canopy (2009)

[Installation] A publicly installed bamboo structure, which allowed a dual use of public space. It allowed a tea shop to function and created space for children to climb it and grow vegetables and medicinal plants for themselves. I then did music, drawing and craft workshops at the space to seed different imaginative associations of the space in the children's minds.
  • Commentary ·
  • poetry ·
  • Rat Race ·
A screenshot of "Distortion Field," a game designed by Prayas Abhinav

Distortion field (2011)

[Digital Game] A warped car-racing game which mimics the act of “dropping out”. It modifies the 2d-arcade car-racing tradition to a situation where the objective is not to win but is to get out of the race. There are detours to go turn away, but the complexities are many - if one slows down, one risks accidents.
  • Animation ·
  • Assemblage ·
  • Collaboration ·
A photograph of an installation titled, "Phase Shift" by Prayas Abhinav

Phase Shift (2012)

[Installation] A work of analogue animation. Frames describing the motion of a woman jumping out of a window are drawn on currency note-sized paper. A currency counting machine animates these frames. A camera inside a lamp-head captures this motion and displays it on a television.
  • Digital ·
  • Language ·
  • Philosophy ·
Screenshot of a game titled "Decay of Meaning" by Prayas Abhinav

The Decay of Meaning (2011)

[Digital Game] A game-world in which the instrumental analysis of meaning and value in vocabulary becomes an obsession. You can jump and eat words, depending on which word you eat, you speed becomes faster or slower. When the player collides with its other avatar, one of them dies (who is faster?). But then there are three lives. If you eat a lot of words, sometimes there are side-effects.
  • Art Fair ·
  • Critique ·
  • International ·
Photograph of an installation titled "The Potential," at Art HK 2011

The Potential (2012)

[Installation] Books shelter desires. Masqueraded with words, empty or full, inscribed or blank - the desires in books leak through sometimes as invitations to do the impossible. The installation offers three invitations: “Money for nothing,” “Instant death” and “Flight.” Each invitation has its own paradox to consider - they are like sinful pleasures: attractive as well as feared.

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