Interpreting The Mundane, A Closer Look Into The Everyday Life
Ishita Gujarathi
The mundane in my thesis serves as an intentional act of recognition and exploration, acknowledging the value embedded
in the seemingly ordinary aspects of our daily lives. I see mundane as anything that is very familiar and unnew to me,
the commonness in things. The meticulous documentation of these elements serves as a catalyst for my making processes
throughout my thesis. When I say I am trying to interpret it, I mean I am trying to make new meanings and associations
from the common things around me.
This deliberate act of exploration contributes to the broader category of concepts, offering a unique perspective on how
the mundane can be transformed into inspiration, ultimately shaping more meaningful and resonant design solutions. In my
research, I have employed various methodologies to capture the essence of the mundane. Through active engagement, I
immersed myself in the subject matter, enhancing my understanding and developing my documentations, collections and
writings.
instagram.com/ishita_gujarathi/
Interpreting the Mundane, Thesis Book
Addressing the fundamental question of why we document, the thesis explores my personal obsession with learning and experimenting with categorizing documentations based on patterns, themes, lists, words, colors, photos, and more. The exploration unfolds through a series of ongoing projects, where I observe and intensely document repetitions of certain objects or instances that humorously and plainly speak about mundanity. Throughout this text, I also reflect on my projects, explaining how I have gained knowledge and derived meaning through the process of documentation.
Interpreting the Mundane
Thesis Book Spreads
Documenting the Mundane, Research Book
This editorial was designed as part of research for my thesis, featuring works and case studies from various veterans in the field—artists, designers, and writers—who have explored my topic previously. The layout has been meticulously curated to reflect the themes of mundanity and banality, with conscious decisions regarding color, type, and layout
Mundane Collections, Book Series
A series of booklets designed to document mundane belongings. Through my collection of mundane things-book series, I collected multiple things in quantity and some were just photographs and some were actual collections which were later photographed. These collections inherently possess their own internal scale, drawing focus and attention to their contents.
Cards Against Entertainment
This project aims to introduce humor into exploring the mundane within an unconventional setting. Players respond to typical card game prompts with mundane actions/instances, providing a new and engaging interpretation of the everyday.
Index of Mundane Actions
This book proposes an index of mundane actions, organized alphabetically in a dynamic layout reminiscent of a dictionary. Instead of magnifying the ordinary, the objective is to present the mundane in its simplicity. By compiling a catalog of routine actions, the book serves as a silent observer of daily life. The dynamic layout is designed for straightforward navigation, offering a clear exploration of the commonplace.
Index of Mundane Actions
Index Overview