A Post-Colonial Journey into a Filmic Imaginary
In exploring the “half-lives” of the British Indian Diaspora, (the merging and tinkering between two ‘homes’/ two ‘identities’), my research situates the diasporic dissonance in a Filmic Imaginary. It looks to expand on third space theory (H.K Bhabha, 1994)- a post-colonial theory of a polyphonic, non-heirarchical (non)space that instigates a state of change. The Filmic Imaginary is an amalgamation of memories, experiences, and filmic representations. These moments, spatialised, all embody fragments of time and identity from the colonial era to present day.
This proposal is a speculative exploration into a fragment of The Filmic Imaginary - a film set, titled “Lot E”. The film set encapsulates the relationship between the British Indian Diaspora and Cinema, examining the intersection between Cinema and Architecture whilst questioning how both can be re-considered and intertwined to create an equitable, filmic “third-space”. The proposition re-frames the British Indian Diaspora as central actors within a new social paradigm – wherein the collective act of film-making and learning becomes a de-colonising device and re-establishes their agency.
The thesis also actively challenges how architectural representation methods exist and its relationship with cinema, exploring theories of montage and layering as de-colonising devices.
