Aśānti (Discomfort) Chapter 1: Wake up! (2019, 2 minutes, 2D/3D computer animation)
Aśānti (Discomfort) Chapter 1: Wake up! is the first chapter of an experimental 2D/3D computer animation exploring the disruptive effects of technology on nature in the Global South. These effects are especially acute in the technology-focused “Garden City” of Bangalore, home to a panoply of technology companies, and Goa, an Indian state known for its pristine beaches and lush jungles, that aspires to attract high-tech business to its natural environment. Burns’ audio and visual recordings taken on site in Bangalore and Goa invite viewers to question the modernist metanarrative of progress and examine the differing perspectives on India’s adoption of economic models that privilege technological innovation over the preservation of nature.