New York Creators - Open-Source Repair & Hacks Exhibition

I am currently organizing an exhibition in New York, and while the energy here is unmatched, the friction of creating is honestly exhausting. I’m finding myself incredibly frustrated by the "closed-door" nature of design in this city. If you want to open-source a component, repair a complex installation, or simply swap out a part for a creator-led project, you’re met with a wall of proprietary locks, expensive licenses, and "authorized-only" repair labels. It feels like the antithesis of everything I believe in. The Open-Source culture: From India and Japan My perspective is deeply rooted in the environments that built me. In India, we don’t just use Jugaad because we have to; we use it because it’s a form of decentralized, open-source intelligence. Information and repair skills aren't locked behind a paywall—they are shared in the streets. Then there’s Japan. During my communication design residency seven years ago, I saw a different kind of "open". It was a culture where craft and technology weren't seen as separate entities, but as a shared heritage. Whether it’s a traditional joinery technique or a community-led tech project, the focus is on longevity and the ability to maintain the "vessel" yourself. Why New York Needs to "Unlearn" In New York, the "ritual of the expensive" is everywhere. We’ve been forced into a reality where we are seasoning our dinner with microplastics because it’s "easier" than fixing the system. But as a creator, I refuse to accept that my installations at teamLab or my personal projects should be black boxes. The Frustration: Why is it so hard to access the "code" of our physical environment? The Goal: My upcoming exhibition is a call for Open-Source Sovereignty. The Vision: I want to apply the "Cradle-to-Cradle" logic I learned from Himalayan waste collectors to the way we build tech in the city. We need to stop designing things that are meant to be thrown away when a single sensor fails. If we want to truly decentralize design, we have to make the tools of creation—and repair—accessible to everyone. Are you a creator in NY struggling with "closed" systems? I want to feature your work or your "hacks" in my upcoming show. Let’s talk.