Encouraging Art

The ArtHouse at Naikavaddo in Calangute strikes the visitor by its languid originality. It is a sprawling Goan mansion, which Sara and Vasudha Cardozo-Ribeiro have renovated and converted into a house fit for art. In the congenial environs they have attracted the aesthetic works of several artists, in a wide spectrum of media--paintings, photography, assemblages--and a pair of unique art installations, in an exhibition labelled Tourist & Tourism.

Rajan Fulari's art installation-"40 Musical Chairs in the Garden"--is a potent political statement on the prevailing situation in Goa. The painter perceives change as a continuous process. But in the Goan political context, the change produces no progress but a chaotic situation, churning out a lethal phenomenon designed to trigger a disaster soon.

The little chairs placed "in the Garden" of Eden around a painting of Adam and Eve, also serves as a chessboard, on which the forty unseen politicians play Snakes and Ladders. Live crabs personify the egotism of the individuals occupying the chairs, which bear the symbols of political parties, masks, dice, knives, etc. The selfish players care not for the society languishing in burgeoning misery, illustrated with a pathway littered with growing garbage.

The second installation--Apurva Kulkarni's "Ago" (an anagram of 'Goa'), Episode 1-deals with another myth of Goa. It revolves around the birth of Goa-an innocent babe with its face half-covered in plaster and lying beside a bottle of packaged water, surrounded by arching furrows in the sand. Apurva replays his childhood games in sand, which also serve to symbolise tourism, in which Goa feels ensnared today.

Among the creative work of Goan artists, we find three panels of Alexyz's funscapes-Foreign Litterbug, State of the Art Pothole plus a unusual work--"Goa is for Lovers"--done on the canvas of a cot. Alexyz reverts to the Goa of the Sixties when the flower children sought love and peace in Goa, away from din, worry and war. "For a change," the cartoonist says, "you can at last lie on a painting."

Rajeshree Thakker, who recently bagged the prestigious Harmony award, puts on show an intriguing assemblage of diverse occupations, viewed through a Goan window. Wellknown Shireen Modi depicts Goa's nature in its various, expressive moods. Poornima Sinha, Suresh Fadte, Fondu Gaonkar and Rajesh Chodankar explore the Goan landscape vide their own individual styles. The husband and wife team of Santosh and Chaitali Moraskar have works include prints and paintings respectively.

ArtHouse partner Sara Cardozo-Ribeiro, a professional art photographer of German origin, displays a small collection of black and white photographs, in which her lens captures the moods and moments candidly as well as poignantly.

The exquisite monoprints of Nicky Thomas, an artist from Kerala, portray the common folk engaged in various lowly occupations related to tourism. The fine texture of the prints search their countenances and telltale poses of the subjects, for the subtlest traces which narrate their aspirations and sorrows ever so strikingly.

Alann de Vuyst, the Flemish artist takes off with his work called "Blue God on a Beach", Is his work god appears to be sunbathing on a beautiful Goan beach? Alann's works are generally semi-figurative and fill the canvas with a splurge of exuberant hues. He also sketches in acrylic a theme of Hinduism vs Christianity. The works of another two foreign painters-Davina Stephens and Emmanuel Ghastang--are also included in the ArtHouse show.

Frank Liefooghe, a famed Belgian artist, who has spent time studying the problems of the Tibetans and is very close to the Dalai Lama, inaugurated the rare exhibition of mix-media on February 22. The exhibition is open at the ArtHouse, situated very close to the Calangute Church, between 10 am to 10 pm till March 29.

For the first time in Goa, the newly established ArtHouse gallery has managed to assemble various aspects of art under a single roof. It is definitely worth a visit for the connoisseurs of art and culture beside people with a questioning bent of mind. Moreover, it has proved a harbinger of art installations in a modest way.

Ajay's Profusion of Colours

"Roots", an exhibition of paintings by Ajay Kothawale, was organised by Alliance Franciase at their art gallery at Miramar. Every one seemed to praised effusively the bright and cheerful colours employed by Ajay in his work.

There is a rare quality in his brush, which emphasises his individuality, which has been highly admired by lovers or art as well as art critics. Ajay uses a lot of bright colours, particularly shades of red and yellow, which blend ever so beautifully as he delves in the mysteries of nature all around him.

While inaugurating the exhibition on January 15 eminent writer and educationist Suresh Amonkar remarked that the Ajay's work reflects his dynamic personality and friendly nature.

Says Mahinder Chodankar, Lecturer of Goa College of Art, "Ajay is slowly advancing towards establishing his own style, which is indeed not willful but one that grows as the artist grows with his vision, his feelings, character, influences and so on. There is no doubt can certainly pin high hopes in this upcoming and gifted painter."

Trio's try to define art

A trio of young artists-Shubhangi M Chari, Vinayak Shantaram Chari and Vidhyadhar V Chari-put up an exhibition recently at the Kala Academy gallery, in an attempt to definite art as per their perception. The exhibition lasted from 11 to 15 January. The budding artists put on show all sorts of different things from paintings to wood carving to express their artistic talent. While Shubhangi and Vidhyadhar are alumni of the Goa College of Art, Vinayak Chari (gidv@rediffmail.com) holds a Diploma in wood carving.

Galleria Cidade showcases Goan Artistes

Galleria Cidade, the art gallery at Cidade de Goa held a group exhibition cum sale showcasing the works of 14 contemporary Goan artistes on 5th February 2002, to generate awareness and promote artists from Goa nationally as well as internationally.

At the group exhibition, paintings of Francis De Souza, Liesl Cotta De Souza, Querozito de Souza, Wilson de Souza, Rajan Fulari, Santosh Anand Morajkar, N Kanhaiya, Ajay Kothawale, Hanuman Kambli, Nirupa Naik, Viraj Vassant Naik, Suhas Shilker, Shivaji Shet and Rajeshree Thakker were on display. The artistes have used various media in their works, which makes for interesting viewing.

Galleria Cidade is the only gallery in Goa that advocates viewing by appointment so that every single connoisseur of art, who visits the gallery, is given personal attention. The exhibition will be on for the month of February. Art lovers can call on 454545 extn 5852 for appointments.

Navelkar's Exhibition

A painting exhibition of State Cultural Awardee and former principal of Goa College of Art, Datta V Navelkar, was opened recently at the Kala Academy and it will be on display till February 26.

Shivaji Show

An exhibition of beautiful prints by young and upcoming artist Shivaji M Shet was inaugurated by Speaker Pratapsing Rane at the Kala Academy Galery last month and it was open until January 14. Shivaji has been considered by many as a promising young printmaker, who has fine competence and understanding of the intaglio process too. His images in black and white have been widely appreciated.

Says Dr Nirmalendu Das of Vishva Bharati University in Santiniketan, I have observed him as a young print-maker with an attitude to explore the maximum possibilities of print-making-both in technicalities and in aesthetics. In Shivaji's prints one can observe the clarity in terms of subjects, content, techniques and finally in picture making."

Rosie's Creativity

Ms Rosie da Silva, a Goan artist from Santana-Curca, held a solo painting and collage exhibition at the Art Chamber Annexe, Calangute, from January 21. Subodh Kerkar inaugurated the exhibition.

Art Camp at Kala Academy

An all-India art camp of painters was organised by the Kala Academy in collaboration with the Lalit Kala Academi in Panjim from 23 to 30 January. Among the artists coming from various other States, were Goan painters N Kanhaiya and Vitesh Naik.

Another Trio's Show

Vishesh Chari, Praveen Naik and Vasudev Shetye, these young artists were hosted by the Kala Academy at their Art Gallery from 11th to 15 February, in an Exhibition of Paintings. All the three artists have passed from the Goa College of Art in the year 2000.