FROM CRASS TO CLASS

NAGUESH RAO SARDESSAI

Carla, Jose and Shamoli have once again put up an exhibition of lamps and embroidered paintings at the Goa Kala Academy’s Art Gallery, Panaji.

After the critical and commercial success of their previous show, both Carla and Shamoli worked on their core competence to produce works with far more improved vigor and quality.

Carla has been producing lamps of varied genres. Table lamps, floor lamps, ceiling lamps and wall mounted lamps come out of her ‘Plush Art & Décor’ studio with a complete makeover. Each piece stands out for its independent identity. Right from the crass rustic to elegant and completely whimsical to abstract – Carla and Jose doles out the best to suit and match your décor style and artistic taste.

Shamoli’s unique embroidered paintings are a curious marriage of traditional craft, rural designs and modern media and techniques. Her works have the vibrancy and sheer innocence associated with the folk art. Warli paintings’ simplicity - to take an example - blends with the meticulous thread work of embroidery and fuses with the pigment, beads, sequences etc. to stand out on its own.

Each work does exhibit the passionate involvement of the artists in the making of the same. Carla’s transformation of the innocuous, mundane lamps into a work of art and Shamoli’s efforts in elevating the obvious into something artistry deserves commendation.

ROOTED IN THE CULTURE

NAGUESH RAO SARDESSAI

‘It is through Art that one can reach the almighty and my whole endeavor is in that direction’ affirms Purvaja Kamat. Born and brought up in the United States of America, this young and enthusiastic girl is a bundle of talent.

Daughter of ethnically Goan couple Mohan and Rupa Kamat, Purvaja just recently (June 09) exhibited her dancing skills at the Dinanath Mangueshkar Kala Mandir, Kala Academy, Goa.

Having received intense training for seven years from Parvatha Chidambaram, a disciple of Dr. Padma Subramanyam from Chennai, through the school of Bharata of Dance and Music in Pittsford – Rochester, New York, Purvaja completed her graduation in Bharatnatyam in 2006.

Graduation is traditionally termed as Arangetram that requires the disciple to perform for the audience as a test of ones maturity in this art form. It reflects the different stages of the dancer’s consciousness and the teacher’s confidence. ‘Aranga’ in Tamil is raised stage and ‘etram’ means climbing.

Viewing the performance of Purvaja at the Kala Academy, there is no doubt that she’ll continue the climb up the ladder of success with every performance.

Each of the items presented on stage right from the introductory ‘Thodayamangalam’ to the fusion piece including the culminating ‘Mangalam’ exhibited Purvaja’s refined skills in the collaborating a range of nuances embedded in Bharatnatyam.

Purvaja is currently utilizing her skills as a dancer in raising funds for socio-cultural cause involving Indian interest. In the recent past she has performed to raise funds for the project of restoring and preserving ancient Palm Leaves Manuscripts besides the rehabilitation of orphans at Kumbhakonam, Tamil Nadu, India.

She is involved in a unique collaborative effort of Irish Dancers and Bharatnatyam practitioners back in the United States.

She laments the fact that very few ethnic Indians in the US show inclination in keeping the Indian art forms alive. However, she states that a growing interest in our art forms, amongst the westerners is on the rise. ‘The Indian form definitely has a scope of survival against western dance,’ she states, ‘and many in the US appreciate our dance forms.’

Mohan with a degree in computer tech and Rupa in accounting, Purvaja, the only child of this proud parent received all the encouragement to volunteer at the neighborhood Shri. Rajarajeshwari Temple right from the young age of four. Here, she was initiated in the ways of the Sanatan Dharma and culture by her guru and guide, Wijayaharan Navrathnam, to whom she is ever indebted.

‘Her drive to pursue this art form came after watching Sudha Chandran,’ states her mother, Rupa. ‘If she can dance with an artificial leg, why can’ I do the same with a perfect healthy body’

This profound thought, sprouted in the child Purvaja has now grown into a trees. This same thought has made her to pursue her studies in Biomedical sciences. She is currently pursuing a course in Biomedical Engineering from the Rochester Institute of Technology, USA and is very passionate about teaching Indian rituals and bhajans to the younger generation in the US.

Purvaja aspires to complete a PhD in Biomedical engineering and promote Indian Art and Culture.

SUBODH INVITED TO PORTUGAL

NAGUESH RAO SARDESSAI

Goa’s celebrated artist Dr. Subodh Kerkar had been invited to Lisbon, Portugal to participate in the exhibition of installation art titled “Le Dejeuner Sur L’herbe” that was held the previous month (June).

The exhibition was set in the midst of recently renovated 600 hundred years old historical garden of Tapada e Jardims do Palacio das Necessidades where the sailors prayed at the chapel before embarking on their voyage.

Internationally reputed curator and the current Director of Gulbanken Museum of Modern Art, Isabel Carlos, curated the exhibition involving ten internationally known installation artists.

The exhibition, called 'Le Déjeuner Sur L'herbe' (Luncheon in the garden), was aptly titled after the French painter Edouard Manet’s painting of the same name that he completed after a visit to the garden on invitation by the Queen of Portugal in 1859.

Subodh’s symbolic installation re-created the sea route of the first voyage of Vasco da Gama to India using rice seeds from Goa. ‘Since the Portuguese were responsible for bringing many plants to India and introduced chillies, tomatoes, potatoes, cashew nuts and many varieties of mangoes and sweet potatoes, I’ll take the Goan rice to Portugal and retrace the route,’ says Subodh.

Subodh’s installation assumes a special significance when he states – ‘The rice seeds will not just sprout rice, it’ll sprout history.’

Apart from Subodh Kerkar, other invited artists include Gabriela Albergaria, Joana Bastos, Alberto Carneiro, Dalila Goncalves, Miguel Palma, Ana Vieira (all from Portuga), Mircea Cantor (France), Maider Lopes (Spain) and Nicholas Robbio (Brasil).

LIVING LEGEND OF ART

NAGUESH RAO SARDESSAI

Living legend (Bhishm Pitamah of Goan Art) of art in Goa, Vamona Ganesh Navelcar , recently (May) showed his works at the Gallery Attic, Panaji. Reticent and sage like reclusive, Navelkarbab - as this writer prefer to address - him needs to be pulled out of the closet at regular intervals. Left alone, Vamona would revel in sketching and painting. Understanding the dynamics of the market, hard selling his works and studying economics of the art world is scurrilous.

A very rare artist who loath the limelight, Vamona is a great admirer of internationally reputed Goan artists late V. S. Gaitonde (another reclusive artist) and F. N. Souza. Passion, even at this age, is what remains his driving force. His keen observation of the social establishment and the nuances therein inspires Vamona.

Not interested in painting pretty pictures and sceneries, he has off late begun to dabble in abstracts whilst continuing his preoccupation with human beings and animals intact.

Painting for Vamona is spirituality. No wonder he gets lost in the process like a yogi and signs his work with an additional name – Ganesh. This a symbolic gesture through which he offers each of his work to his family deity Lord Ganesh and his late elder brother with the same name.

Swami Vivekananda, Albert Camus, Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, J Krishnamurthy, Bertrand Russell are few of the thinkers who have influenced him.

The recent show was titled ‘The Call’ and had on display over twenty-seven works with subjects ranging from bulls in actions to human figures to complete abstracts. Vamona takes the line for a walk and it is interesting to see the mark he leaves all over the paper. Sometimes these lines are evocative at other times they are just blobs expressing in the language of the soul.

Few of the works are highly expressionist. The abstracts, which he has rarely displayed, are symphonic. One can hear the music play through the black ink marks. The passionate outpouring does translate into commonly comprehendible visual language that facilitates easy connection with the lay onlooker.

EXAMPLE IN HUMILITY

NAGUESH RAO SARDESSAI

Directorate of Art & Culture, Government of Goa, had recently (May) organized an exhibition of drawings of multitalented artist H. V. Sharma at the Goa Kala Academy’s Art Gallery, Panaji.

With numerous academic certificates and diplomas, Sharma is a storehouse of immense knowledge and talent. Besides having a diploma in painting from the famed Sir. J. J. School of Art, Mumbai, he has earned four different types of diplomas of applied art. Not content with this he earned a diploma in sculpture, then studied carnatac and Indian classical music alongside getting lessons in drama. Besides this, he had the good fortune of being guided by noted Psychologist S. Krishna Rao and the first Director of Bal Bhavan, Delhi, Dr. Prabha Sahasrabudhe.

Professor Naik Singh Gill instilled in him the love for portraiture. Sharma has handled and painted with nearly all the medias available. He has experimented with painting on stone slabs to give an illusion of relief and produced his own pigment however he prefers to work with ballpoint pen.

Right from the initial lessons in art that he got from his mother, his ideal in life, to this point of achieving expertise, Sharma has come a long way. At this ripe age of eighty-seven, he doesn’t tire of producing works or teaching students.

The ballpoint pen primarily serves as a mundane writing tool however Sharma has transformed it into a medium of art expression. Using black ink refill, Sharma obtains various shades in the spectrum giving his work a complete feel.

The objects and structures he comes across stir Sharma’s emotions and he endeavors to humanize these feelings. ‘Word,’ he says, ‘is not my medium. Lines and shades are. What goes on between the object and me is an abstract experience.’ And Sharma attempts to give a solid structure to these ideas.

Some of his abstracts and satirical drawing that the exposes the hypocrisy of the political and civil society are noteworthy.

This lover of music and multifaceted personality is an example in humility and dedication.

ENCOURAGING TALENT

NAGUESH RAO SARDESSAI

Bal Bhavan, Panaji, in collaboration with the Kala Academy, Goa, Directorate of Art & Culture, Goa and the Directorate of Information & Publicity, Goa had organized an exhibition of paintings, craft and clay work titled ‘Balutsav’ at the Goa Kala Academy’s sprawling premises.

This exhibition marked the culmination of Bal Bhavan’s Summer Camp organized in all the thirty-three centers spread across the State. With the opening ceremony putting up acting and dancing talent on view, it was amazing to see the pool of talent sprouting from the remote areas of Goa. Total of over eight hundred children participated in this ceremony, which was inaugurated by the Chief Guest Mr. Pratapsingh Rane in the presence of Chief of Bal Bhavan, India Mrs. Amita Shah, Chief of Bal Bhavan, Goa, Mrs. Vijayadevi Rane, Member Secretary, Goa Kala Academy, Mr. Pandurang Phaldessai, Director of the Directorate of Information & Publicity, Goa, Mr. Menino Peres and other dignitaries.

The visual art section, which was spread across in the open lobby, included craft, painting, photography and advanced art section.

The students crafted various items out of jute, cane, paper, clay and waste and discarded materials like plastic bottles, sack, paper etc. Embroidery and woolen items too have a place in the show.

Hairclips, utility boxes, flowerpots and other decorative items made interesting viewing. Hanging lamps, decorative plates, flowers, gift boxes and other similar pieces have been crafted out of waste paper. Innovative chandelier made out of plastic bottles stood out. Appealing dolls and decorative candles called for attention.

Clay craft section includedoil lamps, wall pieces, face study etc. some of the photographs on display beat the professionals in quality and maturity.

Advanced Art Section, displays paintings done by the students attending special course under the direct guidance of noted artist and teacher Wilson D’Souza, was started a year back. The advanced course is targeted at youngsters aged between nine to sixteen years of age and art enthusiasts’ from fifteen and above. There are quite a few housewives, professionals and businesspersons who are enjoying the benefits of this course.

Mavis Rodrigues, Shyamli Singbal, Thionne Rodrigues, Lakhi Soni, Sonal Shah and Ved Prabhudesai who have displayed marvelous works. Nandini Raikar and Anagha Sathe are the two housewives whose work stood out of the lot.

The exhibition was open till May 24

UNIVERSAL TRUTH ON CANVAS

NAGUESH RAO SARDESSAI

Maendra Jocelino Araujo Alvares is not an ordinary citizen of this country. He has the distinction of conceptualizing and creating a unique place called ‘Ancestral Goa’ that has encapsulated the rich heritage forms, cultural elements and social life of Goans, in its pure form, within a limited piece of land. Besides this, he is the creator who sculpted the largest laterite sculpture that got a mention in the Limca Book of Records.

Maendra is a socially conscious artist with noble thoughts and ideas. This has led him to put up an exhibition of art works titled ‘Living Together n Harmony’ at Big Foot Art Gallery in Loutolim. The displayed seven works clearly defining the value of unity and harmony of differing faith that should lead us to have amity and peace in the world.

The works painted with minimal hues are filled with overwhelming white to transmit the underlying message of peace inherent in every religion in the world. Maendra has incorporated various items used by the faithful like beaded rosary, multihued threads etc. Using various common elements like water, fire etc. he has managed to put across the message of unity and brotherhood. ‘Water’, he says, ‘is used by many races and religions for different rites. All underlying the purpose of purity.’ Beads connects, fire enlivens and enlightens, threads unites us all and such other powerful symbol are creatively used by Maendra to drive home the need for dissipating the differences and hatred of all kinds across the regional and communal board.

His message is simple: live and work for the greater good.