Prutha Goa

António Xavier Trindade is indeed an exemplary Goan talent; one that has been showcased at the Fundaҫão Oriente-India. The Trindade Collection was donated to the Fundaҫão Oriente in 2004 by the Esther Trindade Trust. The collection has works of both, António Xavier Trindade and Angela Trindade (1909-1980), his daughter and noteworthy artist in her own right. Trindade was born in 1870 in Sanguem, Goa to Roman Catholic parents and went on you seek an education in art at the renowned Sir Jamsetjee Jejeebhoy School of Art in Bombay (Mumbai) at the age of 17. He then became part of the faculty in 1921 after the completion of his studies, earning a reputation as one of India’s leading artists who was well-appreciated in both Western and Indian circles. Considered a realist, Trindade would nevertheless continue to incorporate elements of the Romantic era. His technique of light and dark is similar to work by Spanish artists Diego Velázquez (Baroque) and Francisco Goya (Romanticism). His

It was right from childhood that Vaishali Lall, a visualiser cum graphic designer at International Centre Goa, Miramar, had an affinity towards doodling mandalas. At the time, she had no idea what they were called or what they might stand for. ‘The process was soothing and beautiful,’ she says. Mandala is the Sanskrit word for ‘disc’, ‘circle’, or ‘completion’, where a design is created within a circle. It goes back to ancient times when yantras were depicted on mandalas. Yantras are mantras, or chants, invoking the name of a particular deity. To create a yantra mandala, one had to study mythological texts for a number of years and detach oneself from the allurements of the world to work in perfect silence. The mandala has been found to be an essential part of major religions. Western history shows us churches with representations on stained glass windows; there is the Celtic cross with the circle in the centre; and there would be a maze like structure, where the centre contains an ene

Art is not often an encouraged subject in most Goan or Indian schools, and sometimes exceptional talent is buried under academic and professional pursuits. The Pyde Pyper Academy in Goa is helping open up individuals from different walks of life to their own uniqueness and discover a wealth of artistic ability that is skilfully shaped to open artistic career opportunities to them. The Academy, which was established in 2010, has proficiently played the part of the legendary Pied Piper of Hamlin that it is named after by calling students to ‘find their own tune and follow it to their dreams’ as Deé Ayn Fernandes, who is a full-time teacher and assistant at the Academy, says. Some students have discovered their hitherto unknown gift for art here while others pursuing it as a hobby have taken it to a higher level of a career by itself. The Pyde Pyper Academy has optimally trained students, guided them in the option of taking up art in a professional capacity. This has resulted in individua

Smitha Bhandare Kamat comes across as an unassuming person, and indeed, she does prefer the solace of home and hearth and bonding with family and pets to the constant spotlight. Her cartoons, many of which have featured in prominent magazines and won her awards, seep into your sensibility, packing a punch with humour. Her style is her own, evolving from years of doodling in numerous school notebooks. The messages Smitha communicates through her cartoons emerge from a psyche moulded by a strong and steadfast upbringing by her parents. Her father, Govindas Bhandare, was a self-made man who did not shy away from hard work and encouraged in Smitha an interest in political issues. An amateur cartoonist himself, his drawings were limited to his family for an audience. Fortunately, it is a talent he passed on to his daughter together with his values. ‘I was particularly close to my father, late Shri Govindas Bhandare. He was a very determined man with a rag to riches story to his credit. He w

  The Giver is an art exhibition that will be held from the 16th to the 18th of March at Kala Academy, showcasing choice works by artists Clarice Vaz and Stacy Fernandes. The exhibition is a statement on the environmental exploitation that is rampant in these times, especially in Goa – we should be giving back to nature since she is the mother whose unconditional love nourishes us in a myriad ways. The paintings and charcoal sketches on display reflect the self-taught artists’ love for nature. The exhibition will be graced with the presence of cartoonist Alexyz as the guest of honour and Governor Mridula Sinha as the chief guest. Part of the proceeds will benefit the National Association for the Blind-Goa (NAB). Stacy Rodrigues has proved her mettle as an artist who has overcome her battle with Stargardt disease, or juvenile macular degeneration, which causes progressive vision loss, to achieve the status of Goa’s only visually impaired artist, and presently, after the demise of Binod

Vamona Navelcar – the first time I heard the name 4 years ago, it meant nothing to me and probably to many people in Goa too. It took a UK expatriate’s curiosity and fascination with the genius of this man for us to become aware of him. Anne Ketteringham, a retired aeronautical engineer, despite her lack of education in the area of fine arts, was mesmerised by the man and his paintings. She persevered in her quest to document his life, even travelling to Portugal to confirm facts, and the result was her insightful book Vamona Navelcar, An Artist of Three Continents , which was published in 2013. Vamona Navelcar is both an enigma and a role model to be emulated. His art shapes him as much as he shapes his art. In these modern times, where fame and money are hailed as the ultimate accomplishments, this octogenarian shuns them to epitomise integrity. He has lived by his principles all his life and no political duress or fear of loss could inspire reasons disregard them. Many artists cater

The title of Praveen Naik’s exhibition Notes from the Zeitgeist has embedded in it the idea that an artist is the product of his culture and that the art he produces is the reflection of that culture. Zeitgeist, a German word, comes from a combination of two words: zeit (time) and geist (spirit). Zeitgeist is then taken to mean the ‘spirit of the age’, which echoes the singular attributes of a particular period. India is at the threshold of monumental change which is evident in the social upheaval, unfettered voices and daring revolution being experienced in the country. It is this developing process that has been captured by the series of paintings in Notes from the Zeitgeist . Artist Praveen Naik is a graduate of the Goa College of Art having secured his degree in Visual Art. This resident of Kumbharjua, Goa, has participated in solo and group exhibitions in India and Germany. His most recent exhibitions have been Kama, Interrupted at Gallery Gitanjali, Goa, and Pushing Boundaries in

It is a well-established fact that art transforms and contributes to society. Some artists take this responsibility more seriously than others. World renowned contemporary artist Hesham Malik is an excellent example of an artist who strives to make his art centred around human development. Hesham traces his roots to Cuncolim, Goa, where his maternal grandparents come from, and is presently celebrated as having sold the most expensive painting as an Indian artist. He presents to us his latest art exhibition Mukhâ-The Intimacy  which will be showing at Carpe Diem, Majorda, Goa, from the 7th of January to the 3rd of February. The inauguration of the exhibition will be marked by the auction of one of the paintings, with the entire proceeds going towards funding the Goa based not-for-profit organisation Sethu. Planet-Goa is the online media partner for this exhibition. Mukhâ comprises 20 artworks and has already been exhibited at Beijing and Prague before making its way to Goa. Mukhâ is

Artist Rubina De Souza and her partner artists in Artists for a Cause, are a happy reminder that where there is compassion, there is hope, and where there are artists, truth and reason make their appearance, acting as a conscience for the people. Artists for a Cause was started by Rubina De Souza with about 10-12 other artists in 2013. Since then the group has had four exhibitions with the aim of providing funds to give education to underprivileged children and youth in rural areas. Working in tandem with Don Bosco charities, the artists hope to provide this essential resource of education to bring value and a sense of purpose to the lives of these young ones. This year over 30 artists will be exhibiting works that will be sold to favour the Don Bosco charities with the resulting income. Rubina, whose brother, Fr Allwyn De Souza (Sulcorna), and son, Fr Royston De Souza (Kudal), are both Salesian priests, was inspired by the work done by the Salesians to change the lives of these rural

The 5th of November (6pm-8:30pm) sees the inauguration of a unique art exhibition of artists from different parts of India and with backgrounds in varied careers such as fitness, professional ballroom and Latin American dancing, photography, etc, showcasing their artistic talent at Achies Art Gallery, Grandeza, Chandor. Artists from Goa, Mumbai, Gujarat, Coimbatore and Kolkata will be coming together to share their ideas, culture and art with the people of Goa. Aptly titled Melting Pot , the exhibition highlights three exceptional artists of Goan origin: Alex Rodrigues with his finger painted Christian art, visually impaired artist Stacy Rodrigues, and professional carpenter Remidios Antao making his debut in art exhibitions. Alex Rodrigues has made a name for himself with his finger painting and nail art. His finger painted Christian art, which will be on display at Grandeza, is created by exclusively using fingers and nails to work out smaller details, while the palm is used for larg