Prutha Goa

Achies Art Gallery stands out for its location in the quaint village of Chandor (Chandrapur), which is renowned for its historical significance as the past capital of Goa and for the presence of the Menezes-Bragança House, the Fernandes House, and a statue of the Nandi Bull. The one year old gallery occupies two rooms in the beautiful ancestral house of Celio Mascarenhas. After inheriting a grand Portuguese style mansion from his father, Celio Mascarenhas decided to convert it into a venue for celebratory occasions, and hence the name Grandeza was used to advertise it as the ‘Party Palace’. Mascarenhas is an artist and a sculptor by profession and uses the media of stone and wood to express his creativity. As a graphic designer with a BCA from Damodar College of Commerce and Economics, Swetlana seems to have an affinity towards art. She says, ‘I love art! Having gained experience for 2 and a half years in this field, I am still learning as I keep moving on. Each time I learn something

By his countenance alone, one could easily mistake Karl Antao for a gruff, highly disciplined, military  personality. His twirling moustaches, which could send Hercule Poirot into a tizzy, give an impression that is far from the truth. Mild mannered and extremely sensitive, his art is the best medium for recognising both his genius as well as his true persona. Born in 1966, Karl grew up and received all his academic education in Mumbai. He resides in Ahmedabad presently, but has a close connection with Goa. He tells the romantic story of how his Hindu grandfather fell in love with his Catholic grandmother and decided to stay on in Goa, even converting to Catholicism. For that very reason Goa remains close to his heart. Karl Antao is the alumnus of J.J. Institute of Applied Arts. Pursuing an artistic course seemed the most natural thing to do as Karl was drawn to painting and drawing right from his school days. He obtained his BFA in Applied Arts in 1991. Unlike many others, Karl opted