MAYA ROSE FERNANDES
'Beyond Walls: A Collaborative Immersion' is the latest exhibition at Sunaparanta Goa Centre for the Arts, Altinho, Panjim, and showcases the individual and collaborative works of 10 participants from the third edition of the Sunaparanta Art Initiator Lab (SAIL).
The works on display explore themes of grief, trauma, memory and cultural identity through a diverse range of media including words, images, performance, music and installation.
Through immersive experiences, visitors are prompted to reflect on the concepts of home and belonging, challenging traditional perceptions and inviting introspection.
The exhibition will remain open to the public from June 29, 2024 to July 12, 2024.
The show marks the culmination of Sunaparanta Goa’s mentorship programme, in which 10 Goa-based creative practitioners underwent a process of developing their skills, aesthetics and research methodologies under the guidance of art historian, Lina Vincent.
In her own words, Vincent says, “We need new languages to write new histories, as we look between the lines in spaces that have remained unexplored, or as we build bridges from the known past to an unknown future.”
“Poetry has become very much a part of this year’s experience, as have conversations about home and belonging, that shape the narrative the participants have put together,” adds Vincent.
The works of the following ten artists are on display:
Abhilasha Goswami, Arti Narayan Kurtarkar, Gautam Amerkar, Neelam Chauhan, Omkar Sagun N Banaule, Pragya Bhagat, Shilpa Nayudu, Siddesh Balaji Naique Gaunekar, Sidhan Kundaikar and Vihang Nilesh Nagvekar.
Speaking about her ceramic glazed work, ‘In defence of doing nothing,’ Neelam Chauhan says, “I am exploring the idea of monotony in home life, reflecting on the quiet and tranquil moments of everyday living.
"The slumped and relaxed forms suggest lethargy and inactivity, capturing the essence of domestic tranquility,” she adds.
Of her mixed media embroidery and fabric installation, entitled ‘A Collective Portrait of Pain,’ Shilpa Nayudu says, “Pain is one of the most human attributes of our ephemeral existence.”
“The well-spring of this project is my personal struggle with debilitating pain, both physical and mental. Along the way, it has evolved into a project that explores how pain is a common thread that runs through humanity,” she adds.
For his audio-video projection and installation, Siddesh Gaunekar explored his interest in Goa’s abandoned houses, feeling deep sorrow at their neglect and decay.
He seeks to humanise them by becoming their voice in the wilderness, advocating for their care.
Pragya Bhagat showcased an audio-visual piece as a performance poem shot in the various natural ecosystems of Goa.
SAIL offers candidates from various creative fields a space for sharing experiences, exchanging ideas, learning and un-learning.
This year’s external mentors to the programme were: Arundhati Chattopadhyay, Jaya Ramchandani, Amruta Patil, Ravi Kumar Kashi, Leandre D’Souza, Dale Menezes, Shreyas Karle & Hemali Bhuta (CONA), Upasana Nattoji Roy & Saurav Roy (The Switch! Studio) and Manojna Yeluri.
The programme has been influential in understanding the crux of what a creative practitioner can do, the different tools available at their disposal, and many other practical and knowledge-based aspects of working holistically.
With numerous possibilities opened out to them over a ten-month period, this group has redefined what an exhibition display should be with its multi-disciplinary approach.
DETAILS
WHAT: ‘Beyond Walls: A Collaborative Immersion’, Third edition of SAIL
WHERE: Sunaparanta Goa Centre for the Arts, Altinho, Panjim
WHEN: June 28, 2024 to July 12, 2024
TIMINGS: 10 am to 6.30 pm (Monday to Saturday)