Heard about ‘Day of the Dead’? No, we aren’t talking about ‘All Souls Day’, but ‘Calavera’, a Mexican form of art, which uses colourful ‘skulls’ or ‘skeletons’ in the art. This might sound creepy, but have you ever imagined how Goa might look in this interesting art form of skulls and skeletons?
Well, Woulstain Creado, from Porvorim, has painted Goa’s changing landscape and culture through the digital medium, and will exhibit his work at an exhibition titled ‘Viva NostalGoa’.
This is the artist’s first exhibition and it will be held at Quadro Art Gallery - Lorenz Imaging, from April 23, 2022 to April 30, 2022, from 11am to 6pm.
Calaveras and Goa
“In Mexican culture, ‘Calaveras’ are meant to be joyful and celebratory figures that are used during the celebration of the Day of the Dead. And, it is so colourful and vibrant. India and Goa also uses a lot of colour in their cultural elements and this is kind of similar to Mexican culture,” says Creado, who chose to introduce the art style to the people of Goa.
Before moving to Goa, the artist made several trips to Goa and used to spend Christmas, New Year and other occasions here, in the state. That’s when he noticed that Goa was changing. “I enjoyed coming to Goa. I noticed the traditional ‘podder’ (breadman) selling ‘pao’, or the toddy tapper climbing the coconut tree; the churches and various heritage places of Goa. Over a period of time, urbanization made its way to Goa and things started to change,” he says.
You will find 10 of his digital artworks on display at the exhibition. An artwork titled ‘Coconut Crack’ narrates the journey of a coconut plucker ‘Padekar’ . “If you observe carefully, you will notice that the skill of plucking coconuts is not an easy task. You need to be trained in it, and that is shown that through my digital art,” he says.
Among the art, you will find women grinding masala, a typical village scene. There is one digital art called ‘Something Fishy’ which highlights fishing in Goa. However, the humans in the pictures are replaced with skulls and skeletons.
The self-taught artist wants to familiarize this celebratory ‘Calavera’ art style and popularize it among the Goan audience and has, therefore, has come forward to display his 10 pieces of digital art.
DETAILS
WHERE: Quadro Art Gallery - Lorenz Imaging, Porvorim
WHEN: April 23, 2022 to April 30, 2022
TIMINGS: 11am to 6pm
ENTRY FEE: Nil
