Subodh Kerkar, an artist here, has said that a contemporary cultural space, the Museum of Goa (MOG), will be opened here on November 6.
“This project is driven by my own personal engagement with art and culture. Creativity is an essentially private activity, yet no artist speaks to himself alone. He needs an audience. He cannot sing in the desert,” said Mr. Kerkar, the director of the museum.
He told The Hindu that for long, he had been feeling the need to go beyond his personal artistic adventures and work towards creating a vibrant art scene in Goa. He wanted to break cultural barriers and take contemporary art to the common people — ideally, in their own language.
“I have decided to make a significant contribution to meeting this need by creating MOG,” he said. In Konkani, the word MOG means “love”. “It is in this spirit that we invite you to join us,” Mr. Kerkar said.
The project will bring together artists, curators, collectors, art enthusiasts, educators, students and audiences from all walks of life. The museum will be not only a space for exhibitions but will also organise workshops, residencies, lectures, talks and art courses.
It is envisioned less as a repository of objects and more as a laboratory of ideas, where art forms — paintings, sculptures, photography, music, theatre, design, video art, films and installations — are in constant dialogue with one another.
“I believe that contemporary art is the universal language of the world today. Goa can be a part of the global conversation,” Mr. Kerkar said.
The museum offers 1,500 sq.m. of space to display art and is centrally located in Pilerne Industrial Estate, not too far from Calangute in north coastal Goa. The building, a three-storey structure designed by architect Dean D’Cruz, stands between industries on one side and a forest on the other. It will house galleries, an art store, a café, an auditorium and studios for artists.
The first exhibition will present the works of 20 artists: sculptures, drawings, paintings, installations, videos and documentaries that explore multiple strands of Goa’s history. It aims to stir up these histories, dig into the recesses of historical archives and collective memories, to celebrate the connectedness of the different cultures that have made Goa what it is today.
