Artist Subodh
Kerkar has been selected to exhibit his work, photograph ‘Keel’, from his series ‘Fishermen and the
Ocean’, at London’s Royal Academy of Art Summer Exhibition. The work was
formally selected by a panel of twelve Royal Academicians for the world’s
oldest and largest open exhibition since 1769. The exhibition receives 12,000
entries from which works are selected.
Speaking about the
Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition, Subodh says, “The Royal Academy is
going on for many years and it is the longest exhibition. Though Britain was
involved in the two world wars and yet the exhibition didn’t stop during the
world wars. During the Second World War, there was a proposal in the Parliament
to cut funding to the arts in order to support the war effort and Winston
Churchill was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom responded ‘Then what would
we be fighting for?’. This shows the dedication for the arts. Art is a
civilization and it is not just paintings and portraits. All art forms
including dance, theatre, and sculpture have an impact. Art is what makes human
civilisation.”
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“It is lovely to have
an exposure and every important art collector visits this exhibition. For me,
this is too late in my life as nothing makes me too happy or too sad. The Royal
Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition is an open call to anybody who would like to
apply. You have to pay a nominal fee of £50 to enter the competition with one
work. This was the first time I applied as I have previously been selected for
the Sculpture by the Sea exhibition in Sydney and Perth which is Australia’s
largest annual outdoor sculpture exhibition. I feel Goan artists should have an
open mind at world events. Your works should speak for themselves,” he adds.
‘Fishermen and the
Ocean’ is a photographic series through which Subodh explores the relationship
between the fishermen of Goa and the sea. “In my childhood, I accompanied my
father, Chandrakant Kerkar for walks on the seashore and enjoyed the sea. I
used to see the fishermen and women who were part of the Goan ethos and our
culture. I believe that the State of Goa without fish is like fish without
water, it is ingrained with the Goan psych. It is the inseparability of the
lives of the fishermen and the ocean that inspired me. I feel that the sweat of
the fishermen makes the sea salty,” he says.
“I have heard that
the fishermen when they head out for fishing in the sea, carry a piece of flat
metal. Once they get a good catch, they roast the fish on the metal plate and
dip it in the water to add the salt of the sea. It is said to be the tastiest
fish in the world and I dream of being among the fishermen to eat that fish,”
adds Subodh.
The photograph
‘Keel’, from his series ‘Fishermen and the Ocean’, was clicked by Subodh
himself. “The photograph was clicked of the fishermen at Morjim beach. I
climbed on a five metres tall ladder to click the photograph. Usually, I get
scared of heights and I get very uncomfortable but for this shoot I was on the
ladder with the camera and without any support. I was too passionate about art
that fear of heights didn’t bother me,” he shares.
The initial selection
of the work was held two months ago and on May 26, 2018, Subodh received the
final confirmation that the work is shortlisted for the exhibition. “The
artwork has to be framed and personally delivered for the exhibition. I am
grateful to my friend Annett Krumrey who framed the work and delivered it. I
met Annett when she visited Museum of Goa with her husband and son. She was
living in London and had done her PhD on Oscar Wilde, an Irish poet and
playwright and one of my favourite. We got talking and became good friends and
now she helped me to get the work personally delivered,” says Subodh.
Subodh
will be attending the opening of the Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition
and the selected work will be on June 12 to August 19, 2018.
