Dolcy D’Cruz
Imagine walking into an art gallery in London and finding a scene from the Procession of Saints from Goa Velha with men and women dressed in a red opmos and elderly fervently praying at the foot of the saint. That will be Marcio Fernandes’ debut solo exhibition in the UK where Goan faces will share space with people from London including the Grenadier Guards with bearskin cap, a prominent element of their ceremonial and full dress uniforms.
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Raised in Merces, Marcio is a contemporary figurative artist, who first found recognition with ‘Stories of Goa’, a debut solo exhibition in Goa that celebrated village life and traditions, the memories that shaped his childhood. Five years after moving to London to pursue a Master’s in Fine Art, he is now preparing for his first major UK solo exhibition, ‘Daily People’, which will open on August 4 at the Gallery, Willesden Green Library in London and will run till August 16.
“‘Daily People’ is for a wider audience. I’ve gathered conversations I observed from afar, from my commute on the train and my work at the Tate Museum. I’ve also included local Goan people I’ve met in churches, villages and theatre including Tiatr. The exhibition brings together people and moments from both Goa and London,” explains Marcio. The paintings from London will include a bride, men in suits on the streets of London and a priest from Wembley while Goan nuns and tiatrs will also be a part of the exhibition.
Living in London, distance has given him a new perspective, encouraging him to revisit Goa with greater curiosity. “Goa and London are both home now. Being in Goa also makes me think about London and paint from memory. That movement between the two places has deepened my practice,” he explains. The exhibition will feature 35 works, including paintings, prints and drawings inspired by everyday moments from both places.
Working at Tate Museum and travelling through one of the world’s busiest cities, he found himself constantly observing strangers, their gestures, clothing and quiet interactions. “Working in a museum means I’m surrounded by thousands of visitors, staff and strangers. In Goa too, daily life is full of characters. ‘Daily People’ is about ordinary people in ordinary moments,” he says.
Rather than presenting postcard images of Goa, he hopes to introduce audiences to the people who give the state its identity. “Living in London made me see how special those everyday Goan faces are. I wanted to share not the tourist version of Goa, but its real daily life. I hope people here connect with the same warmth and character that I grew up with,” he says.
Marcio first arrived in the UK when he was accepted into City & Guilds of London Art School for a Masters in Fine Art, which he will be completing this September. “The tutors were amazing, their guidance and encouragement really helped me grow, and gave me the confidence to develop this solo show. The biggest challenge was staying dedicated, and remembering why I paint. If you keep showing up for your work with love, London makes room for you,” he says. The journey to exhibiting in London, however, was far from easy. Marcio approached more than 50 galleries before receiving an opportunity from Willesden Gallery, where his submission of 10 paintings received the highest votes was selected after receiving the highest votes from the curators’ jury.
Marcio’s next body of work will delve deeper into Goa’s lesser-known histories and folklore, continuing his exploration of identity and belonging. “After these two solo shows, I want to go deeper into unseen Goa and its folklore. My next exhibition will be called ‘Belongs to Goa’. It feels like coming home and telling stories that haven’t been told enough,” he concludes.
