FRIDAY, MAY 17, 2024
Dolcy D’Cruz
Vamona Ananta Sinai Navelcar lived a quiet life in Pomburpa but through his works one could note the influences that he had experienced through his travels to the continents of Europe and Africa. Before returning to Goa in the late 1980s, Vamona had lived a vibrant and yet turbulent life in Portugal and Mozambique.
Born on May 5, 1929, in Pomburpa, Vamona was one of six siblings. In 1955, at the age of 25, he applied to the Escola Superior de Belas Artes in Portugal and then in 1963, he travelled to Mozambique where he started teaching as a professor of geometry and mathematics in Lyceums for 13 years.
On November 3, 1975, Vamona was arrested with his students as Mozambique fought for its independence through the FRELIMO (Front for the Liberation of Mozambique) movement. They were held prisoners in Imala, a prison camp in the forest, for 81 days. After his release, he planned his return to Portugal. He packed two suitcases, one with clothes and the other with his work, trophies and certificates. During his travel, he lost the suitcase that contained his works. In grief, he did a drawing signing it ‘Ganesh,’ vowing at that time never to sign, ‘Vamona Navelcar’ again, a promise he kept till his death.
Organised by Mandar Panvelkar, ‘Soulscapes: A Voyage through Vamona Navelcar’s Distinctive Insight’ will be opened on Sunday, May 5, from 4 pm onwards at Just in a Flash Films, Dukle Residency, Near Copperleaf, Taleigao. The exhibition will continue till May 12 from 10 am to 8 pm. The exhibition will feature 25 works of Vamona including line drawings of portraits, abstract portraits and one of his favourite themes, Jesus drawings. The medium will be pen on paper, charcoal on paper and crayon on paper. This is the first exhibition after the passing away of this legendary artist. The paintings will be on sale and those interested will be provided the prize on request.
A photographer by profession, Mandar is Vamona’s younger brother, Yeshwant’s grandson. Mandar is based in Taleigao but his childhood vacations were incomplete without visiting his maternal grandfather and granduncle’s home in Pomburpa. “Vamona lived in that house for nearly 30 years after coming back from abroad. We shared great bonding stories as he would teach me how to draw and interacting with him was the best part of my summer vacations. For almost 20 years, I went to Pomburpa every year without fail. I knew that he was an artist but he never forced me to take drawing or painting seriously,” says Mandar, who used to lovingly call Vamona as Nana.
He further adds, “He was very polite and I used to spend more time with him than my own grandfather. I used to watch him draw and I used to be amazed with how he could complete a single line drawing within a minute. If it was a small artwork, he would complete it within an hour.”
Vamona too was very close to Mandar as he would get the driver to drive him to Taleigao at least 4-5 times a week to spend time with Mandar. “He was very comfortable with my mother, Rupa’s sister son, Anirudh and my mother’s brother, Anant Navelcar. He last travelled to Panjim by car in 2019 and from then on he started keeping unwell. I had gone to meet him at home on my birthday on October 15, 2021 and when my mother asked him, ‘who is this?,’ he replied ‘Mandar’ even though he was finding it very hard to talk. On October 17, he was hospitalised and even then when I went near him, he raised his eyebrows,” says Mandar with a heavy heart. Vamona passed away on October 18, 2021 at the age of 92 at a hospital in Panjim.
One month prior to the exhibition, when Mandar was interacting with different artists who informed him that Vamona was an artist whose quality didn’t drop. “Many artists as they age, their stability of their hands decreases. But Vamona even at the age of 90 could draw his line drawings without any changes. He had very good memory too and one cannot find any difference in his work even at that age,” explains Mandar.
Speaking about his best qualities that Mandar really admired about Vamona, he says, “There were many great qualities in him but one that I really cherished was that he never got angry no matter what was the situation. That is why I was close to him. I remember one incident when I was a child, I used all his expensive acrylic colours to paint an aeroplane. He kept his calm and gently told me not to do it again. He had been to so many countries and was known for his works but still he used to say that ‘I’m nothing’. He was very humble and down-to-earth, without any airs.”
