Fabian Gonsalves from Calangute has been planning for a single platform for Goan cartoonists
and illustrators for a very long time. His plans have finally materialised with
the first ever ‘Cartoonists and Illustrators of Goa 2017’ exhibition, where,
for three days, people can walk into Kala Academy, Campal- Panjim and admire
and buy the artworks put up by 12 Goan artists. Fabian is the curator of the
exhibition.
The exhibition will be presenting a visual showcase of cartoons
and illustrations, ranging from commercial to personal collections. There will
be customised souvenirs on sale along with original framed works and prints. The
exhibition will be inaugurated on November 9, 2017 at 5:30pm. The artists line
up consists of Fabian Gonsalves, Alexyz, Billy Joe Fernandes, Nadia Azavedo,
Rohit Chari, Sharmila Coutinho, Malcolm Rebello, Claire Soares, Govit Morajkar,
Vesley Carrasco, Cornelia Sequeira and Swapnil Shinde.
Overcome by different emotions, Fabian says,” I approached a lot
of Goan artists and those who were excited about the idea are part of this
exhibition. I have been planning this for over a year. Every artist will be showcase
their unique style: Alexyz has worked on canvas for this exhibition; Billy is
known for his digital works; Rohit does character designs; Swapnil, Malcolm and
I work well with caricatures and I will also present my Goan scenes on wood.”
He further adds, “The cartoonists are in the age group of 24 to
74 years and we want to reach out to a wider audience. Each artist will have
their own table with their merchandise in digital and traditional art. The
exhibition will be inaugurated by Bardroy Barretto, director of ‘Nachom Ia
Kumpasar’ and Uday Naik, our photo frame maker, who has been of immense help.”
“This exhibition will open new gates for the freelance artists
in Goa. Nowadays, everyone is on social media and it’s a good platform to
spread awareness about your work but not every person is active on social
media. If we want to reach out to more people, then I think this is one of the
ways of doing a great show,” says Rohit Chari, who specialises in character
design.
Nadia Azavedo is known for her Little Scrawny Dween comics and
for this exhibition, she will be playing with various other themes. “I have
illustrated eight frames and lots of Little Scrawny Dween Merchandise with
tonnes of different designs. For my merchandise other than the postcards, there
are no themes as such but just random designs and comics. The postcards are
packs for family, friends, relationships, pets and foodies. For my frames, I
came across a few words with some deep meaning. I took it up as a challenge to
illustrate those words with the meaning in mind,” informs Nadia.
Billy Joe Fernandes, who is popularly known for his works by the
name of Billytoons, is ecstatic to be back in Goa especially for this event. “I
have six to seven frameworks on Goan culture and traditions which will be
displayed at the exhibition. I have not focused on any merchandise or products,
as I am purely keeping my artwork on display,” says Billy, who has come down
from Dubai.
“It was a good experience coordinating with Fabian. Many people
contact us to do Mario Miranda style works. We are not comparing ourselves to
the legend but everyone has a style of our own. There has never been a platform
like this for cartoonists and illustrators. You will see more people and new
faces coming up in the recent years,” explains Billy.
Alexyz is a renowned cartoonist who has worked extensively in
the world of art. After numerous exhibitions, he is now joining these
youngsters to motivate them further. “As Fabian is connected to the exhibition,
it has to be fabulous. He has been bringing all this young talent together and
coordinating with those in and out of Goa. Working with the young talent has
helped me raise the bar. I will be showcasing six works all done on canvas and
one piece of art which is a tribute to the legendary Mario Miranda and all his
books,” says Alexyz. He will also have his earliest books, ‘Sportoons’ and
‘Howzzat! – Century of Cricket Cartoons’ on sale at the exhibition.
The
Artribe presents ‘Cartoonists and Illustrators of Goa 2017’ will be on display
at Kala Academy, Campal- Panjim from November 10 to 12, 2017 from 9:30am to 7pm
