Infused
with a colourful feast of Goan life and culture, the paintings on the nine
Breda Pillars at Panjim circle, have been beckoning visitors and locals alike
to stop and take a closer look. The intrigue is further heightened by its
semi-abstract style. Painting the 12.5 metre pillars in a record time of two month
– February to April 2015, artist Shweta Singbal is justifiably proud of her
work. “When GSIDC retained me to do this work, they wanted something nice yet
different to be painted on this landmark. The idea was to give it a subtle look
along with a beautiful theme wherein a viewer would be able to have a glimpse
of Goan culture at one single spot,” she explains.
As one
views the pillars, the concept of the Goan theme slowly unfolds. “Everything
from Goan culture to rituals, traditions, fruits, animals and ferry boats have
been highlighted. The colour scheme, done in polyurethane paints, is bright and
attractive,” says Shweta while elaborating on her style. “All the figures on the
pillars, be it a human, bird or animal, have ‘fish-shaped’ eyes, which defines
my unique style. The huge peacocks at the centre of all the pillars appear to
be facing each other. The paintings have been fused keeping in mind the
onlookers’ view to give them a flawless look.”
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An
alumna as well as Fellow of the Goa College of Art, this gold medalist has
specialised in portraiture and graphics, but it’s her style that sets her work
apart. ” I feel that there is everything in nature that can be depicted in a
semi abstract way, without excessive naturalism or abstraction. Nature and
manmade objects are my inspiration. I try to get images from the past by seeing
it in nature and put it on canvas not directly but by creating forms of our own
identity which is a more refined form of art. It gives the viewer a subtle
effect,” avers Shweta who has also been holding exhibitions around the country
with her contemporaries. Her oeuvre of work also includes murals which consist
of different media like terracotta tiles and paintings among others.
Grateful
to GSIDC for allowing her to prove her artistic prowess on such a large scale,
Shweta says the challenge has been worth it. “Painting at a height of 12.5 metres
in just two months was quite a task, but I must give credit to my excellent
team of artists namely Anuj Narvekar, Vaman Shetgaokar, Saish Parab ,Vishnu K, Raj
Naik and Hanumanth K, without whom the work would be incomplete,” she
acknowledges.
These
are more than just paintings on pillars. They are an amalgamation of Goan life
and culture beautifully encapsulated by the artist on one of Goa’s landmarks.
