The number 0832 always feels nostalgic as it was the first digits one would dial back home to Goa. Though this number might be gradually fading away with modern technology, it has been forever etched in the memories of thousands of Goans across the world to connect to their loved ones. 0832 is the title of the exhibition, curated by Wendy Amanda Coutinho, who traces her roots to Verna. The exhibition will feature artworks by noted Goan artists, Subodh Kerkar, Viraj Naik, Shripad Gurav, Sonia Rodrigues Sabharwal, Siddharth Kerkar and Sagar Naik Mule.
Born in Goa and raised in Bombay, Wendy, is an independent curator and art writer who has worked with renowned galleries and organisations in India and UAE. An alumnus of Sir JJ College of Art and Sir Bhau Daji Lad Museum, Mumbai, Wendy has previously curated exhibitions, ‘Grey Area: Saba Qizilbash’ and ‘Slow Dancing in a Burning Room: Birender Kumar Yadav’ under the gallery’s banner in Dubai, UAE. However, she is back to Goa to begin her independent curatorial journey, with ‘0832’ at Museum of Goa, Pilerne, which will be held from November 12 to December 12 at the gallery.
“Every summer vacation, my mother would get me to Goa. This was an annual phenomenon until Class 10. In college, the visits were frequent and amplified when I started working and could afford flight tickets to Goa. I have never taken Goa for granted. But now, there is a profound understanding of who I am and my identity intertwined with my culture and heritage, which fills me up with a lot of pride. And with that pride, comes the responsibility of ensuring that this sentiment is collectively shared and passed on to generations to come,” says Wendy.
Ask her about her journey to Goa to curate ‘0832’ and she replies with a quote by George A Moore, “A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.’ This holds true in my case too. When I was working with 1X1 Art Gallery in Dubai, my face lit up with a smile when I heard two men speaking in Konkani on the metro in Dubai. I knew instantly, I missed home; it was at that moment I realised the bittersweet dichotomy of longing and belonging.”
She further adds, “Although I have been a part of the diaspora since I was a year old, Goa was always accessible. When I decided to work in Dubai, Goa was no longer easily accessible. I knew, I wasn’t the only one feeling this void or longing to be home. I experienced the effects of this crossover first hand in Dubai. 0832 is the STD code of Goa. The function of this code is transferred to the artworks of this exhibition, which allows those in the diasporic setting to teleport themselves, for a beat, to Goa; their home.”
All the artists are of Goan origin and have been a part of the diaspora at a point in time. This show is about keeping in touch with home in the face of migration and return migration. There are several ways they have depicted these visuals. “Ranging from language to religion, cultural icons to personal reflections, clothes to folklore, food to local archives, stories to beliefs, heart to home, the exhibition is the coming together of what ‘Goa/home’ means to us who inhabit it, emotionally and/or physically,” says Wendy.
The exhibition will features multifaceted works. Paintings and sculptures with heavy Goan histories and memories. There will be a special corner curated to add a touch of tangibility to the exhibition, which includes laying Goan parboiled rice, dry red chillies and dry fish, nachni. Books of other Goan artists who have passed away including Vaudeo Gaitonde, FN Souza, Navelcar, and Laxman Pai will also be available on display. The team wants to establish how this conversation/narrative of staying in touch with home has
always been around but not
spoken of so much.
Ranging from figurative, abstract, sculptures, graphite drawings, metal and fiberglass sculptures, to Kavi art elements being imbibed in contemporary artworks, ‘0832’ is an amalgamation of the artists’ proficiency through different mediums. These artworks touch upon memories, forms, food, people, culture, clothing, history, religion, language, and so much more.
“This exhibition has been an enriching experience and I am indebted to all the artists who share this collaborative vision. Goa is so much more than what meets the eye. I have a new found appreciation for home and respect for all those who, for reasons better known to them, are away from home but still manage to keep in touch with their culture and traditions. One of the best learning is – you can never take Goa out of a Goan,” says Wendy.
What was the importance of 0832 for Wendy? “0832 is a true story. Not just mine but several other Goans who are or know someone personally in the diaspora. It was a story waiting to be told. Although it has political implications, this exhibition largely follows a cultural and collective narrative,” she concludes.
