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Hindustan Times

Review: Museum of Goa by Kunal Ray and Subodh Kerkar

Kunal Ray's Museum of Goa will serve as an eye-opener for readers who think of museums as stuffy places with musty old cabinets and ancient artefacts bearing no relation to their present life. A biography of an institution called Museum of Goa (MOG) — constructed over 18 months on a plot of land at the Pilerne Industrial Estate in Saligao — and of its founding director, Subodh Kerkar, this book shows that museums can also be 'workshops for ideas'; that they can be vibrant and participatory spaces that invite visitors to be co-creators of meaning and not just consumers of a collection. From Souza to Xacuti: At the Museum of Goa (Courtesy MOG) Interestingly, MOG is not just an acronym. The word means 'love' in Konkani, which is the official language of Goa and is widely spoken there. This semantic coincidence is not only charming but quite apt since the museum is a labour of love. Trips to museums in France, Portugal, the United Kingdom and the United States made Kerkar realise that his home state had no contemporary art museums. So, he built MOG. 64pp, ₹215; Ektara Trust Kerkar's big career switch from medicine to art, emphasized by Ray in his narrative, speaks volumes about the former's passion for art. A decade after setting up a hospital near Calangute beach, and serving fisherfolk as a physician, he wrapped up his medical practice to focus on his art, which spans a wide range from drawings, paintings and photographs to installations, sculptures, performances, video art, and multimedia works. Without belabouring the point, the book nudges readers towards the realization that medicine and art have something in common — a capacity to heal. This book is not a critical appraisal of Kerkar's body of work; it is meant to introduce children to his art. One of the works discussed here is a multimedia art installation titled 'Gandhi's Heart Sounds'. Ray writes, 'We see Gandhi's bust and hear his heartbeats. It is like having him among us, with us.' Instead of using archival footage or photographs, Kerkar decided to go ahead with an unusual idea. Ray adds, '…the artist converted Gandhi's electrocardiogram to the sound of his beating heart.' This would arouse the curiosity of children reading the book, and hopefully also give art teachers some tips on how to make their classes more interesting with experimental projects that are fun for children. Subodh Kerker (Courtesy the subject) During a conversation with the author, Kerkar remarked that the best part of being at MOG is 'meeting children every day'. The Children's Art Studio at the institution was conceptualized by Kerkar's daughter Sharada who now runs it. 'Last time I met Subodh, he showed me the dinosaurs he had drawn with a bunch of kids on loose sheets of paper that day. When I met him today, those dinosaurs had happily wandered to a stage curtain,' writes Ray. The book would not have been as much of a visual treat without the illustrations by Kerkar, who also holds the Mario Miranda Chair for Arts at Goa University. It opens with a visual of a wide-eyed child jumping onto a large ice cream cone and closes with one of Subodh high-fiving a bunch of excited children. The artist's work is rooted in Goan history and culture, and this book presents his desire to celebrate these aspects of his native land. Ray points out the recurrence of coconut trees in Kerkar's work and writes of his love of 'drawing on logs of wood brought ashore by the sea'. Photographs of fisherfolk and sculptures using oars and boats are part of his oeuvre. The museum itself is part of his larger artistic vision and has a café that serves traditional Goan snacks and coolers. Author Kunal Ray (Courtesy the subject) Readers curious about the quieter aspects of Goa are likely to enjoy this book. It might also strike a chord with those who love walking on the beach by themselves or with loved ones. One beautiful illustration features a little Subodh holding his father and mentor Chandrakant's hand as they stand on the beach and look out at the horizon. 'Growing up, Subodh remembers going on a long walk along the beach with his father daily. Those walks brought him closer to his father and to the world of art,' writes Ray. An important fact that this book mentions in passing but is worth highlighting is that Kerkar did not study art formally but learnt from visiting museums. With museums in India gradually waking up to the significance of outreach programmes targeted at schools, Museum of Goa is a reminder that museums must not only inform and educate but also encourage curiosity and play. That can happen only when children are allowed to ask questions instead of being told, like earlier generations of Indian students, to shut up and walk in single file. Chintan Girish Modi is a journalist, educator and literary critic. He can be reached @chintanwriting on Instagram and X.