Over 30 Goa-based women artists will come together for Show of Strength, a contemporary art exhibition curated by Samira Sheth and hosted at the Aguad Port & Jail Complex in Sinquerim as part of Women’s History Month. The exhibition will open with a preview on March 22 and will remain open to the public from March 23 to April 30.
The historic premises of the former prison complex has lent its majestic ambience to art exhibitions over the years. Its former cells and spaces of confinement that once held prisoners now play a catalyst to the freedom and expression of imagination that the artists aim to celebrate.
Featuring works across painting, sculpture, mixed media, installation and textile practices, the show brings together established, mid-career and emerging artists, and those with disabilities, to explore themes ranging from personal memory and identity to ecology, landscape and contemporary social concerns. With the idea of striving to look ahead while cherishing the past, the Aguad Complex’s ever evolving nature further amplifies the themes and the changing narratives in Goa.
Across a multitude of genres and diverse media, including painting, sculpture, mixed media, installation and textile work, the works at this exhibition speak of themes such as personal history and memory and the artists’ response to Goa, their connection to or reverence for its natural and cultural landscape, ecological grief and the larger concerns affecting the world today.
“With its theme emerging from its location, now a site of transformation, this women-centred exhibition explores ideas of restrictions and space, endurance of practice, assertion of voice and freedom of expression. I believe that to have space, both mental and physical, to work on one’s practice and make and create art is in itself a truly liberating and powerful act of self-expression,” says curator Samira Sheth.
Touted to be the largest showing of women artists in Goa, the exhibition draws inspiration from every corner of society, yet stands united in womanhood. “They may differ in medium and language but are united in rigour, authorship and a sustained engagement with the realities of contemporary Goa. Individually, their works articulate singular narratives. Collectively, they form a powerful cultural proposition: that women’s artistic practices are not peripheral to Goa’s art history but central to its present and future,” adds Samira.
The exhibition features works by a diverse group of Goa-based women artists, including Anu Malhotra, Asavari Gurav, Asha Naik, Assavri Kulkarni, Chaitali Morajkar, Clarice Vaz, Darpan Kaur, Dipa Naik, Frederika Menezes, Gopika Nath , Juliette Ravel Roychowdhury, Dr Katharina Poggendorf-Kakar, Kausalya Gadekar, Leticia Alvares, Liesl Cotta De Souza, Lioba Knepple of Divya Sadan, Maria Andrade of Divya Sadan, Jolene De Souza of Divya Sadan, Minakshi Singh, Miriam Koshy, Nandini Raikar, Nirja Puri, Nirupa Naik, Rajshree Thakker, Saffron Wiehl, Savia Viegas, Shilpa Nasnolkar, Sonia Sabharwal Rodrigues, Sonu Dharnidharka, The Crochet Collective, Ulka Chauhan, Veena Advani, Sarah Sousa Kammermeier, Venita Coelho, Verodina De Souza and Yolanda De Sousa Kammermeier.
Speaking about Aguad Complex hosting the exhibition, Savio Mathias, VP, Operations and Business Development, Aguad Port & Jail Complex, says, “As a historic site that continues to evolve as a cultural venue, Aguad is proud to support initiatives that bring together creative practitioners from across the region. ‘Show of Strength’ presents a compelling collective of women artists whose works reflect the rich diversity of Goa’s creative community. We are delighted to host this exhibition and provide a platform that highlights their creativity, talent, and contribution to the cultural landscape.”
The exhibition will have a preview on March 22 and will be open to the public from March 23 to April 30 between 10 am and 6 pm at the Aguad Port & Jail Complex in Sinquerim. Entry is free and included with the site entry ticket.
