This Goan art’s ocean-inspired work will leave you spellbound

Art is not just limited to a canvas but goes far beyond it. Giving us a fascinating example of such an artwork, Goan art Subodh Kerkar presented a visual performative work called ‘The Fishermen and the Boat’.
As part of the work at North Goa‘s Asvem beach, 50 fishermen sat on the border of 5,000 mussel shells collected and placed in an elliptical shape on the beach to mimic the shape of a boat.

Take a look.

Kerkar mentioned in the caption to the video shot a drone on October 26, 2022, “A few days ago, I spent the whole day at Asvem beach with 50 fishermen, a photographer, and a drone pilot. The idea of the work was to talk about the inseparability of the fishermen, the boat and the ocean. We planted over 5,000 mussel shells on the sand in an elliptical shape and the men sat on its border mimicking a boat.”
Netizens were impressed with the massive work of art. One wrote, “I am in awe of the work that you do!”, while another said, “Absolutely stunning visual! Treat for the eyes! Thank you for imagining, creating and sharing!”
Calling himself an ocean art, Goa-born and bred Kerkar recalled the days from the age of six to 16 years when he used to walk with his father on beaches in Goa.
“I have always been fascinated with beaches. The ocean is my inspiration, teacher and everything in between,” Kerkar told in an exclusive interaction. “While inspiration and theme are the ocean, even the medium of the artwork is the ocean. The canvas is also the ocean. That is the wonderful confluence that I wanted to display. As a medical doctor running a hospital on the seaside where all my patients were fishermen, I know their life from a close angle. I have learnt a lot from their commitment, their life,” Kerkar expressed.

The 63-year-old painter, sculptor, and installation art aspires to be called the “Museum Man of India“, and is the founder of the private art gallery Museum of Goa (started without any government backing) which sees 200-500 people every day. He said that the need to bridge the gap between the audience and contemporary art is important.
“I believe in India, there is a cultural barrier such that most people do not connect with contemporary art because we don’t know where to look for it. There are many horical reasons why this has happened including colonial intervention. But it is extremely important that contemporary art is enjoyed everyone. Bringing it into a public space is also part of the process. I would like to create many more museums. Arts are extremely important for the growth of civilisation and even development. Development without art is like food without salt as aesthetics have to be part of development,” Kerkar said.
Subodh Kerkar’s installation in progress (Source: Subodh Kerkar)
Kerkar, who is gearing up for yet another ocean performance artwork on November 7, 2022, with more than 100 NSS volunteers, said that there is no one single message that his work communicates. “Art has to be interpreted the viewers. Everybody’s interpretation is valid,” he said.
The video of the artwork captured WEAERO – Drone shoots and Fpv India, and edited Vaibhav Bandekar, will be available for sale, informed Kerkar who chose this particular beach “for stretch being away from tours”.
This is not the first time that Kerkar has impressed with his out-of-the-box thinking. The veteran art, with 37 years of experience, created an eco-friendly Ganpati using a variety of vegetables, flowers, and wild fruits, and waste materials like used tyres.
“I feel littering is a serious menace that needs to be tackled. Through this artwork, the idea was to highlight that making the switch to sustainability is easier if we put our conscious minds to it,” he told .
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