Art has a new sanctuary

Serene and picture perfect, the village of Assagao has become a haven for artists seeking inspiration and quiet. Over the last few years, plenty of artistic ventures have mushroomed in this pretty setting. And the village can now boast of yet another such venture as Ekta Chopra from Delhi and Drasty Shah from Ahmedabad have just begun The Project Cafe, Goa Art Spaces at the Amalia House in Assagao. "One of the founding visions of The Project Café was to create a space where the general public can be exposed to diverse art and design and their creators in an easily accessible and open environment. Food being a universal draw, we conceptualized the Art Spaces where guest can not only enjoy delicious cuisine but have a live experience of the featured art. Being an ever changing dynamic space also allows us to constantly be in touch with established and up and coming new artist and bring them in direct contact with the people," says Chopra. Finding the right space for this venture though wasn't an easy task. "It was a case of eleventh hour providence finding the Amalia House,' says Shah, who made multiple scouting trips to Goa without coming across anything which piqued her interest. She was called to have a look at the130 years old Portuguese villa- Amalia House, just before she was to catch her return flight. "The place proved to be just what I had envisioned with just the right blend of spirit, zest and wow!" says Shah. And thus, the duo set in motion their idea, restoring the house in order to create a homely sanctum for artists, designers, performers and like-minded souls; to contemplate, converse, create and collaborate. The outdoor café and restaurant features healthy cuisine and pieces of art and design are curated tastefully and woven seamlessly into the surroundings. The Project Cafe also aims to play enthusiastic hosts to a wide array of performance artists as well, seasoned professionals or innovative fresh talents
" We go through a meticulous curating process to ensure not only the best and most promising showcase of artists but also that we have a pan India and a global representation as well. Our highly versatile profile of being a bar and restaurant, art gallery, performance space and hotel is strongly complimented by our unique retail model where everything is for sale- be it featured, functional or utilitarian."says Chopra,adding that they are constantly on the lookout for art and design which demands a second look. The final selection is however a very intuitive process, admit the duo.
The maiden project at the gallery was showcased by the artist Ruchi Bakshi Sharma titled Shadow Boxes and Lenticulars. Her wood encased, glass-fronted shadowboxes were personal shrines with multi-layered collages of treasured and meaningful images, set in laser-cut acrylic in artistic assemblages. These boxes were intriguing, playful and magical little story worlds of personal history, mythology, dreams, and memories.
The lobby on the other hand hosted the works of Jagrut Raval titled Cyanotype of the Bismarckia Nobilis which was inspired by the palm tree at the premises of the cafe and the 170-year-old photographic process of Cyanotype, Jagrut created a series of blue photographs of the bismarckia as a homage to the history and heritage of the space.
The restaurant featured Maps of Goa by Nidhi Khurana. The series featured there was derived from the various maps of Goa. Without any text on them, those maps transformed into landscapes, ready to be explored in a whole new way. Thomas Louis- a ceramist based in Goa showcased Sound Ceramics in the Garden of Sound. The works featured there were a series of percussion instruments, which were an extension of his ‘sound ceramics' based on the Udu form, to bring about community engagement and togetherness through music.
The next show at the cafe, Museum Bhavan by noted photographer Dayanita Singh will be held on January 4. Museum Bhavan is a travelling family of museums each of which holds old and new images in movable wooden structures from the time Singh began photography until now. These can be opened and closed to create different shapes, spaces and connections within and among them.
(‘Museum Bhavan' by Dayanita Singh will open on January 4, 6.30 pm at The Project Cafe Goa, Assagao. This will be followed by a fado performance from noted fadista Sonia Shirsat)