Approach a state of art
Start at F N Souza’s ancestral village, Saligao, where his grandson, British Israeli artist, Solomon Souza, has unleashed his imagination on street walls with vivid spray painted murals in celebration of the state’s unsung heroes. Then hit up the Museum of Goa in Bardez, a privately owned contemporary art gallery where you can soak up Goan-flavoured eye-candy, including many works of founder Subodh Kerkar. Later, head to Reis Magos, Goa’s oldest fort, which has been guarding the seafront against the banks of the Mandovi River. The solid walls, Portuguese turrets and canyons have lost their defence purpose but serve as an unusual site for a museum dedicated to artwork by Mario Miranda, cartoonist, painter and one of India’s most famed illustrators. Stoke your interest even more by landing up at the Mario Gallery in Porvorim, where you can browse for signature-style Mario souvenirs like bags, T-shirts, mugs and tiles.
The treasure hunt leads to Fontain has in the capital city of Panjim, where the narrow cobbled streets of the UNESCO Heritage tagged Latin Quarter is lined with brightly painted colonial architecture, exuding an old-world charm. Wander into the Gitanjali Art Gallery to gawp at creations by renowned photographers like Raghu Rai. Be enchanted by the permanent display of pieces by Goan artist Antonio Xavier Trindade at undação Oriente. Scan the events calendar at the state-run cultural centre, Kala Academy. Besides exhibitions, concerts and workshops, you can catch an entertaining Konkani play (Tiatr) here. A short drive away lies the elite Altinho neighbourhood, where the iconic Sunaparanta Goa Centre for the Arts stands nestled in shady boulevards dotted with grand mansions and government offices. A tour of the engaging art gallery and a coffee stop at the cosy courtyard café is almost obligatory.