ICONS OF GOAN DESIGN By Wendell Rodricks
All design students, in fields of art and design, whether fine art, architecture, interiors, photography or fashions are schooled in the preliminary "Elements of Design". In the USA, this elective is a term subject on its own. Closer home, the elements of design class is an introduction to art or design class. Between colour, line, form, texture and space, students imbibe the nuances of what causes design icons : Elements that adhere to a certain genre of origin, creativity, discipline, country or abstract thought. In the search and creations of icons, one stumbles on continuous or broken elements of design in each area of classification. When I first began my research and study of Goan costumes, I discovered with alarm, that the basic identification of Goan design was largely unstudied nor documented. In all spheres of design, the Goan icons that we take for granted as "Goan" was not included in any syllabus, at the school or college level. What transpired in the process of iconic recognition or rather identification / association is that Goan people began an affiliation with certain physical and abstract identities in a natural, cultural, religious or historical perspective. Largely lost to history and due to a non-documentation, today the need of the hour is to identify the icons of Goan design in art, applied arts and other schools of design. ESTABLISHING GOAN DESIGN ICONS: As with most records or documentation, Goans need to identify "our" design parameters for Goa. This is a delicate subject due to the turbulent and often foreign influenced history of Goa. Goans today mistakenly use Vijayanagar, Bijapur or Portuguese design icons and claim them to be Goan. While it is a fact that over a period of time many details "became" Goan, one must use those Goan icons that have a unique hybrid approach at a national and international level. Let us take a visual musical and performing art as an example. It is obvious that the dance and music of the original Goan tribal are undoubtedly Goan and unique at an international level. On the other hand, classical (Hindi or Western) music cannot be called Goan unless there is a Goan contribution to the same . Which is why a mando is Goan. Based on Western dance steps of the Renaissance, the lyrics and arrangement of the music and rhythm and the pano bhaju costume make it Goan. In my search for "Goan" photographs, many Goans kindly provided me access to family photographs. Some were surprised when I rejected mint condition photographs of their ancestors in elegant dress : Indian and Western. It took some time for them to realise what I was looking for. A wedding photograph that looks like it could be in London or Lisbon or even Bombay or Baroda is not iconically Goan. It is not unique "worldwide"; though it is a referral of the "trend" in Goa at the time. On the other hand I stumbled on and was grateful to receive many photographs that immediately set the wedding in Goa or of Goan origin. It is the few ladies in Pono Bhaju or Navari saris, the pudvem worn in Goan style with jacket, waistcoat and kurtas that set the Goan flavour. Many Goans then question : But what is uniquely Goan? Quite a lot ! Though Goa was almost always on the fringes of kingdoms and empires, the land and its people provided and created their own unique contribution to foreign, local and tribal influences. In a similar yet distinct style that separates Roman from Greek or Inca v/s Mayan, our Goan icons are very tangible, available for modern interpretation and deserving of being identified as our own. In a world rapidly consumed by 'brands' it is the "blanding" of brands that is a modern malaise. Walk into any city in the world and the same brands are on main street : Dior, Vuitton, Chanel, etc. All shops whether in Tokyo, Paris or Mumbai have the same windows, identical merchandise and uniform display style. Which is why we need to establish the Goan style and design dictionary. GOAN ICONS: REAL AND ABSTRACT : When I began designing with a Goan flavour, I had two sources of inspiration. The real physical Goa with its landscape, architecture, and man made objects. On the other end were the abstract Goa icons such as history, songs, the feeling of sussegado, literature, poetry, communidades, folklore, village voices. While it seems relatively easy to translate a visual beauty of a beach, sunset, leaf or temple into a garment, it is extremely difficult( or easy if the emotion is strongly in place) to translate the abstract. How to make a garment appear fluid, relaxed and Goan is a frightening task for most designers. One needs to love the land, culture and people to permit the translation from abstract to ramp. Constant experiments with colours, line, style & silhouette resulted in what the national press eventually called "minimalism" "resort style" and ultimately "Goan". The word Goan arrived in the style referral to the breezy style, Goan sand, sunkissed skin, white washed churches and temples, yogic pureness and relaxed (sussegado) style. The clothes evolved without a plan in mind, I had unconsciously created fashion icons to forever stamp the nation with fashion images of Goa. As the years progressed we used those icons to create a philosophy where the brand name "Wendell Rodricks" fused with "Goa". In the same way that Mario Miranda's splendid Goa illustrations and Remo Fernandes' music and lyrics anchored Goa to the personae. Architects Gerard Da Cunha and Dean D'Cruz pushed a Goan aesthetic based on exposed laterite, Gaudi meets Goa curved lines and an organic flavour that paved the way for a modern Goan architectural style. In the art world Francis Newton Souza's brutal brush began a Catholic based style that immediately became associated with his obvious Goan roots. On the other hand, the young Theodore Mesquita today infuses his canvas with Catholic iconography with sensually charged lines (a clash of emotions familiar to Goan Catholics who no matter how modern or unconventional cannot separate deep faith from a total freedom of expression). In all these expressions of line, form, texture and artistic interpretation lies a common thread of Goaness. FROM HUMBLE TO GRAND : At a recent presentation at Fundacao Oriente, I demonstrated via an visual presentation how the objects we take for granted can be elevated to the high altar of artistic interpretation. Though it all seems ingenious and impressive, it is not. In Paris I was taught how to look at a leaf and do an entire collection based on it. I presume people in other creative fields from writing to music perform the same sleight of hand. Beauty and it's translation are truly in the eye of the beholder. To embark on this wonderous journey, one must go to the humblest of Goan icons. Quite literally one can begin with the Goan earth. From red mud to laterite, a hundred interpretations are possible. As one progresses from the object to stylized expression, one learns how the humble can become grand. On a recent holiday in Bali, I was astounded how Balinese artisans convert humble shells, coconut tree components and driftwood into amazing objects of art. Even bull horns and fish bones become artworks. The same can be attained in Goa. Look around, identify what is truly Goan, dissect its line, form, texture, rhythm and create new elements of design expression. There is a vast reservoir of humble Goan objects and abstractions that are waiting to be tapped into and converted into future Goan icons. REINTERPRETING THE OLD : One of the dangers of clinging to culture and tradition is that people tend to curb creative expression. In a world searching for freshness and an exhilaration from the mundane, it is important that artists are allowed new expression. If the town planners insists on architecture based on a brief Portuguese-style period, we are blundering in a major way. At the other end of the spectrum is when total freedom is permitted, it will be chaotic and unsightly. The conclusion is to meet midway between identifiable Goan iconography and reinterpretation of the same. Citing art as an example, the serene Shantiniketan quality of Angelo Fonseca's paintings takes on a Goan hue due to its Catholic testimonials and stylised Indian dress. Similarly Jose Pereira's frescoes in the Borda chapel speak of a freedom of form, colour and line while distinctly retaining a Goan identity. DOCUMENTATION OF GOAN DESIGN : In the near future, Goans must look at documenting elements of Goan design. If it is not done by Goans, it should come as no surprise if persons of non-Goan origin explore this unchartered territory. It should become the priority of the Goa College of Art / Architecture / Home Science / Fashion Technology and the Ministry of Culture in Goa to identify and document Goan design. This documentation should be free of religious, cultural, political and personal influence. In a pure form, this documentation will become a vital cornerstone in the Goan design identity. CONCLUSION : Goa needs to establish its design icons and elements of design. This should be based on what is exclusive to Goa on a national and international level. The question to ask at every stage should be : "Is this exclusive to Goa and Goan culture ?" In the case of 'abstract' inspiration, the 'Goaness' is more difficult to interpret and can often be identified more by the viewer or media rather that the emotional state that the creative person designed the abstract Goan quality. Items of humble origin are often the best base to begin an interpretation or translations of an art form. Often, due to the regular visual exposure to such objects, it is the traveller / tourist / outsider who sees the object more clearly as uniquely Goan. But with sufficient research and emotion, Goans can identify humble objects or emotions for artistic reinterpretation. In this process it is important to permit young creative talents the freedom to express their originality. However this expression should be tempered with Goan sensibility and Goan icons to avoid chaotic interpretation. The need of the hour now is to document our Goan design icons. When that is done, Goa will have a new bible for Goan expression in the arts. ---------- The article above appeared in the May 15 issue of Vigilant Goan magazine. =====
