Subodh Kerkar
{{Short description|Indian installation artist and painter (born 1959)}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2018}}
{{Infobox artist
| name = Subodh Kerkar
| image = Dr Subodh Kerkar at TEDxGEC in 2017.jpg
| image_size = frameless
| alt = Dr Subodh Kerkar at TEDxGEC in 2017
| caption = Kerkar in 2017
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Pernem, Goa, Portuguese India, Portuguese Empire
| nationality = Indian
| alma_mater = Goa Medical College
| known_for = {{flatlist|
- Painting
- sculpting
- installation art
}}
| notable_works =
| style =
| movement =
| spouse =
| children =
| awards = Busan Biennale Award (2006)
| patrons =
| website = {{URL|subodhkerkar.com}}
}}
Subodh Kerkar is an Indian painter, sculptor and installation artist, and founder of the private art gallery Museum of Goa.{{Cite news
|url=https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/TDKFe9CBOVofD9EZxlJamK/Goas-invisible-artscape.html
|title=Goa's invisible artscape
|last=Menezes
|first=Vivek
|date=June 16, 2017
|work=LiveMint
|access-date=2018-11-26
|archive-date=26 November 2018
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126135153/https://www.livemint.com/Leisure/TDKFe9CBOVofD9EZxlJamK/Goas-invisible-artscape.html
|url-status=live
}} He is known for his artworks and installations. Kerkar's work has been displayed in India and abroad, including at art exhibitions such as the Sculpture by the Sea in 2011 and the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in 2018.{{Cite web |url=https://punemirror.indiatimes.com/others/sunday-read/a-new-wave/articleshow/64812290.cms |title=A new wave |last=Suhasini |first=Lalitha |website=Pune Mirror |date=Jul 1, 2018 |access-date=2019-01-10 |archive-date=14 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190114210710/https://punemirror.indiatimes.com/others/sunday-read/a-new-wave/articleshow/64812290.cms |url-status=dead }} Another popular installation of his is the 2017 Carpet of Joy{{Cite web
|url=https://thewire.in/culture/gandhi-art-subodh-kerkar
|title=Reclaiming Gandhi: An Artist's Vision
|website=The Wire
|access-date=2018-11-26
|archive-date=26 November 2018
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126180824/https://thewire.in/culture/gandhi-art-subodh-kerkar
|url-status=live
}} A 2018 photo exhibition of his on fishermen (chosen for the Royal Academy exhibition) was chosen by filmmaker Bharat Bala to be the subject of a documentary.{{Cite news |url=https://www.heraldgoa.in/Cafe/Capturing-the-romance-of-the-sea-the-fishermen-and-every-breaking-wave/126705.html |title=Capturing the romance of the sea, the fishermen and every breaking wave |website=oHeraldo |date=Feb 10, 2018 |language=en |access-date=2019-01-10 |archive-date=15 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190115023044/https://www.heraldgoa.in/Cafe/Capturing-the-romance-of-the-sea-the-fishermen-and-every-breaking-wave/126705.html |url-status=dead }} He has spoken at Visva-Bharati University and the Van Gogh Museum.
Early life
Subodh Kerkar is from Goa. As a student he created cartoons.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lf-GBAAAQBAJ|title=Caricaturing Culture in India: Cartoons and History in the Modern World |last=Gairola Khanduri |first=Ritu |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2014 |isbn=978-1107043329 |pages=160}} He joined Goa Medical College and became a doctor by profession. Following this, he ran a hospital and private practice for a few years in Calangute, until he quit and decided to become an artist.{{Cite news
|url=http://goastreets.com/subodh-kerkar/
|title=Subodh Kerkar
|last=Ilavia
|first=Perin
|date=Aug 20, 2014
|work=Goa Streets
|access-date=2018-11-26
|archive-date=23 February 2019
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190223074141/https://goastreets.com/subodh-kerkar/
|url-status=dead
|url=https://www.saffronart.com/artists/subodh-kerkar
|title=Subodh Kerkar's profile on SaffronArt
|website=Saffronart
|access-date=2018-11-26
|archive-date=26 November 2018
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126135142/https://www.saffronart.com/artists/subodh-kerkar
|url-status=live
}}
Career
File:"The Ocean Comes to Yorkshire" by Subodh Kerkar.jpg, North Yorkshire, England]]
Kerkar began his career in art as a water colourist. He also explored art from around the world, and was soon attracted to installations and land art.
In 1987, he started his own art gallery, in Calangute, Goa. It was named the "Kerkar Art Complex", and had an open-air auditorium. He also began to exhibit at art galleries across the country.
In the 2000s, Kerkar began his foray into the field of "land art". He began by creating sculptures from scrap and garbage. In 2002, he created an installation artwork named Tenth Planet. In 2005, he followed with Sea Anemone.
{{Cite magazine
|url=http://www.artnewsnviews.com/view-article.php?article=a-crusader-of-for-site-specific-public-art-subodh-kerkar-&iid=15&articleid=323
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101220033547/http://www.artnewsnviews.com/view-article.php?article=a-crusader-of-for-site-specific-public-art-subodh-kerkar-&iid=15&articleid=323
|url-status=usurped
|archive-date=20 December 2010
|title=A Crusader of/for Site Specific Public Art: Subodh Kerkar
|last=M.L.
|first=Johny
|date=December 2010
|website=Art News & Views
|access-date=2018-11-26
}} During Goa's first IFFI in 2004, Kerkar was chosen to set up 500 metres of installations along Miramar beach.{{Cite web |url=https://www.goaprism.com/kerkar-art-complex/ |title=Kerkar Art Complex |date=July 7, 2014 |website=GOA PRISM |language=en-US |access-date=2019-01-10 |archive-date=14 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190114210734/https://www.goaprism.com/kerkar-art-complex/ |url-status=live }}
Following this, he was invited by some international biennales and art projects to create public sculptures.{{Cite news
|url=https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/subodh-kerkar-to-create-the-pyramid-at-art-chennai/article2993215.ece
|title=Subodh Kerkar to create 'the pyramid' at Art Chennai
|date=2012-03-14
|work=The Hindu
|access-date=2018-11-26
|language=en-IN
|archive-date=4 December 2024
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241204132838/https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-karnataka/subodh-kerkar-to-create-the-pyramid-at-art-chennai/article2993215.ece
|url-status=live
}} He created a work titled The Sea Remembers on Dubai's beach. He has since displayed his work on Goan beaches, and also in countries like Switzerland, South Korea, Macau, the Netherlands, Germany, Norway, Portugal and Australia.
In 2009, Kerkar launched an art exhibition in Mumbai to mark the anniversary of the 2008 Mumbai attacks.{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.artslant.com/ny/articles/show/11388-when-death-came-from-the-ocean-subodh-kerkar-at-work|title=When Death Came from the Ocean: Subodh Kerkar at Work |last=Sabitha |first=T.P. |date=Nov 9, 2009 |magazine=ArtSlant |access-date=2019-01-10}}
In 2011, he was invited by the Dean of Visva-Bharati University at Shantiniketan, to conduct a workshop. In the same year, he created a fibre glass sculpture of a robot with an ass’ head.{{Cite news
|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/opinion/vedanta/whos-the-real-ass/articleshow/10335690.cms
|title=Who's the Real Ass?
|last=Nadkarni
|first=Vithal C.
|date=Oct 13, 2011
|work=The Economic Times
|access-date=2018-11-26
|archive-date=26 November 2018
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126134957/https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/opinion/vedanta/whos-the-real-ass/articleshow/10335690.cms
|url-status=live
}}
Some of his art exhibits include Pepper Cross{{Cite web
|url=http://www.youblisher.com/p/926529-Pepper-Cross-E-Catalogue/
|title=Pepper Cross E Catalogue
|website=Youblisher.com
|access-date=2018-11-26
|archive-date=2 February 2016
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160202011925/http://www.youblisher.com/p/926529-Pepper-Cross-E-Catalogue/
|url-status=dead
}} and Anchored Ocean.{{Cite news
|url=https://www.khaleejtimes.com/article/20090515/ARTICLE/305159996/1002
|title=Art is all about wetting new sands
|last=Sachin
|first=Ambica
|date=May 16, 2009
|work=Khaleej Times
|access-date=2018-11-26
|archive-date=26 November 2018
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126135033/https://www.khaleejtimes.com/article/20090515/ARTICLE/305159996/1002
|url-status=dead
In 2013, his sculpture named Chicken Cafreal (after the dish of the same name) was selected for the Sculpture by the Sea exhibition and competition in Australia.{{Cite news |url=http://post.jagran.com/goa-sculpture-inspired-from-chicken-dish-selected-for-australian-exhibition-1372837574 |title=Goa: Sculpture inspired from chicken dish selected for Australian exhibition |website=Jagran Post |date=Jul 3, 2013 |access-date=2019-01-10 |archive-date=15 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190115024547/http://post.jagran.com/goa-sculpture-inspired-from-chicken-dish-selected-for-australian-exhibition-1372837574 |url-status=live }} This was his third time getting selected there, after The Chilly (a huge red fibreglass chilly) in 2012.{{Cite web |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/news/variety/art-in-public-view/article23029824.ece |title=Art in public view |last=Rangachari |first=Gayatri |date=Dec 6, 2012 |website=Business Line |language=en |access-date=2019-01-10}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.indianlink.com.au/red-hot-chilli-peppers/|title=Red hot chilli peppers|date=2012-10-18|website=Indian Link|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-10|archive-date=5 August 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200805165859/https://www.indianlink.com.au/red-hot-chilli-peppers/|url-status=live}}
At the India Art Fair in 2014, he showcased an artwork titled Palm Leaves, reminiscing his childhood in Goa, where palm trees are commonly found.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}}
In 2015, he sold his art gallery and founded a new one, called Museum of Goa.
{{Cite news
|url=https://www.thehindu.com/features/friday-review/art/artist-subodh-kerkar-s-museum-of-goa-aims-to-provide-a-cultural-experience-for-the-goans/article7765909.ece|title=Finding his muse in the museum
|last=Ray
|first=Kunal
|date=Oct 15, 2015
|work=The Hindu
|access-date=2018-11-26
|language=en-IN
}} The museum features many kinds of artwork, including works based on the ocean.{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Xh4xDwAAQBAJ|title=Marine Shells of Goa: A Guide to Identification|last=Sonak|first=Sangeeta|publisher=Springer|isbn=9783319550978|location=Goa|pages=200|date=14 August 2017}}
In 2017, he created the Carpet of Joy – an artwork to protest the excessive littering in Goa, on the 100th anniversary of Gandhi’s first experiment of satyagraha (which Gandhi began in Champaran on April 10, 1917). It used 1,50,000 discarded plastic bottles, collected from beaches and hotels in Goa, to weave a carpet.{{Cite web |url=https://thewire.in/culture/plastic-bottles-gandhi-art |title=Turning 1,50,000 Plastic Bottles Into Gandhian Art |last=Dikshit |first=V. |date=Apr 29, 2017 |website=The Wire |access-date=2018-11-26 |archive-date=26 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126180803/https://thewire.in/culture/plastic-bottles-gandhi-art |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |url=https://www.itsgoa.com/carpet-joy-mog-subodh-kerkar/ |title=Carpet of Joy- An installation by Doctor Subodh Kerkar |last=Chandan |date=2017-04-10 |website=ItsGoa |language=en-US |access-date=2019-01-10 |archive-date=1 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190201005123/http://www.itsgoa.com/carpet-joy-mog-subodh-kerkar/ |url-status=live }} To celebrate the anniversary, Kerkar also worked with a team of software engineers and Dmytro Dokunov, a digital artist from Ukraine, to create an augmented reality smartphone app called "Gandhi AR", which would display a bust of Gandhi when pointed at any Indian currency (which features Gandhi on it).{{Cite web |url=https://punemirror.indiatimes.com/others/sunday-read/small-talk-in-defence-of-the-mahatma/articleshow/62225057.cms |title=Small Talk: In defence of the Mahatma |last=Suhasini |first=Lalitha |website=Pune Mirror |date=Dec 24, 2017 |access-date=2019-01-10 |archive-date=14 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190114210454/https://punemirror.indiatimes.com/others/sunday-read/small-talk-in-defence-of-the-mahatma/articleshow/62225057.cms |url-status=dead }}{{Cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/how-smart-art-is-set-to-bring-the-mahatma-to-life/articleshow/58437976.cms |title=How smart art is set to bring the Mahatma to life |website=The Times of India |last=Umachandran |first=Shalini |date=Apr 30, 2017 |access-date=2019-01-10 |archive-date=3 March 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190303220036/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/how-smart-art-is-set-to-bring-the-mahatma-to-life/articleshow/58437976.cms |url-status=live }}{{Cite web|url=https://defindia.org/defdialogue-with-subodh-kerkar/|title=DEFdialogue with Subodh Kerkar|date=2017-07-21|website=Digital Empowerment Foundation|language=en-US|access-date=2019-01-10|archive-date=28 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190128094312/https://defindia.org/defdialogue-with-subodh-kerkar/|url-status=live}}
In 2018, Kerkar's photo exhibition of fishermen was chosen for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition. Later, it inspired filmmaker Bharat Bala to make a documentary on it.
In 2019, six of his sculptures were installed at the Himalayan Garden and Sculpture Park, Grewelthorpe, North Yorkshire, England, including The Ocean Comes to Yorkshire (pictured){{cite news
|url=https://www.greatbritishlife.co.uk/things-to-do/whats-on/dr-subodh-kerkar-exhibition-6387224
|title=Dr Subodh Kerkar exhibition at The Himalayan Garden and Sculpture Park
|date=April 21, 2019
|publisher=Great British Life
|access-date=February 21, 2021
|archive-date=5 May 2021
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210505214104/https://www.greatbritishlife.co.uk/things-to-do/whats-on/dr-subodh-kerkar-exhibition-6387224
|url-status=live
}}
Kerkar delivers lectures in India and abroad, such as Amsterdam's Van Gogh Museum{{Cite magazine |url=http://vivagoamagazine.com/details.php?id=848 |title=Dr Subodh Kerkar delivers lecture on ocean and art at {{sic|prest|igeous|nolink=y}} Amsterdam Vana Gogh Museum |date=July 28, 2015 |website=Viva Goa |language=en-US |access-date=2019-01-10 |archive-date=14 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190114210741/http://vivagoamagazine.com/details.php?id=848 |url-status=live }} and University College London.{{Cite web |url=http://www.navhindtimes.in/about-art-and-architecture/ |title=About art and architecture |website=Navhind Times |date=Jan 3, 2019 |language=en-US |access-date=2019-01-10 |archive-date=14 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190114210804/http://www.navhindtimes.in/about-art-and-architecture/ |url-status=live }}{{Cite web|url=https://www.ucl.ac.uk/institute-of-advanced-studies/events/2017/apr/indian-ocean-histories-and-modern-art-discussion-subodh-kerkar|title=Indian Ocean Histories and Modern Art: A Discussion with Subodh Kerkar|last=UCL|date=2018-07-03|website=Institute of Advanced Studies (IAS)|language=en|access-date=2019-01-10}}{{Dead link|date=January 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} He has also spoken at various TEDx events{{Cite news |url=https://www.heraldgoa.in/Cafe/Have-you-met-the-other-TED/118154.html |title=Have you met the other TED? |last=Monte de Silva |first=Fernando |date=Jul 28, 2017 |work=oHeraldo |access-date=2018-11-26 |language=en |archive-date=26 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126180929/https://www.heraldgoa.in/Cafe/Have-you-met-the-other-TED/118154.html |url-status=dead }}{{Cite news |url=http://englishnews.thegoan.net/story.php?id=36166 |title=Talking about Art at TedxGEC |work=The Goan |access-date=2018-11-26 |archive-date=26 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126181001/http://englishnews.thegoan.net/story.php?id=36166 |url-status=live }}
{{Citation
|last=TEDx Talks
|title=Exploring history through art {{!}} Subodh Kerkar {{!}} TEDxBITSGoa
|date=2015-04-17
|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77JiUuNVP2c
|access-date=2018-11-26
}} and at INKtalks.{{Cite news
|url=http://www.mediainfoline.com/article/ink-conference-2016-successfully-completes-its-7th-edition
|title=INK Conference 2016 successfully completes its 7th edition - Media Infoline
|date=2016-09-20
|work=Media Infoline
|access-date=2018-11-26
|language=en-US
|archive-date=26 November 2018
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126221343/http://www.mediainfoline.com/article/ink-conference-2016-successfully-completes-its-7th-edition
|url-status=live
}}
Reception
In 2009, Kerkar launched an exhibition of sketches of Lord Ganesha. Organizations such as the Sanatan Sanstha called for protests, while others like the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti and the Shri Samarth Ramdas Seva Bhakti Mandal chose to file a police complaint under Section 149 of the Indian Penal Code, for hurting religious sentiments. Kerkar alleged that he received threats on his life for his work.{{Cite web |url=http://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay.aspx?newsID=64356 |title=Dr Subodh Kerkar Fears for His Life After Hindu Groups Protested Against Him |website=Daijiworld.com |date=Aug 18, 2009 |access-date=2019-01-10 |archive-date=31 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190131145531/http://www.daijiworld.com/news/newsDisplay.aspx?newsID=64356 |url-status=live }}
In 2013, he faced allegations of corruption by Manohar Parrikar, to win a contract for a sculpture for a government body.{{Cite news |url=http://www.goanews.com/news_disp.php?newsid=2862 |title=Subodh Kerkar dares CM to file FIR against him |website=Goa News |date=Feb 7, 2013 |access-date=2019-01-10 |archive-date=28 May 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150528082017/http://www.goanews.com/news_disp.php?newsid=2862 |url-status=live }}
Awards
- Busan Biennale Award (2006){{Cite web
|url=https://rkd.nl/nl/explore/artists/374405
|title=Ontdek beeldhouwer, installatiekunstenaar, schilder Subodh Kerkar
|trans-title=Discover sculptor, installation artist, painter Subodh Kerkar
|website=rkd.nl
|language=nl
|access-date=2018-11-26
|archive-date=26 November 2018
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181126181035/https://rkd.nl/nl/explore/artists/374405
|url-status=live
}}
- First prize at the Kala Academy Art Show, Goa (2000)
Filmography
- Battery Ki Chalo (Archived) 2018
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category|Subodh Kerkar}}
- {{Official website|http://www.subodhkerkar.com/}}
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUQOlD50zbw Subodh Kerkar: Food against fanaticism (INKtalks)]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5533TkRvJU Exploring History through Art: Talk by Subodh Kerkar]
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kerkar, Subodh}}