From Family Albums to Future Archives: A Goan Odyssey at SAF 2024
The latest edition of the ‘Goa Familia’ project aims to document the present state of Goa in archive format for posterity.
Panaji, December 2024: The future is always rooted in the present. The Archive of Potential (Goan) Futures, an exhibition featured under the curated segment ‘Goa Familia’, as part of the ongoing 9th edition of the Serendipity Arts Festival (SAF) 2024, embodies this concept. Curated by Lina Vincent and Akshay Mahajan, the project draws inspiration from Jacques Derrida’s ‘Archive Fever’, striking a balance between preserving Goa’s cultural fabric and fostering public dialogue to envision possible futures.
The exhibition features two contrasting photography exhibitions: one focusing on heritage homes and the other humorously critiquing the rise of ‘second homes’ in Goa. “We aimed to create ‘archives of now’, and over 20 individuals and collectives are part of ‘Archive of Potential (Goan) Futures’, compiling a diverse array of stories and images from across Goa,” said Vincent. “Someone will look back 10 years from now at this remarkable body of material that came together. We have shifted our focus to a very contemporary space.”
Complementing their curatorial effort is a collaboration with the Museum of Christian Art (MoCA) for a special exhibition during the XVIII Exposition of the Sacred Relics of St. Francis Xavier. “In true ‘Goa Familia’ style, we gathered personal stories, objects, and memories from the community. The sub-exhibition at MoCA at the Church of Santa Monica, Old Goa, has already sparked deep connections, and we’re thrilled to extend Serendipity Arts Festival 2024 to a new location at MoCA,” Vincent added.
According to Mahajan, ‘Goa Familia’ currently explores various aspects, including ace photographer Ulka Chauhan’s book ‘The Memory Keepers and Future Seekers’, which documents heritage homes in Goa, focusing on the people who inhabit them, rather than just the architecture. Chauhan’s exhibition is juxtaposed with Niharika Chauhan’s ‘Second Home’, which critiques the phenomenon of second homes in Goa, highlighting how the state has become a hotspot for investment properties and holiday homes.
“We’ve created an immersive space where the past, present, and future intersect – through innovative displays, storytelling, and interactive elements. It’s a celebration of Goa’s living archive – an exploration of where we’ve been, who we are, and where we might go,” said Mahajan.
In its earlier editions, ‘Goa Familia’ collaborated with SAF to document Goa’s history through family archives and oral stories, leading to a series of exhibitions. The first, in 2019, was titled ‘Goa Familia’. After a pandemic break, the curation focused on the stories of Panaji, ‘Families Are Like Rivers,’ in 2022. The exhibition ‘Let The Sound Linger’ (2023) explored music and theatre as core elements of Goan identity.
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