https://www.youtube.com/watch?si=A0jLM_9vGabtO-8n&v=JkVf9cigENc&feature=youtu.be
We have a rich tradition of hagiographic art around St. Francis Xavier. Catholic art being a narrative art these art works tell us a story. They depict the saint preaching, baptizing, working miracles, travelling, praying, dying and his finally resting in the Basilica of Bon Jesus. There is fundamental logic of this artistic expressions. They usually stay embedded with European tropes although the Saint is shown to be alongside people fancifully and exotically dressed with elaborate head gears. Within these depiction we can identify attempts that presents the saint as a global missionary.
Sacred art has its logic that raises our spirit to the spiritual realm. It is within this regime of art, painting Goycho Saib in the hues and shades of Goa is exhibition prosed by the Parish Pastoral Council of St. Francis Xavier Church, Borim to celebrate the birth of the Saint on 7th April 2025. Being in the Jubilee year, the parishioners of Borim have decided to celebrate the jubilee of the artists. The art exhibition aims to influence artistic practices around St. Francis Xavier, fondly called as the Goycho Saib in Goa.
There is no art without the eyes that sees the same. The artistic practices around St. Francis Xavier especially in Goa has a community the senses, appreciates and prays with the art. Any art lives in a social world and has a social as well as political life. Hagiographic art has an important mimetic function. It does not just tell us the story of the saint, it mirrors our story and we have the imperative to imitate the life of the saint.
While the remaining true to the mimetic tradition, the project at hand wishes to bring a new depth to art that surrounds St. Francis Xavier. It does not just fix St. Francis to a space and time which has been beautifully done so far but strives to move away from these merely surface dimensions to give depth dimension to bring to the art that the centers around the life and person of the Saint of Goa. This means the artistic practices that we wish to embrace are the ones that will portray more layers of consciousness specially attempting to inscribe Goa and Goan-ness that informs the title ‘ Goycho Saib’. Perhaps, the attempt to bring depth to the artistic practices might enable us to manifest in its pristine brilliance Goan-ness as well the depth of the relations the Goans have with the Saint.
Indeed, it is an attempt to bring about a fusion of the sublime and mundane in a Goan way of life. The exhibition aims to make the Saint that has become part of everyday life of ordinary Goans shine in the work of our artistic practices in Goa. Goan life can thus find space and voice in this humble project. It will enable Goan life around Goycho Saib to be portrayed. But this is not simply an attempt to ossify Goan life around Goycho Saib. It is trying to produce practices of art that work like prompts that can trigger a sense and emotion of Goan life.
