‘Homo Ludens: The Art of Play’ is an initiative of the Museum of Goa, Pilerne and La La Foundation, made possible by the Fund for Cultural Participation, through the International Collaboration 2022-2024 grant. The art exhibition explores ideas of play present in everyday life inspired by Dutch Cultural Historian Johan Huizinga’s text, ‘Homo Ludens: A Study of Play Element in Culture’.
The art exhibition features three shows, ‘Homo Ludens: Khell-Spel’ showcasing multimedia artworks curated by Sajid Wajid Shaikh, ‘Cycle Diaries’ A photo exhibition curated by Prashant Panjiar, with Asmita Parelkar and Sharada Kerkar. Collaborative artworks created by artists from India and The Netherlands, reimagining clowns as a part of ‘Joint Jesters’ will also be a part of the initiative. The show will feature 99 artists from India and The Netherlands and will showcase 140+ artworks.
Homo Ludens: Khell-Spel
The Homo Ludens: Khell-Spel exhibition, curated by Sajid Wajid Shaikh, showcases over 50 artworks created by 30 artists across mediums. The exhibition interprets and understands play across various sections of human life, promising to make viewers laugh, question, wonder, participate and play.
The exhibition consists of artworks received through an open call that received over 230 artwork submissions from artists in India and The Netherlands. It also showcases the works of 15 invited artists from both India and The Netherlands. The works cover various aspects of play across themes. The artists are also comprised of students, art practitioners, photographers, NFT artists, sculptors, installation artists, videographers, filmmakers, and digital artists.
Cycle Diaries: A Photo Exhibition
Cycle Diaries: A Photo Exhibition curated by Prashant Panjiar along with Asmita Parelkar and Sharada Kerkar, showcases daily life intertwined with cycles, as a lens to explore aspects of play. The cycle is a very common visual element in both India and The Netherlands, with The Netherlands having more cycles than people. The exhibition showcases 88 photographs, from 63 photographers consisting of both Dutch and Indian photographers. The photographs were selected through an open call, which received more than 900 photos from both countries.
The photographs explore various ways in which humans interact with cycles in a playful manner. With children sporting wheelies to old men returning from work, the exhibition showcases how cycles are lifelong companions. It also depicts the various things that cycles carry, candies, flowers, toys and most importantly livelihoods and families. The exhibit invites viewers to explore and connect with cycles as a symbol of play.
Joint Jesters
Joint Jesters, is an exhibition centred on experimentation and play, where the act of creating becomes a game. Joint Jesters is a collaboration between digital artists from India and The Netherlands, who reimagined the jester using elements from both cultures. The theme draws on the figure of the Jester, a symbol of freedom, humour, and creativity in culture, as explored by a Dutch researcher, Johan Huizinga.
Joint Jesters followed the process of the ‘Exquisite Corpse’ game, developed by the surrealists; the game serves as an art method that allows for collaboration between artists. The traditional game involves each player adding to a folded paper without seeing the previous person’s creation, revealing surprising, whimsical results when unfolded. The game celebrates chance, imagination, and the collective sense of creating.
The exhibition will be open for viewing at Museum of Goa, Pilerne till November 17.