How is the life of a freelance painter in Goa?

Goa has a culture of wall art all around the place. Even the remote areas of Goa have walls spray painted by both rookies and unexplainably great artists. The whole thing adds to the aesthetics and the great vibe of the entire place. None of these paintings are paid for. Artists do this as a freelancing job many times to hitch a stay and get free food in hostels. Many learn the art of wall painting by coming to Goa and sharpening their skills.

In my journey across Goa, I had already come to realize the hostel culture. Many volunteers at hostels manage people and space to hitch a stay and get some food. Speaking with one of the cafe owners – Mukesh Meena (Read this article), I figured that the volunteering services do not take people anywhere. Some of these bag packers come over work in hostels and stay over for months not learning anything and wasting their time unnecessarily. Mukesh said there is no art in these people’s life. Volunteering is a job for travellers to rest and rejuvenate in the journey but not for those who want to go to beaches and strike up a conversation with the girls.

Although most kids who volunteer in hostels come there to enjoy their stay and hit up on girls, some come over with the interest to showcase their art. One such person I met on my all-India cycle tour is a 35-year young painter from Chennai, Tamil Nadu, by the name Gopi Kannan. He however prefers to be called by his signature name Rishi.

A mellow chap who has been volunteering in a hostel called Andaz in Arambol offered me insights into the life of an aspiring painter in Goa. Offered a stay and food for the wall art he does, he had intentions of revitalizing the entire place with his artwork.

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So, how is the life of a freelance painter in Goa?

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Why become a freelance painter in Goa?

Having graduated from Madras Christian College, Chennai, as a BA graduate in Philosophy, Rishi has worked in BPOs most of his life. Starting from the age of 23 until 35 he worked for BPO’s until only 3 years back he realized his potential in painting. Rishi said he used to paint as a kid, but he had left it far behind him. Only recently did he get the realization that there was art subdued and hidden within him. For the last three years, he rehearsed his abstract art style meanwhile continuing to work for a BPO.

A month earlier he finally quit his BPO job to take up the challenge of taking up painting as his profession. Rishi told he is unsure if he is taking a calculated risk or a wild/dumb risk at the moment. Something in his heart, however, is guiding him in this direction.

Future of a freelance painter in Goa

On the note of taking a risk, Rishi came to Goa and approached Anadaz hostel, as he sensed an opportunity to revamp the place. The art he makes today has to turn him into a better artist and also help build a strong profile for himself. The surprising part was that Rishi came to Goa with only 7 thousand rupees in his pocket. He said he is unsure how he will manage with that much money, but he has the belief that he can hitch a stay and get food through his art.

Adding a bit of a calculation to his risk, Rishi said that with the profile he builds here in Goa, he wants to approach Alliance Francaise, an organization devoted to sharing and promoting the French language and culture. This must allow him to go to France where art is truly respected unlike here in India. Going there will give him the opportunity to showcase his talents and perform in live shows. The art he does in Goa will be the platform he will use to apply to Alliance Francaise.

The mindset of a freelance painter in Goa

Taking up freelance painting definitely seemed like a risky job in my mind. One has to have the belief that they can achieve something in the field. Without the fear of failure and the belief that one can actually make it to the larger stage, there is no way such a risky job can be picked. I wanted to know what went on in the mind of Rishi that allowed him to take this leap of faith and quit his job in order to be here in Goa as a freelance painter. So, I asked him some questions on the personal front that gave me answers on multiple levels.

Justification

On asking why he didn’t choose any other job for that matter if he didn’t enjoy the BPO job, he said he didn’t fit in anywhere. Painting just felt right for him. Painting removed the feeling of being left out of his mind. As an introvert, he finds it hard to interact with people, but painting allows him to be with himself. It has in fact helped him get out of episodes of depression in his life.

Validation

I asked Rishi who he is doing this for. Rishi said he was making the art for himself. He had a strong intent to learn and grow. Expressing through words for him is a tough task. He wanted a medium to express his thoughts and he found it in painting. He said he can express himself honestly without any adulteration of feelings and emotions. Those who view his paintings can feel them without having to speak with him.

Complaints

Rishi said he had a traumatic childhood. When he was 16, he watched his mom being beaten up by his dad. Eventually, his dad left the house. This brought quite a bit of pressure on Rishi’s shoulders to take care of his mother and his younger sister. He took a 2-year break from studies and worked odd jobs to earn money for his family. He said those were the toughest times in his life. He says he still has a pessimistic mind in his relationships because of all the trauma he was put through. He said the only complaint he has is that he knows he deserves better. He summed it up saying “I wish I had a better family”.

Materialism

If given a huge chunk of money, Rishi will simply fly to France, and buy an apartment and a studio space. Paint, perform shows, and go to pubs and enjoy the rest of his life doing what he likes doing.

The one thing I noticed with many foreigners in Goa is that they take these risks more often than most Indians do. This kept me wondering if art is subdued in us because we play it safe. Comment below and let me know your thoughts on this. If you enjoyed reading this article, kindly head over to the homepage and subscribe to my newsletters.

Asutosh

I am a 31 year young PhD graduate who has decided to travel the length and breadth of India on my cycle, to document the journey of meeting a vast array of people. In my journey, I intend to understand the characteristic features of the people of this nation and categorize them based on their demographics, age, profession, gender, traditions, and cultural differences.