Kala Academy to restore its three prized artworks by Laxman Pai

Panaji: Few artworks of world-renowned artist Laxman Pai are among the prized possessions of the Kala Academy, Panaji. When the Charles Correa construction — Kala Academy — hung on its walls the works of Pai, it inadvertently created an amalgamation of art and architecture of two of Goa’s greatest sons.
The three paintings with the Kala academy are titled Yellow Goa, Green Goa and Spring Flower.One of these paintings hangs on the Kala Academy’s walls while the other two have been kept in the institute’s painting room.
Years after these paintings found home at the Kala Academy, the institute has taken up the initiative to restore them. Sources from the institute said that the file has been moved to the state government and the matter is in process.
“A committee has been formed comprising two Goan artists and representatives from the Kala Academy to handle the restoration and preservation of the works. A tender will be floated once the file is approved,” sources said.
The winning tender will also have to restore artworks by other artists that are with the Kala Academy.
"Expertise is required to restore Laxman Pai’s paintings. If something goes wrong with the restoration, then everyone will blame us, which is why we have formulated a committee comprising artists. The committee has distinguished all the paintings of Kala Academy into A and B categories. The restoration of these prestigious paintings will be taken up this year," minister for art and culture and Kala Academy chairman, Govind Gaude said.
The Padmashri awardee graduated from the J J School of Art in Mumbai, where he pursued a diploma in art and painting. He later served as a fellow at J J School, teaching diploma students.
Until a few years ago, he and his wife, Purnima, shuttled between Delhi and the US, where their son Akash lives with his family. After Purnima passed away, Pai had decided to stay in Goa and offer his paintings to the Goa government when he heard that an art gallery was proposed at the Adil Shah palace in Panaji.
Soon after, Pai was conferred the prestigious Gomant Vibhushan award by the Goa government. A grand welcome fit for a king was rolled out for him amidst the thundering of percussions to accompany his entry at Kala Academy in December 2016. Dancers dressed in gold and red led the procession in front of a vintage Chevrolet in which Pai was seated.
Pai beamed and waved all the while as he walked into the Kala Academy and watched a documentary on his life prior to the award ceremony. “Life is like a flowing river. I have never accepted things on its face value, but always looked at the contents. The documentary makes me wonder if it was really me who did all those things, achieved feats and went places,” he had said.