Mapusa Mogi : A Public Art Project | Orijit Sen | TEDxPanaji

Quick Overview

Artist Orijit Sen details the "Mapusa Mogi" public art project, a massive ceramic mosaic mural created over three years to honor the resilient vendor ladies of the Mapusa market in Goa, India, transforming a large concrete retaining wall into a vibrant cultural landmark.

Key Points: The "Mapusa Mogi" project involves creating a large ceramic mosaic mural on a massive concrete retaining wall near St. Jerome's Church in Mapusa, Goa, India. The project was inspired by the artist's decade-long observation and sketching of the vibrant Mapusa market and its people, aiming to capture its culture, history, and daily life. Orijit Sen secured an arts grant in 2023 to fund the project, which aims to cover the entire 100-meter wall with nearly a thousand ceramic tiles. The centerpiece of the mural depicts two feisty and resilient vendor ladies from the Mapusa market, rendered in an intricate, handmade ceramic mosaic style reflecting Goan and Indo-Portuguese architecture. The artist assembled a team of artists and researchers to execute the complex work, which took over three years from conception to the initial segment installation. The goal of the public art is to create a living landmark that reflects the town's identity and spirit, as traditional cultural spaces like the market are often overlooked or under pressure from modernization. The speaker appeals for support to complete the remaining 93 meters of the wall project, offering rewards like limited edition prints.

Context: The video documents the creation and funding appeal for "Mapusa Mogi," a large-scale public art project led by muralist and visual designer Orijit Sen. Sen, who has lived near Mapusa for 25 years, embarked on this endeavor to celebrate the cultural richness, history, and daily life of the Mapusa market, which he views as a vital, living universe.

Detailed Analysis

Orijit Sen, a muralist and visual designer residing near Mapusa, Goa, discusses the genesis and execution of his public art project, "Mapusa Mogi." Having spent 25 years sketching and documenting the town, especially the vibrant market, Sen felt compelled to create art that reflected its cultural fabric, history, and humanity, rather than just its architecture. After receiving a substantial arts grant in 2023, he assembled a team of artists and researchers to begin illustrating the town's layered past, present, and future. The massive undertaking involves covering a 100-meter concrete retaining wall near St. Jerome's Church with nearly a thousand ceramic tiles. The centerpiece, already installed, is a 7-meter diameter, intricate handmade ceramic mosaic honoring the resilient women vendors of the Mapusa market. Sen explains that public art is crucial because it makes art accessible outside of private galleries. He notes that the project faced challenges, including the concrete wall itself and the need to keep the market's spirit alive amidst modernization threats. Having completed the first 7 meters, he appeals to the audience for financial support to complete the remaining 93 meters, promising limited edition prints and the chance for supporters to appear as characters in the final mural, thus creating a lasting, living landmark for generations.