Marcio Menino Fernandes painting Goa, one memory at a time

When you walk through the exhibition, Stories of Goa, you won’t just be looking at art, you’ll be stepping into the world of Marcio Menino Fernandes, a young Goan artist with a heart full of nostalgia and eyes that will continue to see magic in everyday village life.

Born in 1997 in the peaceful village of Merces to Antonio Damasceno Fernandes and Maria Magdalena Dias, Marcio’s love for art started with simple crayons and blank sheets his mother gave him to keep him busy.

“While other kids took a nap in the afternoon, I was busy drawing,” he laughs. And it wasn’t long before his mother saw something . She enrolled him in art classes at Bal Bhavan in Panjim, where Wilson D’Souza helped nurture his early talent.

That love for drawing never left him. After completing his bachelor’s degree at Goa College of Art, Marcio moved to London to pursue his master’s in Fine Art at the City & Guilds of London Art School. It wasn’t an easy transition leaving behind his roots, the familiar sounds of the village, the smell of , and the warmth of Goan soil. But distance, as it turns out, made his connection to Goa even more stronger.

THROUGH HIS LENS: Marcio's depiction of a Goan altar.

“Being away helped me see Goa more clearly,” he shares. “I began to paint not just what I remembered, but what I missed the most.”

And that’s exactly what Stories of Goa is all about. The exhibition brings together bits and pieces of his life; , people, animals, and the quiet poetry of rural Goa. Whether it’s a crow perched on a wire, a street dog napping in the shade, weathered roadside crosses, or rustling palms, each painting captures a moment that feels unmistakably like home.

Marcio often works with acrylics because they dry fast and allow him to translate his ideas into brushstrokes quickly. But he also enjoys using ink and experimenting with printmaking to add depth to his visual storytelling. His work is not just about technique, it’s about feeling.

One painting in the exhibition, Tiger in , holds a particularly special place in his heart. Based on a real event where a tiger wandered into a village called Palyem (Pernem), the incident sparked countless questions in Marcio’s mind.

“Why did the tiger leave the forest? Was it trying to tell us something?” he wondered. That curiosity, that desire to listen to what nature might be saying, runs deep in his work.

THE WILD SIDE: This painting, titled 'Tiger in Arambol' was inspired by a real life event.

This connection to nature also makes the presence of Fr Bolmax Pereira, an environmental activist, the perfect choice to inaugurate the show. “Fr Bolmax has always inspired me with his for protecting Goa,” Marcio says.

Behind the scenes, the exhibition was shaped with the help of Goan artist Clarice Vaz and curated by the talented Lina Vincent. Working with her even from miles away in London helped bring structure and purpose to the exhibition. “Lina helped me tie all the stories together,” Marcio says. “She understood what I was trying to say and gave it a voice.”

At its core, Stories of Goa is about preserving the small things; the things we often overlook. The roadside shrines, the quiet faces of villagers, the feel of red roads after rain. Marcio believes these are the true treasures of Goa, and through his paintings, he hopes to keep them alive for generations to come.

So, if you find yourself in front of one of his paintings, take a moment. You might just hear the call of a crow, the whisper of coconut leaves, or the faint echo of a tiatr song from a village square. Because that’s what Marcio does, he paints not just pictures, but memories.

So, if you find yourself in front of one of his paintings, take a moment. You might just hear the call of a crow, the whisper of coconut leaves, or the faint echo of a tiatr song from a village square.

DETAILS

WHAT: 'Stories of Goa', solo art exhibition by Marcio Menino Fernandes

WHERE: Sadhana Dell ’Arte, Merces, Goa

WHEN TO GO: Opens on Monday, April 21, 2025 at 4 pm

TIMINGS: Open daily from April 22 to 30 (12 noon to 8 pm)

CONTACT +91 98509 30347 or +44 7440 738633