Goa: Renowned artist Vamona Navelcar passes away in Panaji

PANAJI: Renowned artist from Goa, Vamona Navelcar (90), passed away on Monday at a hospital in Panaji. Navelcar had been on life support.
Navelcar is well-known as an artist who has worked across the three continents of India, Europe and Africa. His works adorn the walls of museums from London to Paris to Delhi.
Navelcar was born in Pomburpa village in north Goa.
He would hide his drawings from his family, who wanted him to study medicine.
Eventually, after facing a lot of hardships, he was able to gain a scholarship to study art in Lisbon, but had to study Portuguese from scratch to be able to pursue the programme.
He unwittingly got caught in the political battle between India and the Portuguese, who had then colonised his home state Goa.
This led Navelcar to be shunted to a remote and troubled part of Mozambique as a teacher as a punishment posting by the Portuguese.Navelcar was even arrested during this stint.
The artist finally returned to Goa, but had to give up painting actively for some years due to family issues.
Navelcar never married and was living in his joint family home in Pomburpa.
In the fag end of his life, Navelcar's 'genius' was finally recognised in his home country. His bold linear works and series of interpretations of the 'Last Supper' are among his best known works.
The last rites will be performed at 12 noon in Panaji.