68. FREE PAINTING / Panjim, India

Trying to get involved in Panjim community, I decided to get a job there. I bought some brushes and good paint… and started walking on the streets offering my skills as a professional painter. In order to promote myself and start getting good jobs I decided to offer my services for free. I put my hands and my brushes. They put their wall and their ideas. Perfect job for an obedient alienated worker with lacks of creativity and a nice therapy to move away bad vibes from street art dogma. God save the muralists!

1. Ms. Shiwadatta.

First time I´d visit Ms. Shiwadatta, I was impressed that her shop was almost empty. She had just some sweets on pots and few old notebooks to sell. Ms. Shiwadatta lost his husband around 10 years before. he was the owner of this shop where he used to repair old damaged furniture. When Mr. Siwadatta died, Ms. Shivadatta get alone and very sad. She decided to keep her husband´s shop and wait for him till the death.

Ms. Shiwadatta ask me to paint the image of Mr. Shiwadatta, so she will feel that he still there to accompanny his loneliness.

2. Keymakers family shop

Kiran works in a family business with his father, making keys. His grandfather worked on it and the father of his grandfather too. They own the biggest keys makers studio in all Panjim, although if they are in a small place. Kiran told me that they don´t need a bigger place to do their jobs.Kiran asks me to paint a big old key on their facade. Not because they build big keys, but just because they are a big bussiness although if their local is a small one.

3. Biggest Veghi-Talhi in Panjim

Veghi-Talhi is a typical vegetarian dish from south India. The owner of “Hotel Cafe Prasao” restaurant ask me to paint a big “Veghi Talhi” on their facade. He was proud of it.”We don´t have the best Veghi-Talhi in town, but probably the biggest one. No one will die for hunger on my restaurant”

4. Stamp vendor and Dental Clinic

Two women share space on a small local on the main road in Panjim. Naila sells stamps. Shaili is a Dental Doctor. Stamps sell is announced in a beautiful advertisement on the facade, but Dental Clinic indication is not so visible. They ask me to paint some teeth on the side of the wall to reach a bigger audience. I think that´s a good idea. 

5. Wheel painted

The wall of this Panjim Garage was really damaged. The owner asks me to paint something. When I ask him about what to paint he told me to paint “just wheel”. Sounds a good idea for a garage. After finishing, he was surprised about my painting and I realise that my English was not so good, that I misunderstood him. What he asked me was to paint “just well”. Anyway, he was happy that the wheel was well painted. I get constantly confused with English langage.

6. Smaller Veghi-Talhi in town

Panjim is a small town. After a few days, a lot of people knew my new job and I´ve received a lot of non paid commissions. Close to the first restaurant, there is another restaurant that also sells Veghi-Talhi. They were jealous of its neighbors. They ask me to paint same painting. They  just don´t have a bif facade to do it, so I tried to do my best. The owner was happy to say that maybe they don´t offer bigger Veghi-Talhi in town, but they are proud to be honest with what they announce. The dish you can see on our facade is the same size as the one you can buy in.

… by the way, he asks me to paint some more plants to the side. Looks more tropical now!

7. The candelabrum shop

Fatima recently opened a candelabrum shop with his husband. They import beautiful candelabrums from Turkey and sell them on good prices to local people. There is not a similar shop in Panjim. Fatima was convinced that this will be a successfull business. Indian people love shiny things.