In one corner of Aguad Port & Jail Complex, once a huge prison for many “criminals”, including freedom fighters of the Goan liberation movement, two women sit beside each other on a bench, chatting leisurely. A bag is plopped on the floor next to one of the women; a dog looks up curiously at the other. The women, the bag, the dog and the bench are all part of The Unspoken Weight, a stoneware sculpture made by Verodina De Souza, one of over 30 contemporary female artists who have come together for a landmark art show in Goa. Titled Show of Strength, the exhibition has been curated by Samira Sheth and will be on view until April 30th at the 400-year old-heritage site, which was revitalised into a hub for arts, culture and public engagement after it stopped being a prison in 2015.
