MARGAO: Lazaro Fernandes from Raia is one of the last remaining wood artisans of Goa, a man who has persevered in preserving the art of wood sculpting for posterity. His family has been in this profession for over a century, with his father, Pedro Antonio Costa Fernandes, passing down his skills and love for the craft to his son. Despite this rich history, Lazaro is struggling to keep his business afloat.
One of the main challenges that Lazaro faces is the dwindling demand for wooden sacred art. In today’s times, plastics have almost completely replaced wood as a material for making religious figurines and sculptures. This shift in preference has made it extremely difficult for Lazaro to continue with his family occupation. He finds it hard to get clients and keep his business running, given the lack of demand for his art.
However, Lazaro is not one to give up easily. He is passionate about his craft and is open to sculpting images for clients of any faith.
His family tradition had been restricted to carving Christian sculptures for churches, chapels, and private homes, but he is now exploring other avenues to keep his business afloat. Lazaro believes that the wood generally used in sculpting – Teak, Shivann (Gmelina arboria), and Jackfruit – are the best materials for his art form.
“Shivann is a lightweight white wood and was generally used to build high altars and big statues in churches to reduce the weight of elaborate carvings and statues mounted at high locations. Rosewood and ebony were rarely used since it was hard to carve, heavy and costly,” Lazaro recalls.
The decline in craftsmanship and intricacy in today’s times is another factor that affects Lazaro’s business.
He believes that the reason for this loss could be the lack of emphasis on the beautification of religious buildings. The church, which traditionally catered only to the higher classes of society, would commission most of the sacred art from the rich. However, in today’s times, the church is very much open to all sections of society.
The only difference being that poorer families who make offerings to the church in terms of art works and furniture may not be able to pay the craftsmen as much as the richer sections of society. This has resulted in the artisans not putting in much effort while they work on such commissions.
The increasing use of plastic sacramentals in Christianity is an unsettling trend. With many Catholics wanting to upgrade their prayer rooms, old sacred art made of natural materials is being burnt or buried, and we are at risk of losing heritage art.
To make matters worse, the market is flooded with sacred art made of plastic, and when the time comes, disposing of them would pollute the environment.
For Lazaro, preserving the art of wood sculpting is not just a matter of business. He feels a personal responsibility to keep this tradition alive, given its importance to the cultural heritage of Goa.
Lazaro urges people to say no to plastic sacramentals and instead opt for more sustainable figures of God to adorn their homes. Supporting traditional local craftsmen like him would not only help preserve the art form but also promote a greener way of life.
(The writer is from Ambajim, Fatorda, and restores and collects old paintings, statues, alters and other articles of heritage value)
