Mr Singh’s
India
1999/2000
Poster colour, gouache
and gold dust on mount board
59.7 x 76.2cm (23.5 x
30in)
Artist: The Singh
Twins, Amrit and Rabindra K.D Kaur Singh
Collection of Glasgow
Gallery of Modern Art.
This painting was commissioned by the Glasgow
Gallery of Modern Art for their permanent collections. As a
representation of Scottish cultural diversity, it depicts the
contemporary Glaswegian Sikh experience through various events, objects
and symbols which place the relationship between these two communities
within the wider context of the ongoing historical and cultural links
between Scotland and Punjab.
The central focus is a scene inside one of
Glasgow’s most famous Indian restaurants, called ‘Mr Singh’s India’ – a
name which in itself epitomised for the artists the way in which
Diaspora Sikh communities have carried their cultural traditions with
them wherever they have settled in the world, to create a home from home
which is secure in it’s own identity whilst in the midst of a new and,
often, alien environment. This was the very first place which the
artists visited during the course of their field research for the
painting. With it’s typical Indian Raj style decor (reflected in one of
the large gilded framed mirrors that hung in the restaurant), kilt
wearing Sikh waiters and array of customers – ranging from Scottish
sports and entertainment celebrities (such as the Celtic and Rangers
football stars and the comedian Billy Connelly) to Sikh boys in Scottish
football strips, the restaurant provided the perfect example of
Glasgow’s cross cultural vibrancy.
Moving from the real world into a more
symbolic domain of happening, we find the two artists themselves dinning
at the main table with the Scottish freedom fighter William Wallace and
his Punjabi counterpart Maharaja Ranjit Singh – both regarded within
their respective communities as heroes whose military prowess was
legendary, no less for the role they played in trying to consolidate the
Scottish/Sikh clans as a way of keeping foreign (in particular, the
conquering English/British’ armies) at bay. Staking his claim for
Scottish Independence Wallace is shown sitting on a chair beneath which
lies the Stone of Destiny (the symbol of Scottish sovereignty and
Nationhood that was removed from Scotland by the English King Edward I)
which was returned to Scotland only in 1996. The site of Wallace’s epic
victory over the English army at Stirling and his monument are depicted
top right. Meanwhile, Mel Gibson’s Hollywood film version of Wallace
appears as a street painting (created by the artists’ friend Rory Mc
Beth), alluding to the phenomenal impact that the character had in
bringing about a significant revival of Scottish Patriotism and pride in
more contemporary times - where Sikh youth, especially, identified as
much with the character and story of Braveheart as did the Scots. It is
not without significance in this respect that a young Sikh boy is shown
donating money to the artist.
The Scottish Stag and Punjabi Lion lie
peacefully together - symbolising what is generally recognised as the
close affiliation between two communities who are known for their
entrepreneurial skills, humour, hospitality and feisty nature. The sense
of camaraderie which has traditionally existed between them is also
reinforced by a reference to the long standing Scottish/Sikh military
connection. In this respect the view through the Indian arches of the
restaurant window reveals two Sikhs in Victorian regimental uniform and
the façade of Glasgow’s military museum. Just beyond this, in the street
decorations to the far left, the saffron colour and Khanda symbol of the
Sikh religion flies alongside the Scottish flag. Furthermore, thistles
and marigolds, the nationally recognised flowers of Scotland and India
respectively, have been chosen to decorate the surrounding
border.
Elsewhere, the Scottish Sikh connection is
made through the historical trade link that thrived under Maharaja
Ranjit Singh who exported Kashmiri shawls to Scotland and then
(according to some popular belief) sent several Punjab families to
Scotland to teach local weavers the art of shawl making. The legacy of
this relationship is represented by the Paisley Museum, with its
characteristic clock tower in seen in the distant landscape (top left).
(The Scottish town of Paisley which developed the industry became famous
for its production of Kashmiri – or Paisley – shawls as they more
popularly came to be known). At the same time, the Clyde river bank (the
river being an important route for trade) symbolically forms the shape
of a paisley. Recording other ways in which Sikhs and Punjab have
contributed to the enrichment of Scottish culture, the artists wear
traditional Punjabi dress made from the Singh Tartan (the first
officially registered Asian tartan) that was commissioned by Baron Iqbal
Singh, a Glasgow based Sikh who in himself has become a symbol of
intercultural Scottish Sikh relations due to his enthusiastic patronage
of various aspect of Scottish heritage over the years.
Amongst the details of the
Glasgow cityscape which surround the central restaurant scene, we find
Gurdwaras (Sikh shrines); a Vaisakhi street celebration, or, Kirtan
Nagar complete with Dhol players and bhangara dancers (bottom right);
Asian food and cloths shops and families enjoying a read, a card game,
or bowls in the city park – all of which represent the independent,
strong identity and active life of Glasgow’s diverse Sikh community. As
an established popular pass time for families in India, the recreational
park scene also exemplifies how in one instance at least, cultural
habits can translate with comparative ease when shifting between
cultures. At the same time the community’s willingness to interact with
and adopt aspects of the wider Scottish community is represented by the
Sikh Community centre that stands next to the Turreted Sikh Gurdwara
(middle right) and which caters for the needs of Sikhs and non
Sikhs alike; the Sikh police volunteer who helps to manage the Kirtan
Nagar; the Scottish bag pipers who lead the Kirtan Nagar and the
various posters, newspaper paste ups and exhibition banners that,
amongst other things, relate to the Sikh contribution to the cultural
life of Glasgow. Included here is a poster depicting the historical
event of the creation of the Khalsa in Vaisakhi 1699 which was used for
the exhibition of popular Sikh art organised by the Sikh community on
the occasion of the 300th anniversary of the founding of the Khalsa.
Other banners such as the one relating to the ‘Salaam’ Islamic art
exhibition which was held at the Kelvingrove Museum (depicted top right)
and the Singh Twins’ exhibition ‘Entwined,’ which was held at the
Glasgow Gallery of Modern Art (depicted near top left), point to
the way in which the city has addressed the need to recognise the
multicultural nature of its community through exhibitions that look
beyond the traditional white Euro centric perspective and recognise the
significant impact that artists from diverse cultural backgrounds have
made to the continuing development of Contemporary British Art.
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