Like the brush-wielding masters of the Mughal courts, they’ve made a career out of painting miniatures that explore themes of history, culture and identity. The Singh Twins take Huzan Tata through their inspirations and intricate canvases.
Two British siblings of Indian descent travel across continents in a home-made caravan. They enter the nation of their ancestors from the Wagah border in Pakistan, and slowly experience its vast culture first-hand — an odyssey that changes their lives forever. This isn’t the plot of a Hindi film, but the true story of Amrit and Rabindra Kaur Singh, known to the world as the Singh Twins.
Born in London and having lived in Liverpool since their childhood, the sisters were first exposed to Indian miniatures on this journey that they took as teenagers. The experience was a “turning point” in their lives, and they chose to make a career out of the form. “That trip was quite an adventure. It showed us the richness and beauty of Indian culture in all its diversity, as we spent one year travelling around the country, visiting cities, villages, towns, historical and religious sites, museums and galleries. It deepened our sense of identity and pride in India. We were disappointed to see how contemporary art seemed to be neglecting tradition in favour of modern and Western role models. This motivated our desire to make the style relevant for current audiences through our own work,” say the pair.
Born into a large Sikh family, the duo grew up with traditional customs, values, and a proper convent education. Their decision to take up miniatures was reinforced during their days at university, where their preferred style was met with negativity. They remained determined, however, seeing it as a means to counter this cultural prejudice against Indian art. “Our continued development of the style could provide a way of highlighting and redressing this — rather than bowing to the dictates of our tutors who wanted us to look to the West instead,” they explain.
This story is from the July 2016 edition of Verve.
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This story is from the July 2016 edition of Verve.
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