'Singh Twins', noted Artists

Rabindra and Amrit K.D. Singh (popularly known as the Singh Twins) are twin sisters of Punjabi Indian origin whose award winning paintings have been acknowledged as constituting a unique genre in British Art in their pioneering a revival of the Indian miniature style of painting, into which they have added elements from Western painting.

By their blending of Western and Eastern aesthetics, they have challenged stereotypes in contemporary art as they seek to redefine the generally accepted perceptions of heritage and identity. Exploring cultural, social and political issues of global significance within a highly decorative style, their work has a universal appeal which transcends cultural barriers.

Whilst asserting the right to define their own cultural and artistic ‘individuality’, they place their identity in the fact that they are British Asian, artists and identical twins. However, their work more importantly intends to redress the need to re-evaluate established cultural definitions, values and role models within the wider context of an evolving global society. The Twins continue to be invited to speak on their work at institutions such as the Tate Gallery, London; The Art Gallery of Ontario, Canada; The National Museum of Modern Art in Delhi and Mumbai; the University of California, Santa Barbara and the Asian Art Museum, San Francisco.

The 'Singh Twins’ contributions in the fields of art and literature have attracted International media attention, their Radio and Television appearances include interviews for BBC’s Women's’ Hour, Mid Week and Belief; CBC’s Here and Now and the Granada TV documentary Singh Out Sisters.

Due to their contributions in the fields of art & literature, they have been profiled in numerous main stream publications including the Penguin History of Scotland and Marg Publication’s New Insights into Sikh Art In 2002 their Arts Council England, British Council and Air Indian sponsored solo India tour was launched at the National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi - making them the only British artists (besides Henry Moore) to have been offered a solo show at this, one of India’s foremost venues for Contemporary Art. In 2003 their work toured USA and Canada. Future plans include exhibitions in New Zealand and Australia.

Early years

The twin sisters were born in London, in 1966. They moved with their family to Wirral, Merseyside in 1974 and received a Roman Catholic education at a local Convent school with the initial intention of following a vocation in Medicine. Their career in art developed quite by chance when unforeseen circumstances pushed them instead to both read for a BA Hons. in Ecclesiastical History, Comparative Religion and Contemporary Western Art History in 1985-87.

It was during this period that the Twins began to develop their unique style of painting largely in rebellion against the intense pressure they experienced to conform to Western models of contemporary art. Ever since visiting India for the first time in 1980, they have been fascinated by the miniature – with its exquisite detail, technical skill and breathtaking level of perfection. They drew inspiration from the Indian Miniature tradition. It was just a highly appealing style whose rich narrative and symbolic character made it a superb medium of communication that they felt transcended cultural and historical barriers. But they had been disappointed to find that within Contemporary art the miniature seemed to have been largely neglected by Indian artists and Institutions in favour of Western role models.

It was seen either as an outdated, historic art form or reduced to a commodity to be mass produced for tourist consumption with little care taken to maintain the technical quality of the originals they copied. Initially, Twin sisters wanted to revive an interest in what they saw as the lost heritage of an undervalued tradition and bring it to the attention of a wider global audience as a way of challenging what the sisters regarded as the blind copying of Western trends in Contemporary art.

Whilst continuing to develop their chosen art form they went on to do postgraduate studies into popular and traditional Sikh art at Manchester University. Their won a highly competitive INTACH(Indian National Trust for art & Cultural Heritage) scholarship in 1990 to carry out a year’s field research in India. Their research work (for the Ph.D on Sikh Religious Art) took them to the Indian cities of Delhi, Calcutta, Meerut & Amritsar.

Struggle and success

The twins’ developed their style of painting largely in rebellion against the intense pressure they experienced to conform to western Models of contemporary art. They challenge stereotypes in contemporary art and seek to redefine generally accepted perceptions of heritage and identity. Exploring cultural, social and political issues of global significance within a highly decorative style, their work has a universal appeal which transcends cultural barriers. But they had been disappointed to find that within Contemporary art the miniature seemed to have been largely neglected by Indian artists and Institutions in favour of Western role models. It was seen either as an outdated, historic art form or reduced to a commodity to be mass produced for tourist consumption with little care taken to maintain the technical quality of the originals they copied.

Sharing their experiences at Mumbai’s National Gallery of Modern Art – may 2003 In Amrit’s words - "We decided that art was being viewed through Western-European maxims for far too long. Twenty years ago, we were criticised at university for wanting to work together. Besides, the miniature style that we chose was not viewed as modern or relevant at the time". In Rabindra's words - "It is only recently that our venture has gained the recognition it deserves. Of course, the craft and labour involved in making these works does mean that things move slowly.".

Twins Sister

Initially, they wanted to revive an interest in what they saw as the lost heritage of an undervalued tradition and bring it to the attention of a wider global audience.

Later their determination to explore and develop the miniature became an important statement about their identity as Asians at a time when there was tremendous pressure on them to conform to Western aesthetic and cultural expectations. In this context, sticking to the miniature style was their way of asserted the right to choose a visual language which was true to their own interest in art and the natural affiliation/pride they felt for Asian heritage.

Ultimately their artistic strategy is defined by a sense of responsibility to look beyond personal issues of identity - towards exposing wider cultural prejudices and highlighting other concerns of more global significance. they do not believe that artists should draw on their own culture just for the sake of it - in fact much of their work, though predominantly Indian in origin is inspired by different global traditions. They do not produce what others see as purely Indian art because they are Indian.

They began exhibiting their work in 1987.

Their first solo exhibition was held at

  Lancashire Polytechnic Arts Centre, Preston UK.
  ( Exhibition of Occidental, Eastern and Decorative Art, 2nd -28th February 1987)

Their works have appeared in group shows at prime UK venues. These include

   * The Mall Gallery(1993/94)
   * The National Portrait Gallery(1995)
   * London’s Cork Street (1996)
   * Whitechapel Gallery (1997)

From late 1997 to early 1998, they toured Switzerland and France in an international group show with other selected artists from Merseyside.

Their first international exhibition Titled 'FRAGILE' (from 28th Nov’1997 to Oct 1998) was held at

   Museo Cantonale d'Arte, Lugano, Switzerland;
   Musee des eaux-Arts,Tourcoing, France; and Liverpool

In September 1998, they represented Liverpool painters in the Cologne Festival at Liverpool Arts. During this period they also had numerous solo shows at main stream venues around Britain.

They established a community arts organisation called MALI in 1997. Some major festivals which MALI curated include

   * Zindabad 1997 - a major festival of South East Asian Arts to mark the 50 years of Indian independence.
   * “The Festival of Punjab Arts and Culture 1999 – to celebrate the 300th Anniversary of the Khalsa. Read More