mr_singhs

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.

THE DETAILS CONTAINED IN MR SINGH’S INDIA

1. Representations of Arts and Cultural life of Glasgow

Paisley Museum

Kelvingrove Museum

Kelvingrove building including the University

Gallery Of Modern Art

Town Hall and square

Makintosh designed School of Art

Odeon Six Screen Cinema (showing films from the year the commission commenced)

Monolith needle

Opera House

Stirling Castle and Wallace Monument

Exhibition banners and posters for – ‘enTWIN ed’, ‘Vaisakhi Banners’ and ‘Salam’

Giant Safety pin sculpture

Painted version of Billy Connelly

The People’s Palace

Murphy’s Irish café bar

2. Symbols Of Glasgow’s Industrial Past

River Clyde and Queen Mary liner (ship building)

Iron Bridge

Crane

Exhibition Centre

Train station bridge

3. Symbols of Modern Commerce and Industry and Popular Culture

Glass office block

Shopping Arcade peacock façade

TV Cameras

Newspapers

4. Symbols of Local and National Identity (Glaswegian/Scottish, and Sikh/Indian AND Scottish-Sikh)

Glasgow’s Coat of Arms (represented as a picture inside ‘Mr Singh’s India’ and on a Lampost from outside of the People’s Palace.

The Stag (Scotland)

The Lion (Punjab)

The Singh Tartan (Scottish-Sikhs)

William Wallace (Scots and Sikhs)

Maharaja Ranjit Singh (Sikhs)

Thistle (Scotland)

Marigold (India)

Paisley motif (Scotland and Punjab/India)

Bag Pipers (Scots and Scottish-Sikhs)

The Stone of Destiny

Khanda flags

Royal Highland Fusiliers Museum

Braveheart movie

Iron Bru helicopter

The Herald newspaper article on Scottish devolution

5. Symbols of Sikh/Asian Community’s presence, integration with and contribution to cultural life and economy of Glasgow/Scotland.

Sikh owned Business :

Mr Singh’s India Restaurant, Kumar Laundrette, Mother India Delicatessen , Taste Of Punjab, Unique Fashion, Murphy’s Pakora Bar, Kholi Travel, Bollywood video shop, Sapna Fashions,

Mel Milap Day Centre

Vaisakhi parade

4 x Gurdwaras

Bhangra dancers

Dhol drum players

Anderston Centre’s mural (‘Everyone is Welcome’)

Five world religion’s symbols on Mel Milap Day Centre wall.

Sikh playing cards with non-Sikh

Exhibition banners and posters for – ‘enTWIN ed’, ‘Vaisakhi Banners’ and ‘Salam’

Sikh children wearing Celtic and Rangers football strips.

Sikh waiters wearing Kilts

6. Historical and Contemporary Icons