|
November 2003
|
For the last 25 years, I have been active in the field of arts as a freelancer Artist, Illustrator, Designer, Photographer and Art Journalist. I am a Sikh artist who has been painting the history and cultural traditions
of my people in an effort to preserve them for the coming generations.
Born in 1956 at Zira, a small town in northern state of Punjab in India; I developed an interest in art in childhood as I grew up in atmosphere where art was a part of life. My father S Kirpal Singh was a renowned painter, famous for his paintings of Sikh History. He is also known as the founder Artist of the Central Sikh Museum at Golden Temple Amritsar, Guru Tegh Bahadur Museum Anandpur Sahib, and Anglo Sikh Wars Memorial, Ferozeshah Punjab and S. Baghel Singh Museum, Gurdwara Bangla Sahib New Delhi in India.
I used to assist my father and developed my artistic skills along the way. Gradually I developed my own sphere of work depicting the fast vanishing rural life style, cultural traditions and customs of Punjabi life. Punjabi women engaged in daily chores such as spinning cotton, grinding corn, doing embroidery work in leisure hours, carrying water from the well in earthen and copper pots, picking cotton, all this can be seen in my paintings.
I have also painted the struggles and sacrifices of the Sikh people. I have no formal training in art, yet my work straddles academic craftsmanship, an attention to fine detail and a spirit of exotic reverie.
I have been documenting with the intent to preserve in my paintings the traditional Punjabi way of life, which is fast vanishing in the villages of Punjab. My work can be found in private and public collections in India, United Kingdom, Canada, United States and Australia. My painting entitled Trinjan was commissioned by the Punjab Government and now hangs in the Indian Consulate at Washington, DC. Over the years, I have had various exhibitions in India and abroad..
Three years ago, after having a successful and rewarding career in India I emigrated from India to Canada with my family and children. I moved to Canada, to get a wider audience for my art and to explore new avenues for my creative expression. We now make our home in Surrey, British Columbia.
In November 2001 the International Punjabi Chamber of Commerce at Mississauga in Ontario honored me with the year’s ‘Achiever of the Year’ Award in the Arts category for my contribution to Punjabi Art and Culture.
A few major projects I have done since moving to Canada include a two part mural showing the history of Sikh faith during the period of Ten Gurus at Gurdwara Singh Sabha in Surrey BC Canada. This is first time the Sikh history is painted in mural form in the great tradition of biblical paintings done by Michelangelo in Sistine Chapel in Rome. This mural project was conceived and designed with a view to depict the story of Sikhism from the time of the first Sikh Guru, Guru Nanak, and Founder of the Sikh Faith to the last Guru Gobind Singh. The mural has paintings of landmark events from the period of each Guru and
their contributions to the development of the Sikh faith. The first part was inaugurated on Baisakhi 2003.
One of my portraits “The Patriarch” won the Daniel P Izzard Medal in
a competition organized by Canadian Institute of Portrait Artists.
Another project was a large painting for a patron in Toronto, depicting the court of Maharaja Ranjit Singh .The huge 5ft x 8 ft painting was based on paintings done by August Schoefft hanging in
the Sikh Museum at the Lahore Fort and another dome by my father S. Kirpal Singh displayed in Central Sikh Museum at Sri Durbar Sahib Amritsar.
Recently in a competition organized by the city of Surrey my design was selected for public banners celebrating 10 years of Surrey BC. The Birthday Banner of Surrey celebrates the City as a city for Business, a City on the move,
City of Parks, City for Families and an ideal place to live, do business and enjoy life and bring up your kids. The images incorporated in the banner design
symbolize these aspects of the City.
Currently I am working on a series of paintings on Indo Canadian History, the story of Komagata Maru and early Indo Canadian pioneers.
I also undertake portrait assignments.
My works have been published in calendars, greeting cards and open edition prints which have proved very popular.
My works have been widely exhibited in India and abroad in one man shows and group shows.
I have illustrated a number of books, and magazines covers. I am also an avid photographer and have exhibited my photographs in national and international photography salons. My photographs have appeared in the Tribune Group, Daily Ajit, Indian Express, Indo Canadian Times, Des Pardes U.K, Punjab Times U.K, and many more publications.
I have written about 50 articles about art and culture which have appeared in The Tribune Group of publications, The Ajit Daily, Drishtikon, and Mehram Publications. I
have authored of a book “Punjabi Chitarkar” (Punjabi Painters) in Punjabi, which has been published by Punjab State University Text Book Board, India.
In recognition of my contribution to the society, my biography is included in school text book in my home state, Punjab in India. I have been honored by many organizations.
Artist Statement
I strive to create images of everlasting
beauty. It is a humble
effort to capture on canvas the beauty and grandeur of everyday life
and bountiful nature, so that it gives joy and inner peace to
viewers and instills in them a sense of gratitude for the gift of
life and for Nature’s never ending generosity. I can paint forever
the beauty of nature and the simplicity and innocence of native and
indigenous cultures, which ultimately will be consumed by soul less
consumerist culture in this fast changing world.
Jarnail Singh
Jarnail Arts 604 592 2652
jarnailarts@hotmail.com
|
