Director, The Singh Twins – Amrit and Rabindra KD Kaur Singh

Portrait of a Painting: ‘Nineteen Eighty Four’ and the Via Dolorosa project.
This short film by contemporary British artists and twin sisters Amrit and Rabindra Singh explores the making and inspiration behind their celebrated painting (titled ‘Nineteen Eighty Four’) of the storming of the Golden Temple at Amritsar by Indian Troops in 1984, to present a very personal perspective on what they regard as being one of the most tragic and misrepresented events in modern Sikh history.

Narrated by the Singh Twins, the film reveals how what began in their Convent school days as a spontaneous response to the attack, became a powerful vehicle for highlighting the universality of political corruption and related issues of human rights abuses. The film reaches its climax with two poems, illustrated by details from their art work, which relate Sikh and non Sikh sentiments surrounding 1984 to the contemplative, Catholic Christian tradition of the Via Dolorosa or 'path of pain' experienced by Jesus from the time of his being condemned to die to the time of his crucifixion.

Description of Film Maker/Director

The Singh Twins are internationally exhibited Contemporary British artists whose award winning paintings have received wide public and media acclaim. Combining the Indian miniature style with aspects of western and other traditional global aesthetics, they pioneered the revival of the Indian miniature within Modern Art practice to develop a unique genre in British art which they term ‘Past Modern.’ Exploring serious issues of social, political and cultural debate within a richly symbolic, narrative, decorative and witty style, they confront the predominantly Eurocentric dictates of Contemporary Art and society - challenging the perceived divide between East and West, Tradition and Modernity.

Their art features in numerous publications such as the Oxford History of Art and is being studied by Educational Institutions worldwide. Media appearances include interviews for BBC’s Womens’ Hour, Mid Week, Belief, Front Row and the Granada TV documentary Singh Out Sisters. An Arts Council documentary about their work, (‘Alone Together’) received 'The Best Film on Art' prize at the 2001 Asolo International Film Festival and in 2002 they were appointed official Artists in Residence to the 2002 Commonwealth Games. With works in private and public collections worldwide including the prestigious Smithsonian, Washington, they continue to be invited to speak at Institutions like the Tate and Asian Art Museum, San Francisco.

In 2003 their India tour was launched at the National Gallery of Modern Art, Delhi – making them the only British artists besides Henry Moore to have been offered a retrospective at India’s premiere venue for International Contemporary Art.

'Nineteen Eighty Four’ and the Via Delorosa project: marks the start of their long standing ambition to extend the issues explored in their work through the more multidimensional medium of film.