13 May 2010

Art I like - the Singh Twins

Amrit and Rabindra Singh use the language of Indian and Persian miniature painting to depict the contemporary world. Their current exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery (until 20 June) has a room of family scenes and another of the complex world outside the home. It's intriguing to see how social commentary and political satire fit into the modern into the classical framework -
I particularly liked this idol-worshipper, her traditional shape in modern garments -
Apart from wit and skill, the work requires tenacity - it takes four hours to finish a stamp-sized section of the paintings, and the works on show are up to a metre high. The twins' work is identical to the untrained eye, and in real life they dress alike to the last detail. In this podcast they talk about the concept of being "women artists".

"1984" shows the notorious storming of the Golden Temple in Amritsar - read more about the painting, and see a larger version, here.
It took me quite a while to find the blindfolded reporters.

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