Images: Courtesy, The Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto
Art
Like Gold: Miniatures of the Sikh School
by SEEMA BHALLA
One should not hoard a rare collection of historical value," says Arpana Caur, one of India's best-known contemporary artists. "They ought to be shared."
The topic under discussion is that unique Punjabi
heritage - the miniature paintings of the Sikh school - of which she is one
of the most committed collectors. Arpana has a formidable private
collection of about 300 original works of miniature art, housed
permanently at the museum of Academy of Fine Arts and Literature in
Delhi, where she is based.
To some, that may come as a surprise.
After all, Arpana Caur is known for her figurative work on Guru Nanak, the 1984 anti-Sikh pogroms, etc. Her
immediate heritage - being brought up in a family of strong women and the
influence of her mother, the award-winning writer, Ajeet Caur - explains
that engagement.
But few would know that her ties with Sikh miniatures
have deeper roots. Born into a Sikh family that left Lahore during the
violence-ridden days of the Partition, Arpana always carried a deep pride
in her Sikh identity and the universal outlook of Sikhism. A fondness
for the arts ran in her family, too. It was her grandfather, a doctor
by profession and an art connoisseur, who brought with him a few Janam
Sakhis (ancient books on Guru Nanak) from Pakistan.
That blood
tie took a new dynamism after the trauma of the Delhi pogroms of 1984. As
an eyewitness, it affected her life and art profoundly, as expressed in
the series of paintings on the genocide of thousands of Sikh innocents in Delhi. And her art and
inspirations came to be anchored squarely in her heritage.
"I always had an affinity towards Punjabi art," says Arpana, a
self-taught artist who always sought inspiration in Punjabi folk
literature and motifs. Her fascination with Sikh art is evident in her
compositions, themes and rendering of the subject matter. "But I am
quite concerned about the lack of awareness that Punjab today has about
its own special art," she adds.
"Fortunately, contemporary
Indian art has an identity of its own," she points out. "Because it is
inspired by Indian culture rather than Western art." A crucial ray of
hope comes from a small segment of collectors, especially non-resident
Indians, who are doing their bit to give Sikh art its due credit.
Money
always proved a hindrance while pursuing her passion: "It is hardly
easy to collect miniatures when the funds are in short supply. I
remember that I once wanted to buy the volume, Court Paintings of
India, from a noted gallery but didn't have the money. I pressed for a
discount, which thankfully the gallery owner agreed to but only in
exchange for one of my paintings." (That painting was later sold to a
Japanese art gallery for Rs 9,000, and subsequently bought by a
collector from Hong Kong at Sotheby's, London, for Rs 50,000).
Arpana
began by collecting books of miniatures. And every time she sold a
painting, she would treat herself to a book. And when the Indian art
scene hit its golden period in the '90s, and she started buying the
originals. "Slowly I acquired quite a sizeable collection, and I
started work on them," she says.
Hardly an easy task. She could
get 25 paintings registered with the Archeological Survey of India at
one go because, according to the rules, one could get an approval of
only 25 paintings at a time. Many of the works needed restoration,
hence, the process was simultaneously started. The entire procedure of
registration and restoration took her three years.
All the
paintings were mounted in acid-free paper under her supervision. But
Arpana Caur's work was far from over. She went on to pen a book, The Magic of
Indian Miniatures. A rare document for those who are interested in the
short-lived Sikh school of miniatures. And Arpana's collection housed in
her museum is, indeed, one of the few comprehensive collection of that
genre.
Though the Sikh religion is over 500 years-old, it was
during the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh (1780-1839) that the
miniature school came into its own. Many Pahari painters migrated to
the court of Ranjit Singh in the 19th century and their works started
doing the rounds in Amritsar, Lahore and Patiala, giving rise to this
school of painting that portrayed the lives and exploits of the Sikh
gurus.
Miniatures are and have always had a niche but dedicated
collector base. Today, the jewel-like Sikh miniatures are being lapped
up by art afficionados all over the world.
"Investing in them is like investing in gold," Arpana Caur adds.
Truly a collector's choice.
[Courtesy: India Today]
February 6, 2010