A brush with the Singh twins

Rabindra Singh and Amrit Singh. Artistes with a difference. Albeit, similar in not only the way they look, dress and talk, but also the way in which they have fashioned their art.
Their canvas, on its part, speaks the language of fusion. For, if there is the traditional miniature painting depicting aspects of their own life in Britain, there is also the familiar cola bottle.
‘‘Our work is very personal —and yet also has a larger message. We want people to think about why they have adopted what they have — say, the cola way of life,’’ says Rabindra. Brought up in Britain, the Singh twins, as they like to be called, have grown up with a sense of rebellion. ‘‘As non-European kids, there was always pressure to be like the others. It was a visit to India back in 1980 which opened our minds. We came back armed with pride and a renewed respect for our heritage,’’ says Amrit.
During this memorable trip, the twins drove down with their family from London to India in a caravan! It was an experience which forms a turning point in their lives — and art. ‘‘We simply fell in love with everything here! While taking a walk around Palika Bazaar, we came across a book on miniature paintings. This is what formed the basis of our learning this particular style,’’ says Rabindra.
While an exhibition of their work is currently on at the National Gallery of Modern Art, the twins have earlier been shortlisted for the Asian Women of Achievement Awards and, more recently, were appointed artists-in-residence for the 2002 Commonwealth Games.
Describing their work as past-modern — as opposed to post-modern — the twins seek to explore ‘‘new vistas in creativity.’’ Sometimes, the united colours of life paint a picture which symbolises the synergy of two individuals with a common cause. The sisters Singh, Rabindra and Amrit, could well be this picture.