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  Intl. & NRI News |
| Exhibition on Sikh Kingdom Arts in San Francisco |
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Intl. & NRI News |
| Exhibition on Sikh Kingdom Arts in San Francisco |
INDOlink Calif. Bureau; Sept. 18, 1999
SAN FRANCISCO - The rich and exquisite arts of the Sikh kingdoms dating back to several centuries will be on display here at the Asian Art Museum.
The exhibition opens Sept. 22 and runs through Jan. 9, 2000.
Billed as the first and only international exhibition in North America to present the artistic traditions of the Punjab under Sikh rule, the exhibition will feature more than 160 objects drawn from 19 public and private collections in India, Pakistan, North America and Europe.
Eight thematic sections provide a historical overview, beginning with the origins of the Sikh religion and continuing through the period of British colonial rule.
A comprehensive 256-page illustrated book, written by leading experts in Sikh history, accompanies the exhibits.
One of the biggest contributors to the collection is San Francisco Bay Area resident Dr. Narinder S. Kapany, popularly known as the "Father of Fiber Optics."
On display will be the famous "Golden Throne," commissioned by Maharaj Ranjit Singh who ruled Punjab in the early part of the nineteenth century. The throne, made of pure gold, was crafted by a Muslim craftsman drawing on Hindu forms.
The militant edge Sikhism acquired during the Mughal rule of India is reflected in the turban helmet and intricately- decorated pistols and matchlock musket that will be on display.
The exhibition marks the 300th anniversary of the birth of the Khalsa. The Victoria and Albert Museum last year hosted the exhibition for three months before it traveled to India.
Among the array of objects that will be on display here are paintings, textiles, ceramics, metalwork, books, decorative arts and photography, each of which explores the cultural richness of the Sikh kingdoms.
The first known photographs of Sikhs taken by John McCosh, a surgeon in the Bengal army stationed in Lahore, taken in 1949, is among the collection.
The Arts of the Sikh Kingdom is the first exhibition to explore artistic patronage at the later Sikh courts, where architecture and painting flourished, and textiles of high quality continued to be produced.
The upcoming exhibition is supported by contributions from Jagdeep and Roshni Singh, Kanwal and Ann Rekhi and an indemnity from the Federal Council on the Arts and Humanities.
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 Intl. & NRI News |