Contemplation: Kulpreet Singh
ਚਿੰਤਨ: ਕੁਲਪ੍ਰੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ
at Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi Gallery
Punjab Kala Bhawan Sector 16 B, Chandigarh 160016
1st to 6th April 2019
11.00 am to 7.00 pm
ਪੰਜਾਬ ਲਲਿਤ ਕਲਾ ਅਕਾਦਮੀ ਗੈਲਰੀ
ਪੰਜਾਬ ਕਲਾ ਭਵਨ
ਸੈਕਟਰ ੧੬ ਬੀ ਚੰਡੀਗੜ੍ਹ ਵਿਖੇ
੧ ਤੋਂ ੬ ਅਪ੍ਰੈਲ ੨੦੧੯
ਸਵੇਰੇ ੧੧ ਤੋਂ ਸ਼ਾਮ ੭ ਵਜੇ ਤੀਕ
In order to provide an opportunity to showcase their art works, Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi had invited exhibition proposals from artists between the age group of 25 to 50 years from Punjab, India and abroad. Out of these six proposals were found to be worthy of giving solo exhibitions. Kulpreet Singh is one these selected artists whose work was shown at the prestigious art gallery at the premises of the Akademi in the capital city of Punjab.
The Akademi intends to generate a platform for exhibitions for realization of contemporary art projects in its different formats and forms to recognize excellence in Visual Art and discover genuine talent especially in Punjab. The exhibition is sought to go beyond all conventional barriers pushing the existing boundaries of art.
During this exhibition Kulpreet exhibited installations, drawings, multi media works and video.
- – Diwan Manna, President Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi
Artist Kulpreet Singh’s minimal works reflect on layered issues. Replete with multiple challenges the Patiala-based artist’s only constant in life has been his love for creating art, with months of research usually preceding the actualisation of a work. ‘Contemplation’, a solo show featuring Singh’s drawings, multi-media works and videos, organised by the Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi in April, was a milestone in his artistic journey of more than two decades. For Singh, the exhibition was a labour of love, showcasing diverse thoughts, techniques, treatments and explorations. In his works, minimalist forms – including circles, triangles, squares in monochromes and different textures — come together to create a stunning visual drama in large wooden frames and glass. Singh reflects on architecture, life in rural areas and hardships faced by the common people. The structure and forms of Chandigarh have also been internalised, with the works depicting his connection with the environment and how our lives are so connected to our spaces.
In one work that was part of ‘Contemplation’, the artist exhibited a number of small drawings in grey, cut into squares, with a torn black cloth forming the centre of the work. This is the cloth Singh used to wipe the drawings, to create an even base for the work. When he opened the cloth after he had completed the base, he realised it was torn in several places and its life was over. This became a metaphor for the artist to say what he firmly believes in, that in this constant rush of life, we forget the primary purpose, what we came for. “The struggle for the basics in life consumes most of us and before we know it, our life is over, without us understanding its true meaning.”
In another work, a red bottle brush plant was used to create a large installation. The flowers withered away with time, a symbol of how when we are taken away from our roots, we too head towards decay. Using LED lights behind small drawings, Singh created shadows, with the interplay creating an illusion of landscapes. In his glass installations, Singh used varied elements to display the ups and downs in life and how we emerge strong with every setback. He uses the material as per the demand of his subject. Medium has its own importance but without the subject, the object has no existence. Surprisingly, nondescript surroundings create varied impressions. “Some happenings unknowingly became part of my conscious and my work undergoes change. My effort is to understand, introspect, imbibe and give expression to all these experiences,” said Singh.
- – Text: Parul
Artist’s Statement
“A thousand thoughts crowd my mind every day!
If contemplated,
One such thought will help me sail through my life.
I have often been asked ‘what is your medium’. My medium is not painting, drawing, sculpture, printmaking, videography or photography, etc. My medium is art, and I use the material as per the demand of my subject. Medium has its own importance but without the subject, the object has no existence.
Surprisingly, small and nondescript surroundings create really varied impressions.
The peeling off the paint on the wall due to moisture, the appearance of moss around the drain pipe; the formation of a dismal film of our hair oil on the wall behind our bed; the molding of our pillow in the shape of our head. The formation of a texture from the scratched names on the old/new buildings and on the barks of tree; a small name on the tree bark growing and spreading along the growth of the tree; the obliteration of images in images; the designs created by the shadows formed by the light filtering through the wire mesh and grills of doors and windows. The tonal variations, the movements created, the growing and diminishing forms following the movement of sun, light and shadows—all are the results of natural and unnatural activities.
This movement of undulating shapes on water; the creeks created between the joints of the bricks; the cracks in the buildings and in them the growing growth of a plant; the transplanting of seeds through the excretes of bird and animals from one place to another; the formation and distortion of the marks/imprints of tires or hooks of animals on the village kutcha path in the rainy season with the constant use of pathways and the diminishing of umpteen forms getting buried under the muddy layers; the scrambling sound of leaves; the whistling of fast breeze; the apparently melting of surroundings in the intense heat in the month of June—these are all parts of the indelible impressions of natural phenomenon on the canvas of our minds
These happenings unknowingly became part of my conscious and my work underwent a huge change. All those things brought noticeable change in my work. My effort is to understand, introspect, imbibe and give expression to all these experiences.
- – Kulpreet Singh
ਕਲਾਕਾਰ ਵੱਲੋਂ ਬਿਆਨ
ਮੇਰੀ ਕਲਾ ਦਾ ਮਾਧਿਅਮ ਪੇਂਟਿੰਗ ਸਕਲਪਚਰ ਪ੍ਰਿੰਟਮੇਕਿੰਗ, ਵੀਡੀਓਗ੍ਰਾਫੀ , ਫੋਟੋਗ੍ਰਾਫੀ ਆਦਿ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੈ, ਮੇਰਾ ਮਾਧਿਅਮ (ਮੀਡੀਅਮ) ਕਲਾ ਹੈ. ਮੇਰਾ ਸਬਜੈਕਟ ਜਿਸ ਮੈਟੀਰੀਅਲ ਦੀ ਮੰਗ ਕਰਦਾ ਹੈ ਉਸ ਨੂੰ ਵਰਤ ਲੈਂਦਾ ਹਾਂ।
ਮੀਡੀਅਮ ਦੀ ਆਪਣੀ ਮਹੱਤਤਾ ਹੈ, ਪਰ ਸਬਜੈਕਟ ਬਿਨਾਂ ਆਬਜੈਕਟ ਦੀ ਕੌਈ ਹੌਂਦ ਨਹੀਂ।
ਪਾਣੀ ਉੱਪਰ ਹਿੱਲਦੀਆਂ ਆਕ੍ਰਿਤੀਆਂ, ਇੱਟਾਂ ਦੇ ਜੋੜਾਂ ਵਿਚਕਾਰ ਪੈਦਾ ਹੋਈ ਲਕੀਰ, ਪੁਰਾਣੀਆਂ ਇਮਾਰਤਾਂ ਵਿਚ ਆਈਆਂ ਤਰੇੜਾਂ ਤੇ ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਤਰੇੜਾਂ ਵਿਚ ਕਿਸੇ ਪੌਦੇ ਦਾ ਉੱਘ ਜਾਣਾ, ਪੰਛੀਆਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਬਿੱਠਾਂ ਦੁਆਰਾ ਬੀਜਾਂ ਦਾ ਇੱਕ ਥਾਂ ਤੋਂ ਦੂਜੀ ਥਾਂ ਟਰਾਂਸਪਲਾਂਟ ਹੋਣਾਂ, ਬਰਸਾਤਾਂ ਵਿਚ ਪਿੰਡ ਦੀਆਂ ਕੱਚੀਆਂ ਸੜਕਾਂ ਉੱਪਰ ਟਾਇਰਾਂ, ਪੈਰਾਂ ਜਾਂ ਜਾਨਵਰਾਂ ਦੇ ਖੁਰਾਂ ਆਦਿ ਨਾਲ ਬਣਦੀਆਂ- ਵਿਗੜਦੀਆਂ ਲਕੀਰਾਂ ਤੇ ਰਸਤੇ ਦੀ ਨਿਰੰਤਰ ਵਰਤੋਂ ਕਰਨ ਕਰਕੇ ਉਨਾਂ ਰੇਖਾਵਾਂ ਦੀਆਂ ਤੈਹਾਂ ਵਿਚ ਗੁੰਮ ਹੋਏ ਅਣਗਿਣਤ ਆਕਾਰ, ਹਵਾ ਦੇ ਚਲਣ ਕਰਕੇ ਪੱਤਿਆਂ ਦੀ ਖੜਖੜਾਹਟ ਦੀ ਆਵਾਜ਼, ਤੇਜ ਹਵਾ ਦੀ ਆਵਾਜ, ਜੇਠ ਦੇ ਮਹੀਨੇ ਲੂ ਵਗਣ ਕਰਕੇ ਸਭ ਕੁਝ ਪਿੰਘਲਦਾ ਮਹਿਸੂਸ ਹੋਣਾ, ਇੱਕ ਹੀ ਰਸਤੇ ਨੂੰ ਬਾਰ ਬਾਰ ਵਰਤੋਂ ਵਿਚ ਲਆਿਉਂਣ ਕਰਕੇ ਪੈਦਾ ਹੋਏ ਨਿਸ਼ਾਨ, ਇਹ ਸਭ ਮਨੁੱਖੀ ਤੇ ਕੁਦਰਤੀ ਕਿਰਿਆਵਾਂ ਦਾ ਹਿੱਸਾ ਹਨ।
ਤੇ ਇਹਨਾਂ ਕਿਰਿਆਵਾਂ ਨੇ ਜਦੋਂ ਚੇਤ ਮੰਨ ਵਿਚ ਪ੍ਰਵੇਸ਼ ਕੀਤਾ ਤਾਂ ਮੇਰੇ ਕੰਮ ਵਿਚ ਬਹੁਤ ਬਦਲਾਓ ਆਏ। ਸਮੇਂ ਦੇ ਪ੍ਰਭਾਵ ਨਾਲ ਵਾਤਾਵਰਨ ਵਿਚ ਹੋਣ ਵਾਲੀਆਂ ਕੁਦਰਤੀ ਤੇ ਮਨੁੱਖੀ ਕਿਰਿਆਵਾਂ ਕਰਕੇ ਉਥੋਂ ਦੇ ਦ੍ਰਿਸ਼ ਵਿਚ ਜੋ ਬਦਲਾਓ ਆਉਂਦੇ ਹਨ ਉਹ ਸਾਰੀਆਂ ਚੀਜਾਂ ਸਹਿਜ ਸੁਭਾਅ ਆਪਣੇ ਆਪ ਮੇਰੇ ਕੰਮ ਵਿਚ ਸ਼ਾਮਲ ਹੋ ਗਈਆਂ ਤੇ ਮੇਰੇ ਕੰਮ ਵਿਚ ਵੀ ਬਦਲਾਓ ਆ ਗਏ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਨੂੰ ਹੀ ਜਾਣਨ, ਸਮਝਣ ਤੇ ਦਰਸ਼ਾਉਣ ਦੀ ਕੋਸ਼ਿਸ਼ ਕਰ ਰਿਹਾ ਹਾਂ।
- – ਕੁਲਪ੍ਰੀਤ ਸਿੰਘ
