Currently on display in the RA Shop, this mixed media artwork by The Singh Twins explores the artists' continued interest in themes around the legacies of Empire.
This work primarily focuses on Liverpool's association with Maharaja Duleep Singh (the last Sikh ruler of the Kingdom of Punjab). Duleep Singh sits in a dream like landscape that transcends time and place, combining buildings from the historical Sikh Capital of Lahore and from Liverpool. The Liverpool cityscape references a sequence from The Singh Twins’ Making of Liverpool animation film, denoting one of the many ways in which The Twins have promoted Liverpool’s image and contributed to its developing creative life and achievements.
Duleep Singh became a figure of curiosity within British society after being deposed and bought to England as a young boy following the annexation of Punjab by the East India Company in 1849. Included in the artwork is a detail of Liverpool St George’s Hall upon which two banners hang. One of them depicts a poster for Sikhs in Print - an exhibition (curated by The Twins as part of Liverpool’s official European Capital of Culture celebrations in 2008) which explored the history of Duleep Singh. Next to this is a banner depicting a detail from a Victorian painting (featuring Duleep Singh at the marriage of the Prince of Wales) which is displayed in the Hall. In front of the banners is a marble bust of the Maharaja created by John Gibson RA (an artist associated with Liverpool) and the figure of St George whom the artists’ relate to the Khalsa or warrior-saint tradition of Sikhism (represented by the equestrian Sikh figures far right). The Saint’s presence also alludes to St George’s Day in 2008, when a painting (titled, ’Liverpool 800 : the Changing Face of Liverpool) commissioned by Liverpool from The Singh Twins was official unveiled to Prince Charles on the occasion of the reopening of the newly renovated St George’s Hall.
The same scene, depicts the bombing of the city during World War I and II. This serves to highlight the Sikh community's longstanding military connection with Liverpool as members of the British Indian Army during colonial times. Above the archway is the logo (based on Duleep Singh’s own coat of arms), which the UK based, Maharaja Duleep Singh Centenary Committee commissioned from The Singh Twins. This symbolizes Liverpool’s more recent incorporation in to the Anglo Sikh Heritage Trail – an initiative developed by the Maharaja Duleep Singh Centenary Committee to highlight aspects of shared British Sikh history. The left border includes a detail of the clipper ship which was named after Duleep Singh. Built for trade between India and Liverpool, it is shown anchored in Liverpool’s historical docks which became the centre of the slave trade — symbolizing India's enslavement under Imperialism.
https://shop.royalacademy.org.uk/sikhs-in-the-city-ii-2024-framed60478Not For Web | Sikhs In The City II, 2024 (Framed)https://shop.royalacademy.org.uk/media/catalog/product/9/2/92088998---sikhs-in-the-city-ii_-2024---1200x1200px---_c_-n.jpg72007200GBPOutOfStock/Art/All Artworks27312209<p>Currently on display in the RA Shop, this mixed media artwork by The Singh Twins explores the artists' continued interest in themes around the legacies of Empire.</p>
<p>This work primarily focuses on Liverpool's association with Maharaja Duleep Singh (the last Sikh ruler of the Kingdom of Punjab). Duleep Singh sits in a dream like landscape that transcends time and place, combining buildings from the historical Sikh Capital of Lahore and from Liverpool. The Liverpool cityscape references a sequence from The Singh Twins’ Making of Liverpool animation film, denoting one of the many ways in which The Twins have promoted Liverpool’s image and contributed to its developing creative life and achievements.</p> <style>#html-body [data-pb-style=TF8B3V7]{justify-content:flex-start;display:flex;flex-direction:column;background-position:left top;background-size:cover;background-repeat:no-repeat;background-attachment:scroll}</style><div data-content-type="row" data-appearance="contained" data-element="main"><div data-enable-parallax="0" data-parallax-speed="0.5" data-background-images="{}" data-background-type="image" data-video-loop="true" data-video-play-only-visible="true" data-video-lazy-load="true" data-video-fallback-src="" data-element="inner" data-pb-style="TF8B3V7"><div data-content-type="text" data-appearance="default" data-element="main"><p>Duleep Singh became a figure of curiosity within British society after being deposed and bought to England as a young boy following the annexation of Punjab by the East India Company in 1849. Included in the artwork is a detail of Liverpool St George’s Hall upon which two banners hang. One of them depicts a poster for Sikhs in Print - an exhibition (curated by The Twins as part of Liverpool’s official European Capital of Culture celebrations in 2008) which explored the history of Duleep Singh. Next to this is a banner depicting a detail from a Victorian painting (featuring Duleep Singh at the marriage of the Prince of Wales) which is displayed in the Hall. In front of the banners is a marble bust of the Maharaja created by John Gibson RA (an artist associated with Liverpool) and the figure of St George whom the artists’ relate to the Khalsa or warrior-saint tradition of Sikhism (represented by the equestrian Sikh figures far right). The Saint’s presence also alludes to St George’s Day in 2008, when a painting (titled, ’Liverpool 800 : the Changing Face of Liverpool) commissioned by Liverpool from The Singh Twins was official unveiled to Prince Charles on the occasion of the reopening of the newly renovated St George’s Hall.</p>
<p>The same scene, depicts the bombing of the city during World War I and II. This serves to highlight the Sikh community's longstanding military connection with Liverpool as members of the British Indian Army during colonial times. Above the archway is the logo (based on Duleep Singh’s own coat of arms), which the UK based, Maharaja Duleep Singh Centenary Committee commissioned from The Singh Twins. This symbolizes Liverpool’s more recent incorporation in to the Anglo Sikh Heritage Trail – an initiative developed by the Maharaja Duleep Singh Centenary Committee to highlight aspects of shared British Sikh history. The left border includes a detail of the clipper ship which was named after Duleep Singh. Built for trade between India and Liverpool, it is shown anchored in Liverpool’s historical docks which became the centre of the slave trade — symbolizing India's enslavement under Imperialism. </p></div></div></div>00https://shop.royalacademy.org.uk/media/catalog/product/9/2/92088998---sikhs-in-the-city-ii_-2024---1200x1200px---_c_-y-_2_.jpgadd-to-cartstore_type:ArtArtMixed Media40.64 x 35.56cmNo
