Rooted in art

Art is a personal experience,and each sculpture and painting of Shiv Singh is related to his life,nurture and the environment he grew up in. So be it the sugarcane and corn fields he played in as a child in his village...

Nature & nurture inspires Shiv Singhs art

Art is a personal experience,and each sculpture and painting of Shiv Singh is related to his life,nurture and the environment he grew up in. So be it the sugarcane and corn fields he played in as a child in his village,Bassi Ghulam Hussain in district Hoshiarpur,the dance and hissing sound of the sarkanda,the flow of the choe,women feeding the bulls,footprints of buffaloes,cows,jackal,songs of the birds and insectsfind expression in his work,which is spontaneous,energetic,exuberant. Its for all to view,as the artist displays a range of his works titled World of Art at the Museum of Panjab University,and viewers also get a chance to turn the pages of a book/catalogue on Shiv,published by Foundation For Art,Culture and Education and gives a peek into Shivs work,his life,a chronology of his exhibitions and awards and personal and touching notes of Shivs friends and artist about his art. From then to now,the book records it all in a creative manner and it can be a good reference point for others too, the man of the moment also received the Face of India 2008 award at the function.

As Shiv takes you around the exhibition of his sculptures,paintings,drawings,he talks about how freedom is paramount for any artist to grow,and the need to change how students are taught in schools and colleges. You can teach technique,not art and I have never faced any saturation point,as my thought and inspiration are closely connected to my growing up years in the village. I use the local material around me and natural curves of nature to create and have not copied urban art. The environment influences your way of living,you cant ignore it, smiles Shiv. His series of paintings,bull and woman,on display here too,smiles the artist have been inspired by the women in the village,who would keep the first peda of roti for the bull. The entire srishti comes from the bull, Shiv stops at a huge brass sculpture,the image of which comes from the choe water. The water brings mud with it and when it dries,it breaks and looks like this. These are all visual experiences that you register and then translate into your work,be it brass,iron,copper,wood. There are no constraints,for it all comes from deep within me, Shiv says his fascination for black,a colour which has a strong character,too comes from the Muslim fakirs who lived in his village and wore only black. There was a truth in them that never escaped me and you too have to become a fakir,only then can you work as an artist, for Shiv,art is a way of life. Live it up!

Parul

Parul is a Principal Correspondent at The Indian Express in Chandigarh. She is a seasoned journalist with over 25 years of experience specializing in public health, higher education, and the architectural heritage of Northern India. Professional Profile Education: Graduate in Humanities with a specialized focus on Journalism and Mass Communication from Panjab University, Chandigarh. Career Path: She began her career covering local city beats and human interest stories before joining The Indian Express in 2009. Over the last decade and a half, she has risen to the rank of Principal Correspondent, becoming the publication’s primary voice on Chandigarh’s premier medical and academic institutions. Expertise: Her reporting is deeply rooted in the institutional dynamics of PGIMER (Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research) and Panjab University. She is highly regarded for her ability to navigate complex administrative bureaucracies to deliver student-centric and patient-centric news. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2024 - 2025) Her recent work highlights critical reporting on healthcare infrastructure, academic governance, and urban culture: 1. Public Health & PGIMER "PGIMER expands digital registry: Centralized patient records to reduce wait times by 40%" (Nov 20, 2025): A detailed look at the digital transformation of one of India's busiest medical institutes to tackle patient influx. "Robotic Surgery at PGI: Why the new urology wing is a game-changer for North India" (Oct 12, 2025): Reporting on the acquisition of state-of-the-art medical technology and its impact on affordable healthcare. "Shortage of life-saving drugs: Inside the supply chain crisis at government pharmacies" (Dec 5, 2025): An investigative piece on the logistical hurdles affecting chronic patients in the tri-city area. 2. Education & Institutional Governance "Panjab University Senate Election: The battle for institutional autonomy" (Dec 18, 2025): In-depth coverage of the high-stakes internal elections and the friction between traditional governance and central reforms. "Research funding dip: How PU’s science departments are navigating the 2025 budget cuts" (Nov 5, 2025): An analysis of the fiscal challenges facing researchers and the impact on India's global academic ranking. 3. Art, Culture & Heritage "Le Corbusier’s legacy in peril: The struggle to preserve Chandigarh’s Capitol Complex" (Dec 22, 2025): A feature on the conservation efforts and the tension between urban modernization and UNESCO heritage status. "Chandigarh Art District: How street murals are reclaiming the city’s grey walls" (Oct 30, 2025): A cultural profile of the local artists transforming the aesthetic of the "City Beautiful." Signature Style Parul is known for her empathetic lens, often centering her stories on the individuals affected by policy—whether it is a student navigating university red tape or a patient seeking care. She possesses a unique ability to translate dense administrative notifications into actionable information for the public. Her long-standing beat experience makes her a trusted source for "inside-track" developments within Chandigarh’s most guarded institutions. X (Twitter): @parul_express ... Read More

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