When the October moonlight spills across the 1,000-year-old stones of Kangra Fort, it won’t just illuminate the fortress’s weathered walls but a daring artistic vision. Filmmaker, artist, and curator Sarah Singh has transformed the ancient stronghold into a living stage where history, architecture, and contemporary art converge in one breathtaking panorama. A life between two worlds Born in Patiala into the royal family, Singh grew up largely in the United States with her American artist mother. This dual heritage shaped her profoundly, creating a bridge between two cultural philosophies. “On my father’s side, the Patiala family was legendary for its patronage of art, cuisine, poetry, and many things,” she recalls. “I feel in some way there is this kind of long-standing connection to patronage of some sort, maybe extending it into contemporary times.” For Singh, the work is about creating platforms for collaboration—“how to bring that into both Indian context and a dialogue of cultures.” Her mother, she says, instilled a fearless artistic spirit. “She designed houses, built businesses, she was capable of whatever she put her mind to. But the greatest lesson was that you’re capable of anything. That’s truly at the heart of what every child should be told and shown.” From canvas to composition Singh began as a painter and poet before moving into filmmaking in her early 30s, which later led to performance art. “It now feels in some ways the most exciting for me,” she says, because it allows her to draw on every skill she has practiced—visualisation, movement, sound, concept, and text. Her style leans toward what she calls “theatrical installation,” an immersive blend of theatre, film, and performance art. For her, editing is central to every medium—knowing “how and what and when to make, to bring to life as well what to let go of.” The aim, she says, is always an experience that “gets imprinted… something that stays with them over a period of time.” From Qila Mubarak to Kangra Singh founded Panorama Editions, an annual arts salon that stages site-specific art in forts and heritage complexes. Her link with Kangra dates back to 2018, after her debut project at Qila Mubarak in Patiala. Invited to stay at Clouds End by the Kangra royal family, she received guidance from Chandresh Kumari, former Culture Minister and mother of current Maharaja Ashwarya Katoch. “She gave me great advice, told me the best spots, what to do,” Singh recalls. One of those spots was Kangra Fort. “The first time I stepped inside, I immediately saw theatre happening there in my mind. I always thought it would be my next project.” With support from the royal family and the Maharaja Sansar Chandra Museum, Singh’s vision has finally materialised seven years later. “It’s interesting how some ideas have staying power. You have to trust your vision and make that editorial decision about which idea is worth the risk.” Power, memory and risk The Kangra project explores power—its beauty, its burden, its cyclical nature. It includes 18 site-specific works, 17 inside the fort and one at an encampment. Among them: distressed brocade curtains by Peter D’Ascoli, evoking an abandoned army tent, and a handmade ceramic by Andrea Anastasio (through the Italian Cultural Center) placed among helmets symbolising battle, loss, and victory. Unlike conventional theatre, Singh’s productions rely on improvisation. “I like the risk, it adds energy and excitement. The magic happens in the moment—it’s not a constructed moment.” This direct engagement is crucial, she insists. In an age of virtual connections, Singh wants to bring audiences back to the landscape—“to fields where dance and theatre first began.” Reviving heritage, building connections The challenges of staging at non-traditional sites—from logistics to working with people unaccustomed to such productions—are significant. Yet for Singh, the stakes are greater: cultural revival and connection. She worries about the dwindling support for the arts. “There’s less patronage, less opportunity. These projects are essential not just to keep culture alive but to keep it growing and finding new expressions.” By staging work outside Delhi and Mumbai, she also ensures that local communities, including students, engage directly with global art and heritage. “Always the goal is that you’re offering people an interesting perspective on the role of culture, history, the arts.” For Singh, India’s forts and palaces are not relics but platforms for exchange and dialogue. At Kangra, she has shown how history can live again—not in silence, but in sound, light, and the thrill of the unexpected. Long after the moonlight fades, the memory will remain.
