Shiv Singh: The man who has brought logs to life for half a century

Shiv Singh: The man who has brought logs to life for half a century

MUNISH DHIMAN  28th Jun 2014

Shiv Singh orking on diverse themes offers different kinds of challenges, but a log of wood indeed remains the most challenging one", says Shiv Singh, an untiring septuagenarian. For over five decades, Shiv has been infusing life into lifeless objects, be it a log of wood, a stone or a piece of metal. Born and brought up in a peasant family in the town of Hoshiarpur in Punjab, Singh's early childhood was a quiet, normal one. Since plastic toys were not so popular in those days, Singh fiddled around with clay, sand and wood to make toys, aeroplanes, temples and so on. In his sleepy village, with a choe (stream bed) flowing nearby, he saw the imprints of human life on the sands of time. He immortalised all those unforgettable moments in his works of art. Singh's connect with nature is amply manifested in his art, in the paintings, sculptures, and statuettes that portray human life and the socio-economic milieu he grew up in. Having mastered the art of creating minuscule structures out of sand and clay, it was at school that his structures started taking surreal shapes, a defining moment for him. "I was good at the art of copying sculptures and drawing random sketches," he recalls. "My crafts teacher Malawa Ram recognised my fondness for art and encouraged me to pursue my passion. My interest in studies ebbed while pursuing my intermediate class. Finally, I decided to drop out and embark on my 'real' journey." With his mission well defined, Singh joined the Punjab College of Arts in 1958. S.L. Prasher, principal of the college and a well-known contemporary artist and sculptor, greatly inspired him. "Prasher was known for working overtime to bring out best out of his theme projects," he says. "When I joined the college, he was working on a sculpture of Bhagat Singh. He knew that I was good at copying. He thought that being a turban-wearer; I could do justice to the dream project. But the real challenge was to sculpt his famous 'Turle wali pagh', which I did. He was impressed by the creation and patted me on the back for it." After finishing his five-year specialisation in sculptures, Singh joined the Sainik School, Kapurthala as a teacher. But luck had different plans for him. After his maiden participation at the Second National Sculptors' Camp, Delhi, he was offered a three-year scholarship by the German government. This became a turning point of his life. During his stay in Germany, he held more than a dozen exhibitions in the UK, Sweden, Denmark and Germany. Singh has received various awards and accolades for his contribution to the field. These include the National Award in Sculpture in 1979 and the President's Silver Plaque for the best exhibit of the year in 1982. He has also been honoured by the Punjab Government several times for his work. Many of his creations adorn leading museums and art galleries across the globe. He believes that his distinct style of handling a theme has virtually invented the artist in him and he credits it to Mother Nature. "I never wanted to be a simple calendar artist," he says. "I wanted to do something off-beat and innovative." Having been in the field for more than 50 years now, Singh does not believe tastes have improved much over the years. "Paintings have become popular as they fill empty walls, but a sculpture requires ample space. Even the central government has a policy that 2% of the total cost of a building be earmarked for art work. None of the state governments follow it. People like to have calendars hung on their walls but they do not appreciate other media, because they need more space." When asked about his future plans, he asserts, "My aim is to diligently work on a log which remains my life's biggest challenge. I try to bring it to shape doing the cavities, curves and angles. I look at it and touch it, asking myself 'Is the challenge worth it?'" http://www.sunday-guardian.com/young-restless/shiv-singh-the-man-who-has-brought-logs-to-life-for-half-a-century