Master crafter Shiv Singh dies at 76
Distinguished artist and sculptor Shiv Singh died of heart attack at the age of 76 in Panchkula on Friday. Shiv is survived by his wife Gisela Singh, a German national, and son Yasvin Singh, who lives in Frankfurt, Germany.
Distinguished artist and sculptor Shiv Singh died of heart attack at the age of 76 in Panchkula on Friday. Shiv is survived by his wife Gisela Singh, a German national, and son Yasvin Singh, who lives in Frankfurt, Germany.
With his demise, the tricity has lost two artists in a month. Creator of Rock Garden Nek Chand died on June 12. Shiv was hospitalised on Thursday after he complained of uneasiness. Shiv's wife Gisela said he suffered a heart attack around 4am on Friday and could not recover. The family is waiting for his son to return and last rites will be performed on Sunday.
Shiv was also suffering from cancer in the left lung and was undergoing treatment at Government Medical College and Hospital in Sector 32. Known for his love for black robes, Singh was to turn 77 on July 5 and the family had planned a grand celebration.
Born in Bassi Gulam Hussain village near Hoshiarpur on July 5, 1938, Shiv studied at Arts College in Shimla before he took a teaching job in the Home Science College, Chandigarh, from where he retired in 1996 as professor of arts. He had also taught art at the Kapurthala Sainik School from 1963 to 1968. A book on his artwork was released in December last year.
A football player during his college days, Shiv first rose to prominence in 1968 when the German government offered him a scholarship in advanced studies and research in art for three years. During his stint in Germany, Singh met Gisela and they later got married in 1972.
Shiv was the chairman of the Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi from 1999 to 2005 and was also the president of the Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi. He held a total of 66 one-man shows in India, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Scotland, Canada, England and other parts of Europe, besides participating in numerous national and international group exhibitions and festivals of art.
Many of his sculptures are installed at Lake Club, Topiary Park in Sector 35, Sector 20-34 roundabout, Leisure Valley in Sector 10, Fountain sculpture at Markfed in Sector 35, steel sculpture at Punjab Arts Council and Rose Garden.
Shiv's sculptures are also placed at the National Gallery of Modern Art, Delhi, National Academy of Art (Lalit Kala Akademi) Delhi, State Museum, Shimla, Hack Museum, Ludwigshafen, and Glaub Art Museum, Koln (Germany).
Manjit Indira, a Punjabi poetess and a Shiv's friend, said: "It's a great loss. Shiv used to play freely with myriad of colours. He worshipped his work." She recalled that one of Shiv's finest works depicting bulls and women was aimed at making a call for women to re-assert themselves. "Shiv provided rich illustrations to my works Tarian Da Chhaj and Tu Aawaz Maari Hai."
In his condolence message, Punjab cultural affairs minister Sohan Singh Thandal said that Shiv was a great artist and sculptor who brought art of Punjab on global landscape.
Senior Congress leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal also mourned Shiv's death. She said it was a great loss to the world of art. She said "the man in black" was into painting and drawing also, but in his own words, Shiv was basically a sculpture. "In his death, we have lost an artist of great repute," she said.
It was love at first sight: Gisela
It was love at first sight for Shiv Singh and Gisela, when they met in 1971. Singh was on three-year scholarship in Germany. Gisela, who was member of the Indo-German Association, said they fell for each other when they first met. The couple got married in February 1972.
Life trail
Born on July 5, 1938
Got his five-year art degree in 1962 from the College of Art, Chandigarh
Taught arts at Sainik School, Kapurthala, from 1963 to 1968
German government offered him a scholarship in advanced studies and research in art for three years in 1968
Joined Home Science College, Chandigarh, in 1971
Got married to Gisela in 1972
From 1972 to1982, he was a member of the Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi
Was a member of the advisory committee of All India Radio, Jalandhar, from 1982 to 1984
In 1987, he was also appointed by the British Council, New Delhi, as a jury member to judge the works of Indian sculptors for an award
In 1991, he conducted the first sculptors' camp at Leisure Valley, Chandigarh
Retired as a professor of arts in 1996 from Government Home Science College
Was the chairman of the Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi from 1999 to 2005
Appointed president of the Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi in 2010
A book on his artwork was released in 2014