Shiv Singh, a painter and designer but primarily a sculptor, was born in Hoshiarpur in 1938 and died in 2015. Got his 5-year art degree in 1962 from the College of Art, Chandigarh. Thereafter taught art at Sainik School, Kapurthala. Then received a German scholarship for advanced studies & research in art by DAAD, for 3 years. He has sixty-six solo exhibitions to his credit, in India and abroad. (Germany, England, Scotland, Denmark, Sweden); He also participated in numerous national group exhibitions and festivals of art. Seven various TV Channels televised documentary films on him & his works. He was a member of the National Academy of Arts, Delhi for 15 years as well as the chairman of the Lalit Kala Akademi, Chandigarh for 5 years. He was given the national award in 1979 and the President of India Award in art 1982 and many more awards and honors at the state level. Retired as Prof. of visual arts from Govt. Home Science College, Chandigarh.
‘Painter and designer, but primarily a sculptor, from 1958 to 1963, studied at the Punjab College of Arts, first in Shimla and then in Chandigarh. In 1963, taught art at the Sainik School, Kapurthala, till 1968. In 1967 he was invited to participate in the Second National Sculptors’ Camp, in Delhi. In 1968, the German government offered him a scholarship for advanced studies and art research for 3 years in Germany. Since then, exhibited several times in Europe. From 1972 to 1982 he was a member of the Lalit Kala Akademi in New Delhi and he has been a founder member of the Panjab Lalit Kala Akademi, Chandigarh. He also worked very closely with Dr. M S Randhawa to build the Punjab Arts Council. He was a member of the advisory committee of All India Radio Station, Jalandhar, from 1982 to 1984. Before that, in 1980, he was a Member of the Jury for judging works of art for the National Exhibition. Doordarshan (Delhi), Doordarshan (Jalandhar) Siti Cable (Chandigarh) and Alpha TV, TV Punjabi have televised ten documentary films on him and his works. He has broadcasted several talks on art from All India Radio, Jalandhar, and Chandigarh. In 2006, Doordarshan Jalandhar honored him with ‘Punj Pani’ Award 2006 for his contribution to the field of Visual Art.’
‘In 1980 he participated in the International Sculpture Symposium held at Panjabi University Patiala and in the same year he attended the National Award-Winning Artists’ Camp at Madras. In 1982, he took part in the Techno Art Camp at the Technological Museum, Bangalore. Then he participated in the Inda-Japanese Sculptors’ Camp organized at Petro-Chemicals Baroda in 1989. He also displayed his works in an exhibition called’ Images of Indian Contemporary Art’ at Neustadt. Germany. In the same year, he participated in an exhibition held during the Festival of India in the USSR and Germany in 1991. His works were also included in the exhibition of ‘Derise de I ‘Universe’ during the Festival of France in India in 1989. Then he participated in the Third, Fourth, and Fifth Triennale (World Art Exhibition) in India. He has held 68 one· man shows in India. Germany, Denmark. Sweden, Scotland, Canada, and Er gland. His works were also shown in the Biennial in Dhaka, Bangladesh, in 2003. In January 2004 he was invited to a sculptors’ camp at J D Arts, Bhubaneshwar. This was followed by an International Sculptors’ Camp 10th Triennale which took place at the Govt. College of Arts, Chandigarh, and then another National Sculptors’ Camp at the NZCC, Kalagram, Chandigarh, and also one at the Government College. Sector 11. Chandigarh was organized by the Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi in 2006. In 2007, I was again invited by the Delhi Regional Centre to participate in the National Sculptors’ Camp and another at Marni Hills, Tikkar Taal Tourist Resort, Haryana.’
‘He retired as a Professor of Arts in 1996, from Government Home Science College, Chandigarh. He had been the chairman of the Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi from 1999 to 2005. After that, he was appointed as President of Punjab Lalit Kala Akademi till 2009. He had his Solo Exhibition of paintings on ‘The Art of Tantra’, sponsored by the Government Museum & Art Gallery, Chandigarh, and later arranged by the ICCR at India Embassy in Berlin (Germany) from 13th October till 3rd November 2005. And after that in Aug 2007, he had a Solo Exhibition of paintings at Windsor, Canada. Later he was honored by the House of Commons, Chambre Des Communes, in Toronto. Canada. As Chairperson of the Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi, he arranged two exhibitions of Chandigarh artists at the Govt Museum to raise funds; first for the Kargil Heroes National Fund, and second for Tsunami Tragedy Fund. Presently he is working as President of the Creators Group of Artists, in Haryana.’
Awards & Honours: National Award in Sculpture in 1979 and the President of India’s Silver Plaque for the best exhibit of the year
‘1982 at the All India Exhibition in New Delhi. Numerous All India and State level Awards followed . Honoured by the Punjab Arts Council. as a leading artist in 1979 and 1988 honored by the Governor of Punjab for his contribution to the field of art, and a Silver Plaque was presented to him at the Suraj Kund Craft Mela for the excellence of his metal objects in 1991 by the Governor of Haryana. Then he was also honored by the Parkash Kala Society, Mohali in 1991, as well as by Art India Organization, Ludhiana. He conducted the first Sculptors ‘ Camp at Leisure Valley Chandigarh, also in 1991, which was arranged by the North Zone Cultural (enter, Patiala. In 1999 he was elected to the Central Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi from the artist constituency of the five northern states. He served as a committee member in the 10th Triennale (World Art Exhibition) 200 1, New Delhi, a Member of the Advisory Committee, Government Museum and Art Gallery, Chandigarh, and a Member of the Advisory Board NZCC Patiala. Recently, in 2008, the Indian Council for Cultural Relations Organization honored him for contributing tremendously towards popularising Indian Art and Culture amongst art lovers across the world. He has also been honored by Just Punjabi TV Channel (Proud to be Punjabi). Very recently, he attended three artists workshops at NZCC, Chandigarh, Kurukshetra, and WZCC at Goa.’
