Art

Games We Play

By Henna Kaur Singh

When I first saw the images from The Sikh Foundation Calendar I got it. I finally understood the stories that my parents had been telling me about their childhoods. I finally knew what the games they played looked like. I finally got a sense of the community that they lived in. When I showed my parents the calendar - they were overcome with a sense of nostalgia. Yes, they said, these were the games we played.

The Sikh Foundation Calendar always features unique artwork and the calendar for 2007 is no different. It features the art of Sukhpreet Singh, an artist based in Ludhiana, India. The theme of the calendar is the childhood games of Punjab. Each month has a painting of a different game that children in Punjab used to - and still do - play.

The bright colours of the paintings recall hot summer days and the sounds of children playing outside. Moreover, the scenes are wonderfully detailed. The young boys are sometimes wearing only a kerchief on their topknots, stray hairs coming loose because of their diversions in the yard. The month of January shows a young girl watching her friends play while holding her baby brother in her arms. The pictures will especially evoke nostalgia for those who have grown up in Punjab, and literally paints a picture for those who have only heard others describe it.

Sukhpreet Singh said that he had always thought of painting pictures like the ones presented in the calendar, but it was ultimately Dr. Narinder Singh Kapany, Chair of the Sikh Foundation, who thought of the idea of a series of paintings on the theme of childhood games. Dr. Kapany, who lives in California, watched his nieces and nephews play and thought: "Why not have some paintings that show them what Punjabi games were like?"

The Sikh Foundation calendar strives to focus on culture rather than just religion. For example, a future version will feature Sikh athletes depicted playing the sports that they're best at - expect to see Monty Singh Panesar playing cricket, or Fauja Singh running a marathon. Each calendar is unique and has a focused theme, and the 2007 calendar is no exception.

"The Games We Play" calendar is a brilliant idea and has been greeted with the response it deserves. It is already close to being sold out, with just a few copies left, says Dr Kapany. You can contact The Sikh Foundation via its website at www.sikhfoundation.org for further details.

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