The Singh Twins: Slaves of Fashion

1 October 2022 – 22 January 2023 | At Norwich Castle and East Gallery

Original mixed media artworks sit alongside a brand-new commission in this exhibition from the internationally-renowned artists The Singh Twins.

Slaves of Fashion

Slaves of Fashion explores how the history of Indian textiles is a global story of Empire, conflict, enslavement, and luxury lifestyle which has contemporary relevance — connecting to ethical trade, consumerism, and attitudes to race in the world today.

Included in the exhibition at Norwich Castle are eleven striking, highly detailed and symbolic digital mixed medium portraits printed on fabric and displayed as lightboxes. At East Gallery, two large-scale triptych works are presented: Rule Britannia: Legacies of Exchange and Jallianwala: Repression and Retribution. Collectively the works reveal not only the beauty, renown, and craftsmanship of Indian fabrics but also their political, social, and cultural significance as a commodity connected to complex narratives of colonial history. Also included in the exhibitions are artist films, drawings, paintings, and archival material offering insights into the Twins’ creative thinking and processes.

Being seen for the first time is a commission in response to items in Norwich Castle Museum’s collection, which will go on permanent display at Norwich Castle after the exhibition.

The Singh Twins

The Singh Twins’ British-Asian heritage has played a significant role in influencing their work, and they are widely known for pioneering a modern development of the Indian miniature tradition within contemporary art practice. Inspired by Eastern and Western artforms, the Twins’ use artistic language from centuries ago to address a range of modern, social, and political themes through a combination of hand-painted and digital techniques. At the heart of their work lies the desire to challenge narrow perceptions of heritage, culture, and identity and show a more balanced representation and understanding of the past can influence how we relate to the present.

See the exhibition

Tickets should be booked in advance or in person at Norwich Castle. To see the exhibition as it is intended, we recommend that you start your journey at Norwich Castle.

Find East Gallery

East Gallery is based in the heart of Norwich, our address is:

Cavendish House,
St Andrews Street,
Norwich
NR2 4AE

In partnership with Norwich Castle Museum, part of the exhibition will be displayed at Norwich Castle.