The World is Watching
Simran Kaur (2021)
Simran was born brought up in Glasgow but has strong ties to Punjab as both her maternal and paternal grandparents are Punjabi Sikh immigrants. Simran has recently started studying at the University of Glasgow, with environmental issues being an important part of her life. Coming from a family heritage that has strong roots in organic farming for livelihood, she has a personal and emotional connection to environmental sustainability with regards to our food systems. In this current climate when Indian farmers are being exploited and protesting to fight unjust legislation, we must raise our voices and stand with them, as their livelihoods affect us all.
Simran’s creative project involves looking deeper into the consequences of government legislation to organic farming in India, and its wider relation to environmental sustainability. She has developed an environmentally friendly piece of art that represents her view on this topic by creating 12 panels, one for each month of the farmers’ protests, “The World is Watching”.
Simran believes this exhibition is a wonderful and exciting platform to give young, diverse, aspiring artists like herself, the opportunity to showcase their skills and develop their confidence, especially being a young, Sikh, South Asian girl. Simran’s hopes for her artwork to be displayed in public settings so that she can raise awareness of social justice issues linked to the climate crisis.
Simran was mentored by Chrisilia Philiastides, another student at the University of Glasgow.
