Representing Sikhs and Sikhi in Museum Spaces

Abstract

This paper provides a dual perspective on an exhibit of Sikh art from the Kapany Collection that was curated at the Eloise Pickard Smith Gallery at the University of California, Santa Cruz, from January to March 2022. The collection was donated to the Sikh Foundation International by Dr. Narinder Singh Kapany, a scientist, entrepreneur and art collector. The exhibit was a collaboration between the Foundation and the University, and was accompanied by an educational exhibit on the history of Sikhs in the United States, particularly California. This paper has two parts. First, Tauna Coulson, a professional art curator, describes her experiences of curating the exhibit. In the second part, Tejpaul Singh Bainiwal, co-founder of the Sikh American History Project, provides a broader perspective and analysis on the question of representing Sikhs and the Sikh tradition in museum spaces, along with a commentary on this particular effort.