Gursewak Singh of Ferozepur making Sidhu Moosewala’s sculptor not for sale but to keep in his Art Gallery
Appeals government to protect, preserve and promote sculptor art among youths
Gursewak Singh of Ferozepur making Sidhu Moosewala’s sculptor not for sale but to keep in his Art Gallery
Appeals government to protect, preserve and promote sculptor art among youths
HARISH MONGA
Ferozepur, April 6, 2023: Though Sidhu Moosewala is not alive but his fans are keeping his souvenirs in the various shapes at home and displayed at prominent places, made by Gursewak Singh Sculptor of village Dhalle Ke in Ferozepur. The statue of Sidhu Moose Wala, which he is making now, will not be for sale but will be decorated in my Art Gallery. I am remembering him through my art to keep alive, said Gursewak Singh.
It took Gursewak Singh 8 years to learn this art and during the last seven years, he could make only 45 statues, due to the financial condition of the house. Among the statues made are martyrs Bhagat Singh and his associates, Army man for Lohgarh village, Deer, Baba Farid in Jaito and Rajasthan and in Zira, Talwandi, Dharamkot, Pheasants and Hawks at Gurdawara Jamini Sahib, Bazidpur, Shivji, Palki etc.
Talking about Sidhu Moose Wala, Gursewak Singh sculptor said, Sidhu Musewala had lived in the hearts of millions of people in the world and I was also a big fan of him. Everyone remembered him with his art and God has also given me the quality to make these idols and I have made the statue of Sidhu Musewala and I will keep the same in my art gallery as it will not be for sale.
He said the family had sent me to Chandigarh in 2001, to learn the art of Kirtan. One person met me who was PhD in art and craft and had a number of artistic statues to his credit. He had made the statue of Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, which I liked very much. I used to sit with him most of the time. I had gone to learn the Kirtan to serve Sikhism but gradually, my interest developed towards making the statues which was not liked by my family members and villagers, from the professional point of view. Apart from my parents, two persons Ajmer Singh and Gur Avtar Singh of village Bhambe Lande have a great role in developing my art of making statues with clay and later on converting in POP which can be converted into any metal. I am making this for sale along with my agricultural land. I can make any statue in order like old people in their memory to install at any place.
He proudly said, one’s hobby has no value irrespective of its outcome and this art of making statue developed in me and I started making the same and in my gallery, the statue of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev which has been displayed at Talwandi Bus Stand by some Club, pair of cows has also been placed in one of the roof of the house.
Gursewk Singh said, the art is available to many youths but due to lack of support from the panchayats and government, it remains buried. I have been doing this for the last 15 years and now I have started getting recognition. None is promoting this art and this is the reason that youths are moving to the foreign lands.
He said, “To protect, preserve and promote the various hidden arts among the youths of Punjab, the government should help them so that Punjab too may figure on the world map for the art of sculpting.
