Interview with Ranbir Kaurby Jaleesa Padmore, Curator
“All my work tells the story of my journey of self discovery; exploring colour, texture and design.”
With a career spanning over three decades, Ranbir Kaur has showcased South Asian arts and crafts across the UK and is now bringing her vibrant and intricately handcrafted creations to Ort Gallery. Ahead of her “Out of the Frame” exhibition, opening on September 11th, Ranbir discusses her artistic journey and dedication to sharing the beauty of traditional South Asian arts and crafts with the world.
JP: Could you introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your background?
RK: My name is Ranbir Kaur and I am a textile and international Rangoli artist based in the West Midlands. My journey started in 1988 and now it is over 32 years since I’ve taken residency in the UK. I have worked as a teacher and artist but I am extremely proud to have exhibited my work internationally and throughout the UK. My innovative workshops I have shared with my three daughters, to whom I have passed on my skills and techniques as part of our family tradition.
JP: Can you explain the cultural significance of Rangoli?
RK: Rangoli is a traditional indian art form used to decorate courtyards and places of worship to celebrate festivals and other special occasions. It is one of the most established art forms for weddings, receptions, opening of exhibitions and sometimes we have competitions of Rangoli near the time of Diwali.
JP: How did you learn to create Rangoli and other forms of South Asian arts and crafts?
RK: It all started at the age of 8 years old as I have come from a textile background family. My grandmother, my mother and my aunty were all very clever in the textile field so that is how I got interested and took it to another level.
JP: What was it about Rangoli in particular that captivated you so much?
RK: Rangoli captivated me because the designs are a safe, beautiful and expressive tool that can bring people together to work towards a common creative goal, transcending age, language and cultural barriers. The tradition of Rangoli is many, many years old, an art form from Gujarat, so I’m trying to keep the culture alive. We always do something near Diwali so people can bring their memories back and see what their grandparents used to do!
JP: Have you always perceived Rangoli and crafting as “art” or was there a point when your perception changed?
RK: I have always perceived Rangoli as art. Rangoli is one of the most beautiful and most pleasing arts forms of India. In older days, the colours were used in traditional art forms and were extracted from natural dyes. Rangolis were used for brightening up the festival celebrations and this traditional art form has had a modern transition too.
JP: Can you talk about your experience of moving to the UK and exhibiting your art in the late 80s?
RK: My first exhibition after moving to the UK in 1988 was with the One Women show at the Museum and Art Gallery in Leamington Spa. My exhibitions and workshops took their toll in the United Kingdom and I became very popular and got too busy showing my creative work at different events. It was not that easy but my daughters always helped me so then I started delivering workshops nationally and at the same time started teaching local embroidery projects with different communities.
JP: Why was it important for you to start exhibiting South Asian arts and crafts in the UK?
RK: It was very important to exhibit South Asian arts and crafts to inspire people to come forward to take part and ask questions about my arts and crafts. Sharing allowed me to deliver different workshops which were ideal for both beginners and those who had some experience and also to show them different designs from South Asian continents. For example, from different states of India I teach Phulkari from Punjab, Kantha Stitch from Bangladesh and Mirror Embroidery from Rajasthan. So when I used to bring my samples and show them in my exhibitions with the vibrant colours people used to ask me, “Why don’t you deliver workshops?” That’s how it started.
KP: Did you face any barriers when trying to break into the British art industry?
RK: No, I didn’t face any barriers into the British art industry. I always think that I came to the UK at the right time as multicultural inspiration had just started. When I entered the UK in 1988 the iron was hot so I just had to hit it. People always came to me wanting to learn from me and to show my exhibitions to different parts of the country. I’ve exhibited at Ikon Gallery, in the North East in Sunderland and Newcastle Upon Tyne. Visitors would say, “Ranbir, you have brought colour to our town!” I have been artist in residence about 4 times in Newcastle upon Tyne and then celebrated 30 years of my journey at Sunderland and Winter Gardens in 2018. As you can see, if I had barriers nobody would invite me!
JP: Is South Asian religion and culture still underrepresented today?
RK: Yes, the South Asian religion and culture is still underrepresented. I am passionate about sharing my knowledge through a range of workshops that allow children and adults to explore and learn new techniques as my aim is to keep our Indian culture alive in the UK.
JP: Can you tell us more about your workshops and why it’s important for you to share your knowledge?
RK: I love to share my knowledge with children and adults by teaching and developing a range of workshops that allow people to explore traditional Indian arts and crafts. Workshops offer a wealth of different processes that gives them the opportunity to focus on the basics and work their way up to the more experimental techniques.
Some of my workshops are specially for the ladies suffering from arthritis. They’re very therapeutic as it gives them a mild exercise and it is very satisfying for me to see the end result. Children love Rangoli activities that get them outside and I love teaching Rangoli designs! It is encouraged among young children in schools as it involves history, geography, maths and geometry. By sharing my knowledge, I offer an exciting way of exploring arts and crafts. On completion of the workshop they gain confidence and get inspired!
JP: Your latest exhibition “Out of the Frame” will be held at Ort Gallery in September. What can we anticipate for this show?
RK: The “Out of the Frame” exhibition will be a valued asset to Balsall Heath and Ort Gallery as it will bring South Asian arts and crafts to the wider general public. All my work tells the story of my journey of self discovery, exploring colour, texture and design. This exhibition will allow others to understand that my work crosses both national and international boundaries to deliver my artistic knowledge and understanding to a wider platform in Birmingham!
Find out more about Ranbir Kaur’s work here