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Born in 1942 Uma Singh is a Glass Artist based out of Kolkata, India. She has been working in the medium of glass since 1982. Primarily self taught she pioneered the revival of the art of stained glass after it died a natural death in post colonial India. Having worked in this medium for over twenty years she has more recently been engaged in creating one of a kind sculptural forms in glass, often combined with other materials like metal, stone, wood and fibre-glass. Working with both kiln formed and cold carving techniques, she gives shape to her ideas, optimizing the optical properties and ethereal qualities of glass.
Dissatisfied working primarily on two-dimensional, site specific installations Singh transitioned to explore three dimensional form, experimenting with different glass working processes. This took her to Pilchuck Glass School, WA, USA, where she studied various techniques intermittently between 2000 and 2004. In 2004 she received a scholarship to study Kiln Casting at the Corning Museum of Glass, NY, USA.
In her work, Singh seeks to investigate the illusory optics and refractive qualities of light, through sculptural forms that draw energy from ancient Indian temple art and folk traditions. While attempting to retain their classical expression, she contemporizes these references, layering it with a personal narrative that evokes an underlying spirituality.
Singh has held several exhibitions of her stained glass works between 1988 and 1996 at Conclave, Kolkata; Cymroza and Cache, Mumbai; The Oberoi, Delhi. Her installations are in distinguished homes; luxury hotels (The Taj Kolkata, The Park Kolkata and Delhi, The Oberoi Maidens Delhi); restaurants and retail spaces across India. Singh's work has been featured in several publications such as Inside Outside, India Today, Business Today, Society, Outlook, Telegraph and a number of dailies.
In recognition of her efforts to revive the art of stained glass in India, Singh was selected as one of the '50 women in enterprise in India' in the book titled 'A Business of Her Own' produced by FICCI Ladies' Organization to celebrate 50 years of India's independence.
Singh has exhibited at the India Art Fair 2012 & 2013. 'The Gods in Glass,' her first solo show is a culmination of a decade long journey sculpting with the magical medium of glass. |
