March

We regarded the cultural prejudice that we'd faced as art students as an extension of the racism that we'd encountered elsewhere as young British-Asians growing up in England: attitudes rooted (we believe) in a colonial mindset of western superiority that derided traditional South Asian values and practices, and expected minority communities in Britain to fully assimilate into mainstream culture. As such our decision to become professional artists was not only motivated by a determination to prove our art tutors' assessment of Indian miniature painting (as having no place in contemporary art) wrong, but also by a desire to use our art to counter racist attitudes in wider British society.

This dual aim has continued to inform our artistic practice over the years. For example the themes we chose to paint in the early stage of our career project positive images of Asian life in Britain. Based on our own experience, these sought to counter the predominantly negative stereotypes perpetrated by the British media at that time. In particular, they focus on aspects of South Asian culture which we felt were especially targeted and misunderstood - most notably, arranged marriages, and the extended family system.

They also reflect what our father impressed on us about the need (as members of an ethnic minority community in Britain) to hold on to tradition and not be afraid of expressing ones identity. One such artwork, titled, 'Wedding Jange II', depicts a British-Punjabi family engaging in various cultural practices associated with a traditional wedding. The event takes place outdoors in full view of neighbours and passers-by from the white British community but unperturbed by the onlookers, different members of the extended family remain fully absorbed, and take delight in, fulfilling the special role they've each been allocated in this very visible demonstration of their Punjabi roots.

The underlying messages conveyed by this artwork, about the importance of preserving culture and not shying away from asserting ones identity, resonate with the Sikh tradition as a faith whose leaders and followers, at different times throughout its long history have fought, and sacrificed their lives to preserve not just the Punjabi and Sikh way of life but the right to freedom of expression for people of all backgrounds, religions and cultures.

In response to the immense persecution that Sikhs faced under Mughal rule during the 17th-century, the tenth Sikh Guru, Gobind Singh Ji (1666-1708), encouraged his followers to stand strong and openly assert their faith as a community, bestowing on them a unique physical identity comprising five items to be worn or carried, which would make them stand out in a crowd of thousands. Collectively known as the Panj Kakke or Five K's (because they all begin with the letter 'K' in Punjabi) this identity remains an essential, outward expression of Sikh identity and belief today.