Mai Bhago And The Forty Liberated One Essay

“Mai Bhago and the Forty Liberated Ones” is a canvas painting that was made in 2009 by Canadian artist Kanwar Singh. His curiosity in sikh history has caused him to compose many other paintings in that same area of interest. My partner Sonia and I chose this image because it showed not only man but a woman who can hold power. Most images that we researched consisted of male warriors, and this one in particular had a woman leading a team of men. The point of this image is not only to admire the artist's work but also it brings a viewer to think about the past historical events for Sikhs. Kanwar Singh might have used a story he had read or heard of before and used his skills to illustrate it. This painting can be used as a replacement for the story and uses art to recreate it. When we first
In the case of the kirpan the military application is obvious. It is less apparent that the kara originated as protection for the sword arm as well as being usable as a weapon in its own right” (Eleanor 63) Not only is the five k’s a visual representation of what a sikh should have but it also is associated with combat. The people in the painting are all wearing blue and orange which are two colours that clearly represent the Sikh religion which is why this painting has a religious aspect to it as well. Although this image looks like it is violent and potentially bloody due to the swords and angry faces, it draws viewers more towards the idea that men and women are treated equally, and that sikhism does not stop women from doing what a man does. This image also conveys a message that women hold a lot of power. Most people assume that religion oppresses women and is androcentric, so it focuses more towards what a man does than a woman. However, Kanwar Singh clearly depicts that Sikhism accepts women as equal as men. Sikhism is represented in a positive manner from this image because it enforces the idea that women have power and that the religious focuses on both male and