Amit and Naroop’s ‘The Sikh Project’ Exhibition Features Sikh-American Portraits

The photographer duo was at the helm of the Sikh Project; a striking—not to mention unprecedented—collection of 38 portraits that tell the journey of Sikh-Americans.

[Photo Credit: Kickstarter/TheSinghProjectBook]

Would anybody even want to see images of a bunch of Sikhs—Naroop Singh quipped amongst the Sikh community’s crème de la crème during a black tie event last Thursday night in NYC.

The photographer duo was at the helm of the Sikh Project; a striking—not to mention unprecedented—collection of 38 portraits that tell the journey of Sikh-Americans.

[Photo Credit: Facebook/Amit&Naroop]

The Sikh Project was making its exclusive debut at the Sikh Coalition Gala. The deeply reverberated approval to his work was felt across the room in response to whether or not people would be interested in images of Sikhs.

Naroop and Amit spoke of their apprehension to partake in a project with Sikhs as the subject. They were uncertain of the magnitude of the desire in people to celebrate their identity, particularly in an ever intensifying xenophobic world.

In the end of course, they did away with any trepidation and used their photography as a way of edifying identity and what it meant to being Sikh and for this project, Sikh and turbaned.

They partnered with the Sikh Coalition and together endeavored to showcase the depth and diversity of the people of Sikhism.

“Obviously we have cut hair but our identity still runs deep inside” Amit said to the gala attendees. The sentiment was befitting seeing how the them of the night was the diversity within the collective Sikh identity and to highlight the stories of “Perseverance, progress, and determination” of both modern and traditional Sikh Americans.

This gala proved to be a moving convocation of the Sikh community’s activists, movers, and shakers, with notables such as Waris Ahluwalia in attendance, along with New Yorkers who wanted to get a sneak at the collection before its official, making its public debut on September 17.

Numerous walls were adorned with portrait after portrait of Singhs and Kaurs with lights beaming upwards on the photography, making the subjects look almost other-worldly. Yet each portrait also had a story accompanying it reminding onlookers that these are real people, who have been faced with very real challenges.

[Photo Credit: Kickstarter/TheSinghProjectBook]

For instance, a portrait of Major Kamaljeet Singh Kalsi is part of the collection. He went on to become the first Sikh-American to be granted a religious accommodation to serve in the U.S. military since the ban on Sikhs in the 1980s. Despite his accommodation, the ban still remains against Sikh-Americans who wish to serve in our armed forces, and Major Kalsi continues to dedicate much of his life towards working to end religious discrimination in the military.

Along with debuting the Sikh Project, the gala also served as a commemoration of the Sikh Coalition’s 15th anniversary milestone and also, to celebrate progress made post 9/11.

And though progress was acknowledged and celebrated, coalition members urged  guests to remain steadfast in passion and support as there was “much work left to be done” in educating Americans on the Sikh Faith.

The Sikh Project is open to the public now until September 25 at 530 Broadway, New York City. Visit www.SikhCoalition.org/SikhProject for more details.

To get involved with The Sikh Coalition, click here.