Panorama Editions IV Sarah Singh

On a sunny Tuesday morning, I make a trip to Delhi’s Purana Qila to meet renowned artist and filmmaker Sarah Singh, who founded the acclaimed art salon Panorama Editionsin 2018. Against the regal ruins, we photograph her vibrant personality, adorned with emerald green sneakers, a beige vintage Air Force shirt and a striking tiger pendant that conveys a sense of fierceness and power. As we stroll through the gardens of the Qila, she shares insights about her past and upcoming artistic projects. She leads me towards a beautifully carved space that will turn into a rare art exhibition in the chilly winter of December. It’s a unique opportunity, as this is the only time the Qila will allow a temporary exhibition in a part of the original Fort Wall, making it an unconventional venue for her to curate various artefacts and designs in this historic one-of-a-kind setting.

Historical ruins hold great significance for Sarah, whose artistic practice often centres around their revival. ‘As an artist, I’ve always felt a deep connection to ancient and historic sites. They resonate with an inexplicable reality for me on an intuitive level. If I weren’t an artist, I’d probably be an archaeologist because I strive to bring history to life for the public in new ways and that process of discovery has much in common with the art process.’ Born into the Royal family of Patiala, she also has a rich ancestral connection to history. Although her family moved to the USA during her childhood, she reconnected with her roots through her artistic projects in her 20s in Mumbai.

She has hosted three editions of Panorama Editions, with a fourth that took place in November this year. She refers to them as art salons to encourage the practice of communal gatherings where people can learn and experience art meaningfully. Over two bottles of lemonade beneath the lush trees of the Qila, she speaks to me about hosting them, ‘Each new edition is completely customised according to the place — making the development process a work of art itself. ‘It’s the ultimate expression of being an artist because it is so multilayered, it has the complexity of filmmaking combined with live performance’. From conceptualising the salon to making the right creative partnerships, to shaping the execution on a local level which includes installation, performance, staging, designing the commemorative, and casting—all major and minor creative production is executed by Sarah herself. ‘It’s more than just an event, it’s an expression of its time and place in the spirit of artistic happenings but on a grand scale.’

After nearly a year of planning, on November 16, she and her team staged the event at Gwalior Fort for a theatrical performance titled A Street Cart Named Desire, with international and local performers participating under the moonlight. ‘When I was formulating the idea for Gwalior, the theme of desire emerged before I even visited. My only prior experience of Gwalior was a brief visit in 1993, where I saw a small part of the fort and attended the sound and light show. After my February 2024 trip, I realised the entire region, particularly Khajuraho, is rich in themes of desire. One of the most exquisite sculptures I’ve encountered, Salabhanjika, is in the museum at the base of the Gwalior fort—its perfection captures a profound expression of desire, reminiscent of the power of perfection that is found in Michelangelo’s David. This reinforced my intuition of this theme being the right choice for this place.’ As she walked around the fort, searching for the right area, she found herself in a vast open field surrounded by diverse architecture from different periods. ‘I stared at this 14th-century fort wall with its impressively large stone stage right in front of it and immediately a flamenco dancer appeared in my mind’. Flamenco, with its bold expressions of passion, then became a central inspiration, as did ‘the humble street cart with its promise of convenient, instant gratification. Creativity works when it represents what is essential.’ As she considered the title and structure of the piece, she sought to blend surrealism with reality. ‘That’s when A Street Cart Named Desire came to me—not as an interpretation of the classic play by Tennessee Williams but as an entry point in which to conjure a whole new world. The initial vision of the flamenco dancer on the stone stage has evolved into a moving tableau of colliding desires. I create atmosphere not stories.’

In this theatre piece, she is implementing as many sustainable practices as she can, ‘For the costumes, we’re exploring all kinds of recycled and natural materials. The staging will also be fairly minimal, focusing on using discarded or found materials, as well as natural elements like bamboo.’ The staging artefacts will be displayed for a week at the Jai Vilas Palace Museum in Gwalior. Following this, they will travel to Delhi for an exhibition at Purana Qila, marking the first time such an event will take place at the fort. ‘I plan to introduce additional elements focused on sustainability for this exhibition, creating a distinction between what the public experiences in Gwalior and what they’ll see in Delhi because it is always about responding to the place.’

Legendary chef Claus Meyer further expands the conversation on sustainability through food practices. He is a celebrated chef for introducing Scandinavian cuisine into the global dialogue on sustainability, emphasising local and seasonal ingredients. He is also known for founding the Melting Pot Foundation, which addresses food as a means of social impact. Through this foundation, he has initiated various projects worldwide, including one that teaches life skills to prisoners in the culinary space, helping them build a skill set for life after release. Additionally, he established a community-driven kitchen in La Paz, the poorest capital in South America, which eventually earned a Michelin Star. Sarah also tells us that he is particularly captivated by Indian cuisine and is excited about the potential for a long-term project focused on food and social impact in this space, integrating his unique sensibility into local practices.