Emily’s Eden: Contemporary Sikh drawings by Emily de Klerk

Abstract

ABSTRACT During the corona-lockdown, the Dutch Emily de Klerk sat down to digest her Sikh sketches and photographs. Among the results are the 10 drawings included in this essay. While they overall reflect her fascination with Punjab and the Sikhs, they specifically also channelized a feeling of empathy with the farmers protest in New Delhi to which Sikhs play a fundamental role. In the essay, Bob van der Linden embeds Emily's drawings in the light of earlier (colonial) paintings and drawings made of Sikhs by Western artists. Afterwards, an interview provides further context to Emily's work.