Amar Singh (activist)

Amar Singh (born 14 June 1989) is a British art gallerist and human rights activist, focused on LGBT+ and women's rights.[1][2]

Amar Singh
Born
Kanwar Amar Jit Singh

(1989-06-14) 14 June 1989
London, England, UK
EducationSt John's Beaumont School
Charterhouse School
Licensed Victuallers' School
Known forLGBT & women's rights activism, art gallerist

Education

Singh was educated at St John's Beaumont School, Charterhouse School and the Licensed Victuallers' School. He attended classes at Harvard University,[3] though left without earning a degree.

Career

In 2016 Singh set up a feminist art gallery called Amar Gallery in London.[4] The gallery exhibited the work of female artists and feminists including the Guerrilla Girls, Helen Frankenthaler, and Renee Cox.[5][6][7] Singh closed his north London gallery in April 2019 and the company was dissolved in October 2021.[8]

In 2019, Singh had stated his next venture, set to open October 2019, was Curated Golden Square, described by Vanity Fair as a "$100 million, 30,000 square foot apartment hotel".[9][7] In a 2021 follow up interview with Vanity Fair, Singh cited Covid as the reason this venture did not move forward [10]

In August, 2021 it was reported Singh signed a $50 million NFT deal alongside artists Rewind Collective and digital collectibles platform Veve. [11]

Philanthropy

In 2021 Singh pledged to donate $5 million worth of art by female, LGBTQ and minority artists to museums worldwide by 2025.[12][13] In January 2021, Singh donated a painting worth six figures celebrating women by the artist María Berrío to Los Angeles County Museum of Art,[12] and a portrait of inaugural poet Amanda Gorman to Harvard University's permanent collection, valued at £8,000.[14][12]

In June 2021 Singh partnered with Givenchy to raise $128,000 for LGBT+ youth by collaborating with artists Rewind Collective and selling the first NFT created for a beauty brand. [15] [16] [17]

Activism

Singh has worked alongside the LGBT+ community in India to fight for equal rights and through his gallery has also mounted LGBT+ exhibitions including Links by artist Howard Tangye and Section 377, an online exhibition celebrating the road to India legalising homosexuality. India struck down the Section 377 law in 2009 which criminalized homosexuality.[18][1]

In 2013, the Indian government reversed its decision and reinstated Section 377 which made same-sex relations illegal.[18] Singh alongside other activists, called for the Indian government to strike down Section 377.[1] Singh has said that he spoke out publicly and in the press against the government's ruling.[19]

Singh was one of many campaigners who made up a global coalition that scored a legal victory in India when the Supreme Court of India, on 6 September 2018, struck down the Section 377 law and legalized homosexuality,[20] ruling that the application of Section 377 to consensual homosexual sex between adults was unconstitutional, "irrational, indefensible and manifestly arbitrary."[21][22]

Alongside Prince Manvendra and other LGBT+ activists, Singh has called for the Indian government to legalize same-sex marriage, same-sex adoption, and the banning of all LGBT conversion therapy practices.[1][4]

Singh regularly speaks publicly about issues related to women's rights, LGBT+ rights and art.[19] In July 2019 Singh spoke at the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute's Annual Future Leaders Conference, held at the Russell Senate Office Building, about women's rights and how communities are impacted through art and culture.[12][23]

Ancestry and personal life

Singh was born and raised in London, UK.[24][25] He is a descendant of Raja Nihal Singh of Kapurthala.[26] In 2017 he was 16th in line to the former throne of Kapurthala.[27]

Awards and recognition
  • 2019: Named in Forbes 30 Under 30 - Europe - for contributions to art and culture[28]

References
  1. Bullock, Andrew (10 August 2020). "Amar Singh: "I don't know why we have to fight so hard for equal rights!"". Gay Times. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  2. Ocamb, Karen (30 November 2017). "Indian Royal Amar Singh on a mission for equality". Los Angeles Blade. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  3. Bullock, Andrew (21 August 2017). "Indian royal tells Attitude about the 'underground army' battling for LGBT+ rights in India". Attitude (magazine). Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  4. Oppenheim, Maya (12 February 2018). "India's only openly gay prince is turning his pink palace into a centre for vulnerable LGBT+ people". The Independent. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  5. Hawgood, Alex (3 October 2017). "The Indian Prince Who Supports Gay Rights and the Arts (Published 2017)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  6. Hawgood, Alex (3 October 2017). "The Indian Prince Who Supports Gay Rights and the Arts (Published 2017)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  7. Bullock, Andrew (19 June 2019). "Amar Singh's Curated Quest for Equality". Vanity Fair (magazine). Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  8. "AMAR GALLERY PRIVATE LIMITED". Companies House. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
  9. Baker, Sam (29 June 2019). "The (Male) Art Entrepreneur Exhibiting Female Artists". Forbes. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  10. "The Art of Amar Singh's Activism". 9 February 2021.
  11. "Amar Singh and Rewind Collective Launch NFTS to Champion Women and LGBTQ+ Communities".
  12. Bullock, Andrew (9 February 2021). "The Art of Amar Singh's Activism". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  13. "A tale of Churchill, Roosevelt — and Angelina Jolie". Financial Times.
  14. Onwuamaegbu, Natachi. "'This work must be in an institution.' Amanda Gorman portrait gifted to Harvard - The Boston Globe". The Boston Globe.
  15. "Givenchy Beauty - Official site | Fragrance, make-up and skincare".
  16. "Givenchy Parfums Creates NFT Artwork to Profit LGBTQ Cause". 22 June 2021.
  17. "The Rise and Rise of NFT Artworks". 27 July 2021.
  18. Bullock, Andrew (21 August 2017). "Indian royal tells Attitude about the 'underground army' battling for LGBT+ rights in India". Attitude (magazine). Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  19. Bullock, Andrew (5 June 2018). "Indian royal Amar Singh on his crusade against LGBTQ repression in his native country". Gay Times. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  20. Rajagopal, Krishnadas (7 September 2018). "SC decriminalises homosexuality". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  21. Thomas, Maria. "Timeline: The struggle against section 377 began over two decades ago". Quartz (publication). Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  22. Barrie, Thomas (2 October 2018). "Vanity Fair's Pick of Frieze Week in London". Vanity Fair (magazine). Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  23. "CHLI Conference Connects Future Leaders to the Real World". Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute.
  24. Bullock, Andrew (21 August 2017). "Indian royal tells Attitude about the 'underground army' battling for LGBT+ rights in India". Attitude (magazine). Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  25. Ocamb, Karen (30 November 2017). "Indian Royal Amar Singh on a mission for equality". Los Angeles Blade. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
  26. "Why This 31-Year-Old Gallerist Is Partnering With Christie's To Auction NFTs". Forbes. Retrieved 13 May 2021.
  27. "Meet the 27-year-old Indian royal who just opened the hottest gallery in London". Elle (India). Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  28. Sternlicht, Alexandra; Baker, Samantha; McGrath, Maggie. "30 Under 30 Europe 2019: Art & Culture". Forbes. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.