Earth From Fatehgarh Sahib Anchors Permanent Sculpture at Toronto's Scarborough Gurdwaraਫ਼ਤਹਿਗੜ੍ਹ ਸਾਹਿਬ ਦੀ ਮਿੱਟੀ ਨਾਲ ਬਣਿਆ ਪੱਕਾ ਕਲਾ-ਬੁੱਤ ਟੋਰਾਂਟੋ ਦੇ ਸਕਾਰਬਰੋ ਗੁਰਦੁਆਰੇ ਵਿੱਚ ਸਥਾਪਿਤ

A new permanent sculpture built with earth carried from Gurdwara Sri Fatehgarh Sahib in Punjab has been installed at the Scarborough Gurdwara in Toronto, as part of the 2026 Toronto Biennial of Art.

Titled A Deathless Potential In Remembrance By You, the work is by Toronto artist Nirbhai (nep) Singh Sidhu. It will stay on the gurdwara grounds after the biennial ends on December 20.

What is the sculpture?

The Art Newspaper described a large outdoor monument built around a rectangular brick structure. Earth brought from Gurdwara Sri Fatehgarh Sahib was mixed into the bricks, and the form refers to the entombment of the sons of Sri Guru Gobind Singh Ji, according to the report.

The bricks sit on a steel trough that works as a fountain, and four sculptures with ceremonial daggers stand at its sides. The biennial's own description calls the daggers internal shastars, symbols of the inner qualities a Sikh warrior cultivates, and the water Amrit.

Why Punjab's earth?

Sidhu told The Art Newspaper he travelled to Fatehgarh Sahib after winning the commission and, through a network of cousins, brought the soil to Canada. He said the earth is unprocessed and lets Sikhs in Canada feel a direct link to their homeland, at a time when some have had Indian passports cancelled or visas denied. That is the artist's own account.

The biennial says the work is built on Jivan Mukti, being spiritually liberated while alive, reached through Simran, Seva and Sangat.

What else is in the garden?

A garden designed by Alan Shields surrounds the sculpture, with roses on the north side, Japanese maples to the east and plants native to Ontario to the south. The biennial says the plants honour Mata Gujri and the care shown by women in families.

Can the public see it?

The work is on view at the Scarborough Gurdwara, run by Gursikh Sabha Canada since 1979. On October 17, the second day of the biennial's convening, an artist talk and Simran programme will be held around the sculpture, with a talk by Bhai Harpal Singh of Sri Fatehgarh Sahib.

Who made the Toronto Biennial sculpture at Scarborough Gurdwara?

Toronto artist Nirbhai (nep) Singh Sidhu made it. It was commissioned by the Toronto Biennial of Art and curated by Allison Glenn.

Where does the earth in the sculpture come from?

Earth from Gurdwara Sri Fatehgarh Sahib in Punjab was mixed into the bricks of the structure.

Is the Scarborough Gurdwara sculpture permanent?

Yes. The Art Newspaper and the biennial describe it as a permanent installation that remains after the biennial closes.