Forty-two years after the 1984 genocide of Sikhs, the exhibit we first opened in New York City opens its second edition at Cerritos College Art Gallery on November 1.
Art, Resilience, and the Legacy of 1984, New York City, 2024. Photo: Sukhmani Kaur.
“Growing up hearing about the atrocities of 1984, I realized how much of the depth and emotion I had missed until I stood in front of the carefully curated family photographs and listened to the powerful testimonies of survivors.”
Jag Gill, visitor to the 2024 exhibit in New York City
In November 1984, tens of thousands of Sikhs were killed on the streets and in their homes and businesses in Delhi and cities across India. Millions still carry that loss, in India, the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, and beyond.
ICAAD and Vishavjit Singh created the first edition of this exhibit in New York City in 2024, for the 40th anniversary. About 500 people came through in ten days. This fall, filmmaker Harsimran Sandhu and actor Simi Kattaura join us, in partnership with the Sikhlens Arts and Film Festival and Cerritos College, to bring the next edition to Southern California, home to many Sikhs who survived 1984, including Vishavjit’s family.
Visitors will see 1984 newspaper front pages, survivor portraits, rare photographs from that year, paintings, sculpture, film and poetry, an audio installation of survivor testimony in Punjabi, and new work from California artists. Speaker talks and a student session with Cerritos College run alongside the exhibit.
Opening reception
Sunday, November 1, 5:00 to 8:00 PM, hosted by Sikhlens. Speakers include Vishavjit Singh, ICAAD Co-Founder Jaspreet K. Singh, and Jessi Kaur. An Indian dinner will be served, and seating is limited. Reserve your ticket.
Visiting the exhibit
November 1 to December 11, 2026, at Cerritos College Art Gallery, Fine Arts Building, 11110 Alondra Blvd, Norwalk, CA 90650. Gallery hours are Monday to Thursday, 11:00 AM to 7:00 PM, and Friday and Saturday, 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Admission is free.
The exhibit will travel to a new city every two years until the 50th anniversary in 2034. If you are in Los Angeles, plan your visit and bring someone with you. If you cannot make it in person, the 2024 exhibit is online. Through the end of November, donations above $50 to support the exhibit receive acknowledgements from the exhibit, including prints, cards, and virtual and in-person tours.