A creative visionary accomplished in disruptive design, Ranbir Sidhu develops unique, jaw-dropping sculptures daringly expressed as functional art. Building on years of being in manufacturing environments and leaning on his cultivated architectural eye, he converts imaginings into intricate, dynamic art pieces. Ranbir is a ‘future-past’ designer expressing a preview of uncanny art for present-day interpretation. With immense experience as the founder of Futurezona, Ranbir’s unmatched and unique vision continues to push art and technology boundaries, designing custom pieces for some of today’s biggest celebrities, including Drake Jay-Z and Indian-American rapper Raja Kumari. Aligning his manufacturing expertise with his boundless passion for futuristic art and cultural exploration, Ranbir meshes a history in Sikhism, modern-day engineering, and futurism to imagine and manifest his body of work bold monuments that breathe and change any landscape.
London-born, Ranbir was raised with significant influence from his uncle, Dave Sidhu, who has been President of EM Dynamics for over 30 years. This state-of-the-art facility provides a competitive edge in contract manufacturing, metal fabrication, CNC machining, integrated assembly, systems integration, and testing. Growing to understand a creative, untapped potential in the rigid environment, he soon imagined how he could convert cold steel into warm, breathing art.
His thoughts, meshing blood history with bold future-vision, became the base for the vital pieces we see now.
The beauty of Sikh culture is frequently being expressed through his designs. One of Ranbir’s recent collections entitled ‘Battle + Beauty’ strive to honor, observe and question the powerful events and ideologies of his own and inevitably all of our pasts. As a monument to foregone battles, it utilizes the iconography and symbolism that forti_es the legacies of Sikhism. Here, the tension between a beautiful thing’ being born through the chaos of battle is realized.
Replicated in gold and steel on a modular floor is the fierce weaponry attached to the turban worn by specific Sikh warriors (Dastar Bunga) serves multiple purposes in battle: distraction, intimidation, and convenience. It is a totemic statement of strength emblematic of lopsided victories and unexpected conquest in Sikh legend. The glory of these battles shines through the ages, from past to present, and on.
The installation of modular pieces emulates the moving earth beneath the warriors, where an elegant battleground is created. The field under the towering structures is patterned from the revered Golden Temple (replacing its marble with metal). The scene challenges viewers to reflect themselves, review the pride and perceptions it may bring, and understand beauty’s shifting nature.
Ranbir also has a deep appreciation for the music industry, which is reflected in several pieces. Ranbir’s connection with the art of music can be seen in his creative rendition of the paper airplane from iconic label Roc Nation’s branding in the form of functional art. In 2017, a contact at Republic Records simply shared an image of the sculpture with a Roc Nation executive who fell in love with it. That sculpture was sent to their New York office, where it is now displayed proudly in the listening room.
Based on that interest, a suite of Roc Nation items was created, showcasing Ranbir’s abilities and endless development possibilities.
This included a “paper airplane” executive desk, an airplane Boardroom table, a chandelier comprised of the logo airplanes, and a scaled ‘Marcy Project’ table with Jay-Z’s childhood home replica in Brooklyn under the glass. Upon request, Ranbir, through Futurezona, manufactured the executive desk as one of these pieces. It was then customized with ‘Jay-Z inspired’ features, including an inscribed slogan with 88 dots representing a pivotal year in Jay’s incredible career (1988).
“This exchange began the connection that we now enjoy with Jay and Roc Nation,” explains Ranbir Sidhu. “With an original sculpture in their NYC office and the stunning desk in the LA headquarters, we feel as though we’re bound with them from East to West.”
Always seeking a fantastic ‘next’ to be achieved, Ranbir Sidhu continues to expand the realm of art and culture with time, space, and form, all carefully considered, then realized. Some brilliance is loud and abrasive, flashing hot and fading fast. Others are nuanced with a measured subtlety, ringing with perpetual harmony. Ranbir stands apart with creations that borrow from histories, influence our present, and dwell in our futures. Flashing hot like a shooting star and burning bright like the North.
