اجوکے پنجابی گاوناں وچ ہتھیاراں دا وکھالا:بیمار آرٹ یاں ثقافتی اظہار؟

Sick Art or Cultural Expression? An Aesthetic–Philosophical Inquiry into Weapon Imagery in Punjabi Songs

Abstract

This research article critically examines the representation of weapons in contemporary Punjabi songs and interprets this trend through the concept of “sick art.” The study begins by outlining the theoretical foundations of fine art, emphasizing its aesthetic, ethical, and social dimensions. It then provides a brief historical overview of fine art in Punjab, demonstrating how traditional Punjabi artistic forms, particularly folk music and poetry, were grounded in humanistic values, cultural harmony, resistance, and collective identity rather than the glorification of violence. Building upon this historical and aesthetic framework, the article analyzes selected modern Punjabi songs in which weapons appear as prominent lyrical and visual symbols. The study argues that such representations mark a departure from the principles of fine art and contribute to the normalization of aggression, hyper-masculinity, and power-based identity. This shift transforms music into a form of sick art, where violence is aestheticized and cultural expression is reduced to spectacle. The article concludes that the persistent glorification of weapons in contemporary Punjabi music reflects an aesthetic and cultural degeneration, and it calls for renewed artistic responsibility and a re-engagement with the ethical and cultural values of Punjabi fine art.