She’s a Punjabi visual artist who has worked with the Canucks and TransLink. Now Jag Nagra is bringing her unique art to Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s Surrey campus.
For nearly two weeks, Nagra has been working on a mural that explores culture, identity and self-expression.
“It’s something very personal and very meaningful to me,” says Nagra. “I’m a queer woman myself and to have this kind of representation for the South Asian queer community is huge.”
The first panel of the mural has a peacock whose feathers become the dupatta of the drag queen in the middle. Beside that is a trans coloured rose to represent the trans community.
“Then I have a bald eagle carrying a pride flag and a rainbow saying, ‘love is love’ in Indian languages,” adds Nagra.
The mural unveiling is set to take place in the Cedar Commons at KPU Surrey on Feb. 12.
“To have this kind of representation here, such a big mural in such a prominent location, even if it helps one person who might be closeted and struggling. They can see this and it’ll give them a little glimmer of hope and that’s all I could hope for,” says Nagra.
Nagra’s work is on display throughout the Lower Mainland. She’s responsible for the South Asian-inspired artwork from Komagata Maru Place street sign, the Vaisakhi Translink bus wrap, and the Diwali jerseys for the Vancouver Canucks.
She also designed the street banners for the Punjabi Market, murals at Guildford Town Centre and Newton Athletic Park, and artwork in the Museum of Vancouver's permanent collection.