Safe spaces, histories and the intersectionality of it all
Jasmin Linton (she/her) // Contributor
Parnit Kaur (she/her) // Illustrator
An artist’s experiences and pasts are their biggest arsenal for ideas, thoughts and creativity. A big part of that arsenal comes from a web of religion, self and community. Sikhi is one such faith that carries stories of strength and endurance, narratives that come to life through vibrant works of art. Today, we will talk to two such artists with different styles and media who tell their stories through profound art and look at the experiences and memories that helped bring them to life. Both artists take their learned histories, past experiences and mix them together with the pride and turmoil that comes from living and communicating with religion.
Monica Cheema is a filmmaker who uses her craft to tell parts of history that have been left out and forgotten. Her work focuses on historic sites, collective history and the significance this knowledge brings to the table. “What I’m interested in about that is really thinking about what we leave out when we tell those stories or anything that might be absent and then I try to use filmmaking as a way to make those questions visible,” she says.
Cheema uses history as a teaching tool, weaving in her own grief and strife to enhance and bring authentic vibrance to the story she tells. Some of the historical events she has touched on include the Ghadar Movement and the Canadian Farmworkers Union, reframing them through a personal and deeply human lens.
Using her personal experiences, Cheema questions the status quo of how events are remembered historically. In one such instance, she talks about her paternal family and how her filmmaking converses with her personal as well as a larger history. “I grew up around model hobby trains. My dad was really obsessed with them, and that became a window into thinking about how this model hobby train world doesn’t really represent the way in which railways were actually constructed,” she says, “There was so much racialized labour. There was a separation between the world of these model hobby trains and then our actual railway history.” Through her work, Cheema bridges this gap, challenging viewers to confront the untold stories that hide beneath the surface of collective memory.
It is here that Cheema’s personal identity and a collective Sikh identity fully weave together to come up with the perfect balance of stories retold and harsh commentary that reflects the real histories they portray. She explains, “I want to be remembered for asking difficult questions in gentle ways,” emphasizing her desire to “speak to the absence in historical archives. “
Kiran Singh is an artist focused on poetry and embroidery. Taking a lot of inspiration from the community around him, Singh’s artistic practice is a reflection of his experiences as a queer Sikh person. Through poetry, textiles, and visual art, he explores the intersections of identity, spirituality, and memory. His work often weaves together fragments of his personal narrative, examining how heritage and self-expression weave together to make something beautiful.
“It’s very interesting to me because there have been times when I’ve written poetry, and it’s only tackled one issue, but as I’ve grown older, I’ve gotten more experienced, I’ve gotten more comfortable with my multiple identities, with myself. Aspects of all my identities are present in my art, and the way I approach my art,” Singh explains. His work is incredibly personal, drawing from memories like his grandmother’s hand-woven blankets, Punjabi that filled his childhood home and the textures of traditional fabrics. While evoking a sense of nostalgia, Singh converses between the complex layers of intersectionality of his identity.
His art also invites viewers to engage with broader narratives. Singh touches on the all too common feeling of being split between two different cultures, making the concept of “home” complex, while saying, “but it’s also not complicated at the same time because…what makes something home is something that I have been dealing with for many, many years.” He adds, “Especially when you come to a place, come to a cold, cold place—and I don’t just mean cold and temperature—a cold place like Canada as an international student, as an immigrant.” It is through this dual lens that Singh’s pieces often speak of experiences as an immigrant in Canada.
Singh recognizes the evolving representation of Sikh artists in Vancouver, citing the importance of platforms like Sikh Heritage Month in bringing awareness and joy to culture, community and histories. He also emphasizes that more visibility and a solid platform are needed to create systemic change. “We need these big organizations that have existed here for decades and decades that have been getting crazy amounts of funding because of their legacy status to look around to see whether what they’re doing is reflective of British Columbia right now or not,” he says.
Singh seeks to bridge the disconnect between Sikh identity and queerness. Referring to anyone who feels, “that they don’t belong here, you know, whether they are recent immigrants, whether they are international students, whether they are Punjabi queers,” to look at his arts and, “to refute that notion in their head. I want them to feel like they can belong.” He says he wants to make them feel as though, “they can be bold and they can exist as their many different personalities, as their many different identities rather.” Singh uses this exploration of nuances in identity to challenge rigid binaries that reject intersectionality while creating a space and encouraging others to do the same.
Cheema and Singh both embrace their art in all its forms, using it as a powerful tool for communication and dialogue. Their creations serve not only as reflections and conversations of faith but also as bridges to educate others about Sikh histories and practices. Through their experiences, they weave personal narratives into their work, shaping their artistic expression with meaning and intention.