If you’ve been by Buchanan in the past month, you have probably already seen the murals in the courtyard. They're more than just paintings on pillars. The Brushes and Buchanan event is an annual legacy project by the Arts Undergraduate Society (AUS), the UBC Arts & Culture district and the Faculty of Arts Dean's Office, to celebrate the diversity of the UBC student body.
With this year’s theme of "Equity and Inclusion," artists have gathered to unleash their creativity and start conversations about breaking down barriers to representation.
AUS Equity and Inclusion Coordinator Sarina Virani, alongside members of the Ismaili Students Association, painted Islam: A Mosaic, Not a Monolith.
" Each intricate square and diamond pays homage to the beauty of Islamic art, traditions and culture."
As a Muslim woman of colour who experienced Islamophobia in her predominantly white high school, Virani wants to depict that Muslims are not a homogenous group. “I want people who have seen the pillar and people reading this article to see Muslims for who we are — see the diversity, beauty, art, and rich cultural expressions,” said Virani.
Her piece strongly rejects the reductive stereotypes of Muslims in the media, and it also serves as an invitation for everyone to be proud of their faith.
Jasper Berehulke is an Indigenous Queer artist whose mural centres Trans experiences at UBC. Berehulke wants to be a voice (or a brush) to acknowledge the difficulties Trans people at UBC face, and make them feel less alone.
“I want to let a lot of people know that we are here … It can be very hard to be a Trans student at the UBC campus, given the past year fighting for gender-affirming health care at UBC. Having that be debated on campus has been emotionally draining for people.”
Despite these difficulties, Berehulke wants his mural to signal hope to Trans people on campus by showing they are loved, and that their power and pride is supported and represented in a visible spot on campus.
These 16 pillars are more than just paintings — they are daily reminders of the diverse communities campus holds. The next time you go to Buchanan, you should check them out. Better yet, you can consider painting a pillar yourself next year.