Heart House
Heart House
The heart is the universal symbol for human emotion, which is why notions of closeness and vulnerability are expressed through this trope. Anything or anyone we adore is often referred to as “close to the heart.” One’s home is the most intimate built space that can be experienced, and Heart House is an architectural and sculptural allegory for this feeling of belonging. Each space in the house is a metaphor for the different members of the human heart, reflecting their functions and roles in oxygenating and recharging blood. The connectivity between the rooms of the house and their circulation paths are also akin to the movement of a blood molecule through the oxygenation process. This network generates a labyrinth of unique spaces, with both private nooks and expansive moments.
The heart is the universal symbol for human emotion, which is why notions of closeness and vulnerability are expressed through this trope. Anything or anyone we adore is often referred to as “close to the heart.” One’s home is the most intimate built space that can be experienced, and Heart House is an architectural and sculptural allegory for this feeling of belonging. Each space in the house is a metaphor for the different members of the human heart, reflecting their functions and roles in oxygenating and recharging blood. The connectivity between the rooms of the house and their circulation paths are also akin to the movement of a blood molecule through the oxygenation process. This network generates a labyrinth of unique spaces, with both private nooks and expansive moments.
studio March 2021
Keerat Kaur is a Canadian artist of Sikh-Panjabi heritage and a background as a licensed architect (OAA). Her multidisciplinary practice spans painting, sculpture, writing, music, and architecture. Rooted in the written word, her work weaves narrative and symbolism to explore themes of nature and spirituality, drawing deeply from Indic philosophies. In 2022, she self-published Panjabi Garden, a nature-inspired, illustrated Panjabi language-learning book that brings together her love of design, illustration, and language.
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Educated in French Immersion, she speaks Panjabi, French, and Hindi, and is currently studying the Shahmukhi script and the Braj language. She holds a BA from Western University (2012) and a Master of Architecture from the University of Toronto (2016), and continues to expand her practice through formal training in Indian Classical Music (Dhrupad and Khayaal) and traditional Pahari painting.
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Most recently, Keerat has been deeply engaged in exploring how the symbolism in her work transcends boundaries and evolves across various media. Keerat currently lives and works between Burnaby, BC and London, ON.
Keerat began visually experimenting at an early age, inspired to give a pictorial dimension to written and oral histories passed down from her elders. Her visual work has carried on a child-like whimsy, while becoming more heavily steeped in ancient narrative and enriched through meticulous ornamentation. She has exhibited internationally and has completed numerous private and public art commissions that have landed her pieces into the collections of well-renowned art collectors.
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Keerat has performed around the globe through vocal recitals that combine her traditional learning with modern music production. Being an avid listener of folk and spiritual music from different cultures, Keerat's songs have naturally become home to a diverse set of riffs, instrumentals and note patterns. Her music has become an extension of her visual story-telling, and she continues to practice Gurbani Keertan and Panjabi folk.
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As a licensed Architect, she has worked with reputable Architecture firms on commercial and residential projects across Southwestern Ontario. Her building science background has helped shape her career as an independent creative, and has instilled a diligence of technical refinement and iteration in her artistic output. She has also used this professional skill to explore the surreality of space, giving architectural materiality to her imagined narratives.
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Keerat's work will continue to be centered around inclusivity (of race, gender, religion, class), historical preservation, and emotional empowerment
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Public Clients include: Vancouver Canucks, TransLink, Bank of Montreal, Apple Inc. Indian Heritage Centre-Singapore, Toronto Biennial, City of Toronto, Jaipur Literature Festival, Create Vancouver Society, Ghetts Limited OBO Little Simz, Kashi House Publishing, South Asian Canadian Histories Association and others.
