About
Bisma Jay is a queer Punjabi visual artist based in Toronto. Jay’s work delves into the intersection of identity, socio-economic issues, and cultural narratives. Through their art, Jay aims to elevate and create nuanced representation of queer and trans BIPOC individuals living in the diaspora. Their work is a testament to their dedication to social justice and representation, offering a lens into the complex layers of contemporary existence. Working across photography, cyanotype installation, and text, their practice explores queer South Asian histories, domestic space, and intergenerational memory. Jay holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Photography from OCAD University and is currently completing a Master of Fine Arts in Visual Art at York University, where their research is supported by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) Canada Graduate Scholarship. Their work has been exhibited in group and solo exhibitions across Toronto and internationally, including presentations in New York City and Bratislava, Slovakia. Alongside their studio practice, Jay has worked within community arts and nonprofit spaces supporting queer youth and emerging artists.
Photo by Lily Platt
Solo Shows:
Undertones - She Said Gallery, Toronto, January 2026
Group Exhibitions:
Thresholds - The Remote Gallery, Toronto, March 2026
Tracing Junctures - Gales Gallery, Toronto, December 2025
Threads In Between - Special Projects Gallery, Toronto, October 2025
Echoes of the Everyday - Gales Gallery, Toronto, September 2025
Misneach - Propellor Art Gallery, Toronto, July 2025
Cellophane Hearts - Brooklyn Art Cave, New York City, October 2024
Geary Art Crawl - Geary Street, Toronto, October 2024
Kennedy Subway Station (Permanent) - Toronto, since January 2024
VASA Arts Festival - Beaux Arts Gallery, Brampton, July 2024
OFF Festival - Bratislava Slovakia, October 2022
Gender and the Lens III - Gales Gallery, Toronto, October 2022
GradEx - OCAD University, Toronto, May 2022
Shine On, Doors Open - Nathan Philips Square, Toronto, May 2022
Making Gender - OCAD University (virtual), Toronto, March 2021
New Depths, Scarborough Arts - Virtual, Toronto, February 2021
Residencies:
Eco-Arts Residency - Las Nubes, Costa Rica, 2026
Feminist Photography Network - Gibraltar Point, Toronto, 2023
Gallery 44 X BIPOC Mentorship Program - Toronto, 2021
Awards:
SSHRC Grant
York University Fellowship
ArtReach, Artist Creation Grant
Briarpatch Magazine, Writing in the Margins Competition Winner, 2022
Homepage for Change - March Grant Recipient, 2022
Scarborough Arts, 36th Annual Juried Exhibition - 2nd Place, 2021