Thukral was born in Jalandhar, Punjab; he received a BFA from Chandigarh College of Art and his MFA from the Delhi College of Art. Tagra was born in New Delhi; he received a BFA from the Delhi College of Art and later studied at the National Institute of Design in Ahmedabad. Together, the artists’ early work dealt with the intricacies of consumer culture globally. More recently, their interest in ecology and climate change revisits their family histories of migration and farming in the Indian state of Punjab.
As an artistic practice, Thukral & Tagra creates new formats of public engagement, attempting to expand the threshold of what art can do. These include: a non-profit foundation that addresses ongoing social issues through education and art; a collaborative learning lab called Pollinator that fosters cross-pollinations across creative fields; and a publishing platform called andArchive that reconfigures the potential of print and the archive. Furthermore, the studio’s immersive, multi-modal, sensory installations offer seamless accessibility to audiences from varied backgrounds and approaches, breaking through the spectatorial protocols of high art.
Thukral and Tagra have cultivated their artistic practice through residencies including PROGR in 2018, Meissen Porcelain in 2012-2016, Edition Copenhagen in 2012 and STPI in 2009. Their work has been exhibited by institutions including Lalit Kala Akademi, Bikaner House, Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, Sharjah Art Foundation, Warehouse421, Yorkshire Sculpture Park, Helsinki Art Museum, Centre Pompidou, SCAD Museum of Art and Art Gallery of Alberta. The studio has been recognised by awards including Hello! Hall of Fame, GQ Man of The Year, D&AD and Limca Book of Records.
