“This project is a tribute to life,” said artist Lilian Agar, who paints portraits of members of the Salt Lake queer community in bright, hopeful colors, paired with audio files of the sitter’s coming out story. The stories and the portraits themselves feel brave, thoughtful, nuanced, self-accepting, and relatable.

Such a project felt immediate and urgent, for Agar, who was raised Catholic in Mexico and struggled with suicidal ideations as they sought to claim their identity. Like Agar, many LGBTQ+ youth face deep rejection from their community, their religion, and their family. Is sadly at times, that their lives become a high price to pay for truth and peace. The Trevor Project’s 2020 national survey on LGBTQ+ youth mental health found that 40% of the 40,000 respondents had seriously considered attempting suicide in the past twelve months. In Utah, which ranks 6th in the nation for suicide mortality, these patterns present a serious health crisis.

The title of the exhibition, A Hug Away: A Breathing Temple of Love, is an offering of affection to those struggling. “Society has normalized the understanding that ‘advocating’ urges to ‘fight’ for what’s right,” said Agar. “But what if we can ‘fight’ by accepting each other’s choices, respecting each other’s identities and sexual orientation and celebrating diversity?” Using her interactive artwork as a site to create more safety, healing, and hope for a more inclusive future for LGBTQ+ people, Agar said, “It’s imperative that we work together to build a better Utah for our queer youth because they deserve it, and we as society deserve it. We have no time to lose, and so many lives to save.”