In conversation with Narinder Sagoo MBE

“Creativity gives people agency and permission to imagine themselves differently.”

 - Narinder Sagoo MBE

Narinder Sagoo MBE. All images courtesy of the artist Narinder Sagoo MBE.

Together We Art, now in its third edition, is taking place this year at the National Army Museum in Chelsea, London from 28-30 January. The free exhibition is open to the public and will feature donated artworks spanning drawing, paintings, photography, ceramics and sculpture, donated from over 35 international artists. The exhibition will support the raising of funds for the global charity Life Project 4 Youth.

Narinder Sagoo MBE, Senior Partner at Foster + Partners and renowned architectural artist, has embarked on an ambitious new personal project in support of Life Project 4 Youth (LP4Y), a charity that works towards the upliftment of young adults living in extreme poverty and suffering from exclusion. Narinder has been an ambassador for LP4Y since 2022.

Titled “10,310”, the artwork honours every young person who has participated in LP4Y’s programmes since the charity’s founding in 2009. The piece comprises 10,310 individually hand-drawn characters, each one representing a single young adult empowered through LP4Y’s education, livelihood and entrepreneurship initiatives across Asia, the Middle East and Africa.

The drawings will be assembled into one large-scale collective composition, symbolising the strength and impact of the LP4Y community worldwide. The completed artwork will be unveiled and auctioned at the Royal Army Museum in London, with all proceeds supporting LP4Y’s ongoing programmes.

Ahead of the exhibition, FLO London connected with Narinder to speak about his art and his ambassadorship for Life Project 4 Youth.

“10,310” is an inspiringly huge undertaking. What did you learn through the creative process? What were the challenges?

What I learned most was the power of consistency and presence. Drawing 10,310 individual figures wasn’t about speed or efficiency, it was about showing up, again and again, and giving each mark equal care. Every figure mattered, just as every life represented matters.

The main challenge was time, not just finding it, but protecting it. I chose to work in sketchbooks so the drawing could travel with me. I drew at home, in the studio, on public transport, and on planes. That mobility turned the challenge into a strength. It allowed the work to grow slowly and honestly alongside everyday life. There were moments of fatigue, of course, but those moments were also reminders of why the piece existed in the first place.

My message to those reading this is that you can never say you don’t have time or energy to help. There is always time, if you choose to see it.

All images courtesy of the artist Narinder Sagoo MBE

Your work with LP4Y includes mentoring, creative fundraising, and advocacy through art. How have you seen creativity influence change, in communities, in individuals, and in yourself?

Creativity gives people agency and permission to imagine themselves differently. I’ve seen young people who arrive with very little confidence begin to articulate ideas, express pride, and see value in their own voice through creative engagement. That shift is profound.

In communities, creativity builds connection. It creates a shared language across cultures, backgrounds, and circumstances. For LP4Y, it becomes a tool for dignity as much as expression.

I’ve found that creativity isn’t just a voice or a form of expression - it is a way of listening. It has been a powerful force in my personal journey, not only in pursuing my own dreams, but in taking others along with me. Creativity has made me more patient and more attentive. It has slowed me down. It has taught me to listen better, to people, to process, to silence. Advocacy through art doesn’t shout; it invites. That has changed how I approach both my professional and personal life. In this sense, my contributions to architecture and to charity have always been about the collective journey.

You’ve been an ambassador for LP4Y since 2022. How has that journey been, and were there any stand-out moments for you along the way?

The journey has been deeply humbling. LP4Y operates with extraordinary care and integrity, always placing the individual at the centre. One stand-out moment for me was seeing the nurseries whilst in Nepal - Little Angels Academy - embedded within the centres. Watching young women take turns caring for each other’s children so everyone can participate fully in the programme is a powerful act of collective support.

Another defining moment has been witnessing how art opens doors in conversations around funding and awareness. Art creates emotional access. It allows people to engage not just intellectually, but humanly, and that often leads to action.

In Nepal, I took dream diaries, bright yellow sketchbooks, for the young women to draw each other in. Whilst drawing, they visualised each other’s dreams for the future through the pencil. I had each pencil inscribed with inspirational quotes that I wrote: “Let the pencil do the talking,” “Draw your dreams,” “Every line tells a story.” I will never forget the joy I saw in their eyes as their dreams became marks on paper. I hope the drawings served as forms of self-affirmation, for dreams to become reality.

All images courtesy of the artist Narinder Sagoo MBE

What should visitors expect from the Together We Art exhibition?

There will be an incredible collection of very different pieces of art and a generosity of artists who selflessly expect nothing other than raising as much money as possible for LP4Y. The room will be filled with works rooted in lived experience, resilience, and hope, expressed through marks on paper, paint, pencil, ink, and sculpture.

I hope visitors will see how easy it can be to turn the energy of our daily lives and passions into such meaningful contributions to the lives of those less privileged. I also hope they see the artwork being auctioned and sold for vast amounts of money!

Is there a question you wish you were asked more often?

Yes - “How do you sustain hope over such a long period of advocacy?”

My answer would be: by focusing on individuals, not statistics. Change doesn’t happen all at once. It happens one life at a time. LP4Y understands that deeply. When you stay close to the human stories, the effort, the courage, the small victories, hope stops being abstract. It becomes practical, tangible, and renewable.

Your efforts to help others will eventually become greater than the sum of their parts.

Find out more about the Together We Art exhibition here: togetherweart.com