Celebrating Queer Art: reimagining iconic logos in the style of renowned queer artists

Pride was always meant to be seen. Prior to 1969, any publicly identified LGBTQ+ person could be subject to harassment and threats of violence by police, even when they gathered in private.

On June 28, an NYC police raid on the Stonewall Inn gay bar—one of the few havens for a group already pushed to the margins of society—sparked a massive riot. Over two days, the patrons marched in the streets, demanding not only the right to share a drink in peace and quiet, but to be seen for the human beings they are. This watershed event was the birth of LGBTQ+ Pride celebration, which commemorates the rioters’ brave actions through annual parades and demonstrations. Now 54 years later, LGBTQ+ Pride is seen around the world every June.

Not only did the first Pride spawn an international liberation movement, it has contributed to the enduring visual culture that unifies LGBTQ+ people. This has included recognizable symbols as well as the rainbow colors of the Pride flag. Of course, queer art has existed long before the Stonewall riots. Back when laws criminalized homosexuality and medical institutions pathologized gender nonconformance, speaking openly about LGBTQ+ subjects meant risking your livelihood, if not your life. Visual art, therefore, became the prime vehicle for rendering, navigating, and expressing the complexity of queer identity without words.

Whether it’s Frida Kahlo’s surreal exploration of identity through self-portraiture or Keith Haring’s joyful and accessible...