Stonewall Columbus has unveiled a new public art installation representing a “unified” take on pride and identity.
“Price Circles” by Columbus artist Lisa McLymont was commissioned by the Short North Alliance in partnership with Stonewall. The installation is situated around the entrance of Stonewall to offer a “welcoming embrace around the many voices and identities in the community who enter,” reads a press release.
“It was such an honor to be privy to the thoughtful and intentional considerations that Lisa McLymont gave to accepting this commission and the creation of this piece,” said Densil Porteous, executive director of Stonewall Columbus. “Pride Circles is a wonderful physical representation of our community’s interconnected work and the accountability that we must all agree to so as to ensure we create positive ripples of change.”
“Pride Circles is a powerful project that both fosters inclusivity and continues to push Columbus toward more innovative infusions of art in public space,” said Betsy Pandora, executive director of the Short North Alliance.
The piece reimagines the pride and identityflags in the LGBTQ+ community in the form of pond ripples. In a statement, McLymont said the design feels more visually impactful than the traditional pride flags.
McLymont also reflected on Stonewall itself—including the organization’s handling of the 2017 incident with the Black Pride 4, its relative silence during last summer’s protests, and how hopeful she is in their push and commitment to change.
“When invited to create a visual work for Stonewall Columbus in the Short North, I immediately remembered the rift that opened in our community in 2017, during that year’s Pride event. I also recalled that the original Stonewall in New York was the well known start of a riot, started by Black and Latino trans people that sparked a national and ongoing conversation about the rights of trans people, gays, and lesbians in America. That riot was started by people who, pushed to the margins, had seen lifetimes of oppression, and their patience had finally run out.
“Though Stonewall has going through some major changes since 2017, the building stood silent during the Black Lives Matter/George Floyd protests in 2020. Being a community center, I hoped for more. Despite my wariness, I am hopeful because of the many friends and acquaintances I know who I see have stepped up to commit to making change within. I am honored to have a chance to share my creativity in their push to be the community resource we desire them to be.”
A celebration with McLymont is planned for Pride Month in June 2022 with details forthcoming.
For more information, visit stonewallcolumbus.org.