With the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising serving as the backdrop to this year’s Pride festivities, New York City will host the country’s first ever WorldPride with the WorldPride Mural Project. The initiative is celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community by commissioning 50 local and international artists to create 50 paintings at 50 locations across New York City’s five boroughs throughout the month of June.
“Art, in all its forms, has always been an integral means of expression in the LGBTQIA+ community, and particularly meaningful to the fabric of New York City’s culture,” said Chris Frederick, executive director of NYC Pride. “Street art is a poetic example of this expression and the 50 WorldPride muralists will, no doubt, combine beauty and poignant messaging at a time when our collective stories can be—and must be—told.”
Featured artists include MadC, Tatyana Fazlalizadeh, Zanele Muholi, THE DRiF, Solus, Steph Burr, Indie 184, Jenna Morello, Remi Rough, D*Face, and many more. Street artist Buff Monster, whose mural is taking up real estate on Chrystie Street just south of Broome on the Lower East Side, said working with WorldPride was a natural fit. “For years, I’ve championed the color pink as symbol of confidence, happiness, and individuality. I also use bright colors and fun characters to enlighten the world. I think the colors and feel of the mural are a great contribution to the neighborhood and really fit with the tone of the Pride celebration.”
Bio, of the art collective Tats Cru “The Mural Kings” who has contributed a mural at the Arlo NoMad Hotel, was honored to use his artistic voice to bring awareness to the movement. “I used my rough-shaped heart motif—which I am known for—while incorporating a few quotes such as ‘Love is Love,’ ‘Equality,’ ‘Amor,’ ‘Stop Profiling.’ I felt the heart was perfect for this project because, in the end, the message is LOVE IS LOVE! I feel the city has evolved since Stonewall—it has a way to go, but we are headed in the right direction.”
The WorldPride Mural Project is a partnership with NYC Pride in collaboration with production and curation partner, LISA Project NYC, and partners HSBC and Macy’s. To see the list of locations where the murals will be displayed, visit the WorldPride Mural Project.
(Photos Courtesy of Melody Melamed)
