Inspired by PRIDE

This collection highlights artworks and artists on the Rise Art platform engaging with the rich history of LGBTQ+ communities. Explore a kaleidoscopic range of works delving into ideas around identity, acceptance, and the queer experience.

A Proud History

Thom Higgins, a gay rights activist and one-half of the first legally married same-sex couple in America, first coined the term ‘gay pride’ in the late 1960s. The history of LGBTQ+ people is as old as the history of humanity itself, and each year countries worldwide come together to celebrate the stories, movements, and moments shared by LGBTQ+ communities.

In a world where members of the LGBTQ+ community still face persecution, it is still as important as ever to celebrate and fight for LGBTQ+ rights.

Artwork Selection

From cigarette paper drawings to embroidered installations inspired by gay porn, James Robert Morrison uses a variety of mediums to reflect on the experience of discovering his sexuality and his journey to understanding, accepting and valuing it.

Gavin Dobson also explores homosexuality in his colourful paintworks, looking into various LGBTQ+ subcultures and the secret codes and behaviours which surround them.

Oleksandr Balbyshev looks at male sexuality and sensuality through a style that merges elements of surrealism and pop art.