With Pride Week 2021 in full swing there's some new art up (temporarily) around downtown.
The Vancouver Pride Art Walk has a bunch of stops with everything from musical steps to a giant lace peacock to out-of-this-world paintings. Vancouver Pride says the pieces are meant to celebrate queer folks and culture.
The different pieces vary from straightforward paintings to more participatory pieces, like "All Flowers Deserve to Play" by semillites hernández velasco, which explores the support some receive, or don't receive, as they transition. It also offers a chance to hopscotch.
"We deserve to walk through our transition with joy, accompanied by flowers and loved ones in public," they write.
For some artists, the Pride art walk is a chance to be seen by a wider audience.
"This was one of the first times somebody had approached me to maybe do a larger installation, so it took a lot of figuring out, and there were some bumps along the way, but I really couldn’t be happier with how it turned out!" writes Chase Gray, who created "Summer of Pride."
The large circular wood and paint piece mixes Salish design and symbols of Pride, like the eight-striped rainbow and a reference to the Trans flag.
Other pieces include the massive peacock that is "Strut 2018." Located in Morton Park, the huge white bird dominates the tiny public space. There's also the wild "Purrride" by Galactickitty sitting a the back of Jim Deva Plaza on Davie Street, among others.
