Harlem Pride kicks off with 'Coming Out' art show

Harlem Pride kicked off their June festivities with a "Coming Out" exhibit at the Casa Frela gallery in New York City.

LGBT organizations from all over New York City sponsored local artists to produce art expressing their vision of the LGBT community.

There was no shortage of variety in the artwork present or in the artists themselves. Artist Seth Ruggles Hiler chose his sponsor, Services and Advocacy for Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Elders (SAGE), as the subject of his bright, colorful painting. The people in his painting sit smiling, in a horseshoe facing towards the subject, inviting them into their experience.

Harlem Pride's Time Has Come

The artwork ranged in theme from the celebratory, the angry, and scared to the carnal, radical, and proud. The works were as diverse in tone, theme, and medium as the community they aimed to represent. Gallery curator and Harlem Pride co-founder Lawrence Rodriguez said of the event, "There's a lot more to learn through art that's positive about the community."

Artist Lynn Lieberman, commissioned by the Callan-Lorde Community Health Center, described her decision to paint for the event as easy once she toured Callan-Lorde, which she described as a "really impressive place." Her simple description also fits the Casa Frela Gallery that Saturday afternoon or Harlem during this month of Harlem Pride.

-mr