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More hate vandalism on Capitol Hill: City says AIDS Memorial Pathway installations torn down

“When thinking about a temporary art, I thought about the condom, and how, at the start of the AIDs crisis, it became this necessary evil. This thing that people had to utilize and it was a constant reminder of death, of infection, it was a killjoy in a lot of ways. I wanted to take that thing, which was a symbol of fear, and turn it into something of beauty. Now that we’re sort of past that hump and we can look back with more appreciation of the struggle everyone went through and feelings people had. I used about 1000 condoms between the four pieces.” — Pete Rush – AMP Broadway

Artwork installed for Pride around the Capitol Hill Station mixed-use development construction site was ripped down almost as quickly as it went up over the weekend. The city’s Office of Arts and Culture said it is working on getting the works replaced.

Work by artists including Gabriel Stromberg, Pete Rush, and Timothy White Eagle were ripped down in the vandalism. The installations are part of the project creating the AIDS Memorial Pathway, a walkway featuring artwork and tributes that will connect the mixed-use buildings to nearby Cal Anderson Park when it opens in 2020.

CHS visited with the artists who contributed works to the temporary installations meant to bring attention to the project and LGBTQ causes during Pride. We’ve included images of the destroyed works in happier days from last week’s Queer Art Walk.

David Rue, another artist working on the AMP project, will begin a series of pop-up performances Friday, June 21st at 5:30 PM when students from Spectrum Dance are set to performa on Capitol Hill Light Station’s South Mezzanine. The Rue-curated performances will continue on third Fridays into November.

Jenny Durkan, the city’s first openly gay woman to serve as mayor, kicked off Seattle’s 2019 celebration of Pride with a Stonewall-themed flag raising ceremony at City Hall earlier this month.

Seattle has seen a steady rise in reported hate incidents including vandalism and graffiti that, like other bias crimes, is frequently reported “along busy thoroughfares and in highly racially diverse block-groups.” Unlike other bias incidents, the vandalism is reported more frequently in areas of Seattle “that are mostly White and White-Asian,” according to the city’s analysis.

The damage to the AMP art follows an incident over the weekend in which the Pride flag outside E Olive Way queer-friendly bar The Crescent was ripped down before being quickly replaced.

Trans Pride Seattle organizers at the Gender Justice League have also released a statement addressing concerns about right-wing protests as the league works to bring together the June 28th event in Cal Anderson.

 

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Adam
Adam
4 years ago

Welcome to pride in the era of MAGA

Baruch
Baruch
4 years ago

Only hateful idiots do stuff like this. If you are someone who does this kind of thing, know this…you are an idiot…a backwards un-evolved indecent person, and you ARE being replaced.

Art Kuniyuki
Art Kuniyuki
4 years ago

We are fortunate that the original visions of the artists helping the Temporary Artwork installations of the AMP: AIDS Memorial Pathway are preserved on our FB and Instagram pages with photos taken before and during the recent Queer Art Walk. We invite everyone to celebrate Pride Month and view the amazing talents of our artists!

Art Kuniyuki
Art Kuniyuki
4 years ago

We are fortunate that the original visions of the artists helping the Temporary Artwork installations of the AMP: AIDS Memorial Pathway are preserved on our FB and Instagram pages with photos taken before and during the recent Queer Art Walk. We invite everyone to celebrate Pride Month and view the amazing talents of our artists!

Ready and aware
Ready and aware
4 years ago

We in the LGBTQ community are under a long, sustained attack from the right, from Christians, from fascists, from many hate groups. My husband and I, both middle-aged, out gay men, live here on the Hill and have to now carry tasers/defense when we walk our dogs. I’m aware of everyone, ready to defend myself. They, the far-right, are now invading our neighborhood, looking for us, looking to hurt us. Should one of them choose to fuck with me, they will be dropped to the ground with two bloody shattered knees with lead in them. Bring it on.