The Proud

Q BAR MURAL

Artists: Mickey Harmon and Ari Moore

Medium: Paint

Location: 44 Allen Street

Along with graffiti and street art, one of the key predecessors of today’s mural movement was Mexican muralism, which dates from the 1920s. Murals painted by Diego Rivera, Jose Clemente Orozco and David Alfaro Siqueiros, often focusing on Mexico’s heroes and history, were storytelling at its finest. “Los Tres Grandes” used public art to promote cultural pride among disenfranchised communities and encourage social revolution.  

In the 1960s, the Chicano Mural Movement in the US continued the tradition of fostering pride, calling attention to injustice, and honoring heroes who would overwise not otherwise not get their due. The influence of these artists can be seen in the murals honoring those whose lives have changed our world—from the LBGTQ heroes painted on the walls of Q Bar to the George Floyd memorials on walls around the globe.

This mural was created by artists Mickey Harmon and Ari Moore to celebrate LBGTQ heroes. The Albright-Knox later signed on to sponsor the work. A list of the figures honored can be found on the Albright-Knox website.