A heart-shaped, neon sign has been installed near Davie and Burrard, at the entrance to Vancouver’s gay village.
The piece, called the ‘Heart of Davie Village’, was installed as part of the Lumière Vancouver festival, and was designed by local artist Jim Balakshin.
The 4 ft. by 4 ft. heart-shaped sign is double-sided and mounted on a 10 ft. tall pole near the entrance to the Fountainhead Pub.
Balakshin says the sign is a recognition of the historical geography of the Davie Village and the contributions of the community towards the political advancements of LGBTQ2+ rights across Canada.
He adds the sign’s design was influenced by vintage roadside signage and advertising imagery.
Unfortunately, the sign is not permanent and is scheduled to be removed in February 2018. A petition has begun to make the sign a permanent fixture in the neighbourhood, and can be signed here.
I’m all in as far as gay rights go. But i have to say, pink hearts and rainbows like this only act to infantilize the gay rights movement. This type of ‘branding’ makes it difficult to take the whole movement seriously – Seriously.
I think it’s more about the ‘heart of the village’ concept, rather than the heart being a symbol of the LGBT movement.