Vandalized “Trans Lives are Sacred” billboard to remain on display
The recently targeted billboard at Hamilton Artists Inc. will be left up as a symbol of resilience
On Sept. 29, 2024, Hamilton Artists Inc. shared on Instagram that their billboard at the corner of Cannon St. W and James St. N had been targeted by vandalism. “This graffiti began with a transphobic meme taped onto our billboard, moving to transphobic comments written in sharpie, until finally ripping the billboard all the way across,” reads the statement.
Hamilton Artists Inc. reported the vandalism as a hate incident via the Hamilton Anti-Racism Resource Centre's online form.
Hamilton Artists Inc is a not-for-profit, artist-run organization which facilitates arts programing such as workshops, lectures, and gallery exhibitions. The “Trans Lives are Sacred” billboard was created as part of a billboard exchange with The New Gallery in Calgary in response to an increase in anti-2SLGBTQQIA+ legislation in Alberta. Non-binary illustrator Ris Wong was commissioned to create the art piece, which was installed this past summer.
Wong shared with the Silhouette that they were excited about having their artwork displayed in Hamilton. “I think because I move around and stuff, understanding the idea of space and trans folks needing to create that community space ourselves and [connect] with each other ... It was really cool to know across the country that there [are] these artist spaces, there’s these spaces that folks are trying to create and that my piece could be so simultaneously far away from where I’m physically located but also be able to be displayed somewhere else where there’s other community members living,” said Wong.
It was really cool to know across the country that there [are] these artist spaces, there’s these spaces that folks are trying to create and that my piece could be so simultaneously far away from where I’m physically located but also be able to be displayed somewhere else where there’s other community members living.
Ris Wong, artist
The illustration for the billboard was inspired by a piece Wong created for Kait Hatch’s “Sacred Love/Sacred Lives” project. Wong, along with other artists who are trans, queer, or disabled, have contributed digital artwork featuring phrases such as “Trans Love is Sacred” and “Disabled Lives are Sacred” for Hatch to embroider.
The illustration depicts vines with thorns and flowers and the words “Trans Lives are Sacred” and “Trans Joy is Sacred.” “Thorns are very resilient. Plants grow thorns because they want to protect themselves. It’s a natural way of evolving to be a defensive measure ... it fit really well together with the imagery,” said Wong.
Wong is currently located in Vancouver and said they heard about the vandalism over email.
“I think it’s quite common for murals and things that are in public spaces to have people write on it. I expect a sort of interaction with things like this,” said Wong. “It was both unsurprising but also kind of shocking [that] someone was so angry or felt so wronged by something that probably didn’t really affect them.”
It was both unsurprising but also kind of shocking [that] someone was so angry or felt so wronged by something that probably didn’t really affect them.
Ris Wong, artist
“It feels like the more visibility that queer and trans folks have gotten, the more of a target we’ve become. We want to fight for that visibility of being out there and knowing that we exist. But also now that we’re so visible, now we can be these very very prominent targets of policy, backlash and hate," said Wong.
After discussing the matter with Wong, Hamilton Artists Inc. decided to leave the billboard on display and add further to the artwork. “I don’t think that removing it or hiding that this happened is a way of showing resilience. I actually really love the idea that it doesn’t really matter. I expressed in the work that vines grow back. Things stay, they’re resilient, they resist being removed,” said Wong.
“It’s a good thing having the billboard stay there with [the] damage and having other community members work around it or over it. There’s this statement that you can try to remove us and you can damage and enact this kind of violence but we’re still here, we still exist and you can’t do anything about it. Our community stands together in spite of it,” said Wong.
There’s this statement that you can try to remove us and you can damage and enact this kind of violence but we’re still here, we still exist and you can’t do anything about it. Our community stands together in spite of it.
Ris Wong, artist
Wong noted that there are plans to invite a local artist or an arts collective to work around or over the damage. The billboard is currently on display at Hamilton Artists Inc. located at 155 James Street North.
Header image: Hamilton Artists Inc. executive director Derek Jenkins.
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