‘In Plain Sight’: Pride Month sculpture celebrates members of the LGBTQ+ community at Cherry Street Pier

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A sculpture highlighting Philadelphia’s transgender, queer, intersex and asexual communities is on display at Cherry Street Pier for the duration of Pride Month.

“In Plain Sight” stands 10 feet tall and weighs more than 250 pounds. It takes colors from different Pride flags, according to Visit Philadelphia:

The “T” stands for transgender and pulls light blue, white and pink stripes from the transgender Pride flag. The “Q” for queer features elements from the traditional rainbow Pride flag, featuring red, orange, yellow, green, blue and violet. The plus sign uses the yellow and purple from the intersex Pride flag, symbolizing autonomy and visibility. Black and white are from the asexual Pride flag, and black and brown are from the progress Pride flag, representing people of color and other marginalized groups within the LGBTQ+ community.

The piece also includes grooves that symbolize “the layered identities and lived experiences within the community,” according to Neil Frauenglass, chief marketing officer for Visit Philadelphia.

Frauenglass said the art installation works to address people within the community who are concerned about “being wanted, being welcomed and being safe.”

“That’s when we came to this idea, why don’t we just put this — loud and proud, literally out on the streets — and show members of the TQ+ community that have not always been specifically spoken to that we welcome, want them and would love to have them in Philadelphia,” Frauenglass said.

The sculpture is a collaboration between local artists and creatives, including Bill Adair, former director of the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, and agencies like Allen & Gerritsen. It was fabricated by 3D studio Outshaped.

“They are our friends, our neighbors, our coworkers, our visitors,” Frauenglass said. “We might not know that they are members of the community, but they are there. And it’s an important reminder that we are all different and we should all be our authentic selves.”

Visit Philadelphia is taking suggestions from the public on where the sculpture could be permanently installed once Pride Month ends. People can pick a location and provide details on why the suggested location is best suited for “In Plain Sight.”

“We have already had requests from various locations in Philadelphia,” Frauenglass said. “We’ve had a request from somebody in New York, so there’s been some really good momentum behind finding its final home. This all came together so quickly, so Cherry Street Pier was just a perfect place that we can get it up and Cherry Street Pier is happy to have it until we find that new location.”

The sculpture will be on view at Cherry Street Pier, which is open from noon to 9 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, Fridays from noon to 11 p.m., Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.