June is Pride Month all over the world. In Latvia, it will culminate tomorrow, June 15, with the Baltic Pride March, a concert in Vērmanes Garden, and other festivities in various parts of Riga. For the second year, the visual identity of Riga Pride invites everyone to see the beauty in the diversity of people, comparing us to flowers. The concept was created by graphic designer Artūrs Meļņiks. In the Nice Touch section, Artūrs talks about how to find faith in oneself.
«Believing in yourself is quite a nice touch. Knowing that among almost 8 billion people, you can make yourself and your environment whatever you want, enjoy life, and let yourself grow by doing things that have a positive impact not only on you but also on the lives of those who are struggling. What helps me find confidence is to stop and look over my shoulder to see what I have been through: where I have come from, what I have stumbled over, bruised my elbows, and scratched my cheeks against. Then I look to my right and smile, hug, appreciate, and give a kiss to my beloved journeymate, thanking him for being with me on this path. Then I turn my head to the left to see what is happening around me. I look at what my fellows are doing and devote a thought to them. Finally, I turn my head back straight and then just carry on, continuing my journey with a smile, even though I don’t know what is waiting for me.»
Riga Pride’s visual identity is rooted in the history of the LGBTQIA+ community — in the Victorian secret language of flowers, in Sappho’s poetry, and in the legends of Riga’s queers. The identity, created by Artūrs Meļņiks and illustrator Māra Čaure, was shortlisted for the Latvian Design Award 2024 and received a special mention from the jury. Read more about the visual identity here.
The Baltic Pride March will take place tomorrow, June 15, at 12:00. The full event programme is available on the Baltic Pride website.
Viedokļi