June 7, 2021
Washington, D.C. – Celebrating the beginning of LGBTQ Pride month, visual artist Lisa Marie Thalhammer is painting a 20,000 sq/ft rainbow-colored artwork on the lawn of the National Building Museum . Her temporary public artwork is titled “Equilateral Network” and is sponsored by the DowntownDC BID in partnership with the museum.
Tasked with creating an outdoor artwork that would allow visitors to safely enjoy being together while social distancing, Lisa Marie’s design pieces together a series of pink equilateral triangles and walking paths, comfortably spaced 6 feet apart from each other. Inspired by Pierre Charles L’Enfant’s use of sacred geometry in his original 1791 city plan for Washington, DC, Lisa Marie chose to focus her design on equilateral triangles as symbols of balance and justice. The use of color is also an important element to this artwork, as rainbow spectrums and pink triangles are both historic symbols of identity and gay rights activism. Artist Lisa Marie states that, “This balanced, steady and strong geometry is highlighted in a proud pink amongst a healing full-color rainbow spectrum and is meant to inspire feelings of calm, unity, peace, equity and joy.”
Tagged as Lisa Marie Studio on her murals and in social media, the artist is best known for creating The LOVE Mural in Washington, DC’s Blagden Alley, in addition to over a dozen other murals across our nation’s capital. Originally from St. Louis, Missouri, Lisa Marie has worked and lived as an artist in Washington, DC since 2004.
“Equilateral Network” will be completed early this week and maintained outdoors throughout the summer. It can be experienced any time during the day. The public art lawn installation compliments an outdoor movie series Sponsored by the DowntownDC BID on Tuesday evenings and a Justice is Beauty, Gun Violence Memorial exhibition on view inside the National Building Museum on Friday – Sundays.
###
About Lisa Marie Thalhammer
Visual Artist, Lisa Marie Thalhammer is a painter and muralist who creates with intention to uplift and empower. As a feminist activist and member of the LGBTQ+ community, her artworks frequently convey strength and hope. She embraces an array of mediums and styles, utilizing portraiture, color networks and art actions to communicate positive messages of persistence, empowerment, equity, and love. Her most known public work, “The LOVE Mural” is an iconic rainbow color network mural painted on four garage doors as part of her DC Alley Museum curatorial project. Her website is lisamariestudio.com and her creative process can be followed on Instagram.
About the DowntownDC Business Improvement District
The DowntownDC Business Improvement District (BID) was founded in 1997 and is a private non-profit organization that provides capital improvements, resources and research that keep the BID area clean, safe, economically and environmentally strong and accessible. The DowntownDC BID is a catalyst, facilitator and thought leader in diversifying the economy, promoting public/private partnerships and enhancing the DowntownDC experience for all. This special district, where property owners have agreed to tax themselves to fund services, encompasses a 138-block area of approximately 520 properties from Massachusetts Avenue on the north to Constitution Avenue on the south, and from Louisiana Avenue on the east to 16th Street on the west. For more information, visit DowntownDC.org or follow us on Twitter @downtowndcbid.
About the National Building Museum
The National Building Museum inspires curiosity about the world we design and build. We believe that understanding the impact of architecture, engineering, landscape architecture, construction, planning, and design is important for everyone. Through exhibitions, educational programs, and special events, we welcome visitors of all ages to experience stories about the built world and its power to shape our lives, our communities, and our futures. Public inquiries: 202.272.2448, info@nbm.org, or visit www.nbm.org. Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.