As Jessica Rehfield-Griffith sewed flags together in the annex at the Salem Art Association, the Salem artist hoped the colorful array would start conversations.
Rehfield-Griffith spent the month of September as artist-in-residence creating a massive flag sewed from a dozen different pride flags representing their own identities — bisexual, gender fluid and Jewish, among others — alongside their wife’s. The work is now on display alongside photos from the couple’s July wedding in Manzanita as an exhibit titled “My Own Flag to Raise.”
In an era of efforts to restrict mention of gender or sexuality in schools in some states, Rehfield-Griffith said the process of creating the flag, and its display, are intended to provide a counternarrative to words often aimed at LGBTQ people like “unnatural,” “perverse” or “deviant.”
“I could show people when they came into the space — we’re real people,” they said.
Not everyone has been receptive.
An Instagram post about the work on the Salem Art Assocation’s Facebook page drew a comment reading, “This is pure indoctrination. So sad!” according to a screenshot of the page.
Rehfield-Griffith said it came from a Portland artist.
“That person literally did not know anything about the exhibition. They didn’t come to see the exhibition, they didn’t talk to me,” Rehfield-Griffith said.
Another comment in the exhibition guest book reads: “Where is the heterosexual wedding display?”
In an exhibit intended to humanize people like Rehfield-Griffith and their wife, the artist said the comments were upsetting because there was no effort to understand or talk to them about the art.
“Not only did she not have any conversation with me about the work, she labeled it with a term that’s also being used to force people to lie about their identities,” Rehfield-Griffith said, referring to the description of a constellation of pride flags as “indoctrination.”
To them, the comments felt like saying, “You do not get to be represented,” Rehfield-Griffith said.
In response, the art association deleted the comment and posted a statement of support on its Facebook page denouncing hate speech.
“At SAA, we believe in the power of art to open our eyes to vistas we’ve never imagined. We believe in the power of art to inspire, to heal, to enrich, and to entertain. And, perhaps, most importantly, we believe in the power of art to make us more human, more empathetic, more loving, more joyful,” the statement said.
Executive director Matthew Boulay said the association’s position has been to double down, planning additional events focused on queer art.
“Spread your message and support the programming even more,” he said.
As they worked on the flag, Rehfield-Griffith said many Salemites stopped by to ask questions. Some shared stories of a loved one’s journey to come out or discover their gender identity. Some had questions about language around gender and sexuality, or had never heard of some of the concepts represented by flags.
“A lot of people, this was a first to have a discussion about how there were different sexuaities and different gender identities,” they said.
The exhibit is on display at the Salem Art Association’s Bush Barn Art House in Bush’s Pasture Park, 600 Mission St. S.E., through Nov. 5.
Its guestbook features comments from people sharing a variety of experiences with their own gender and sexuality, some of whom are still waiting for acceptance from their parents.
Rehfield-Griffith said the act of making the flag, sewing each stitch by hand, is an act of love representing the LGBTQ community, as well as their marriage.
When the exhibit ends, they intend to display the flag at home.
Rehfield-Griffith compared the pride flag to a menorah, which in Jewish tradition is lit in part to make the Jewish community visible and show other Jews they’re not alone.
“We’re here, we have strength, we have numbers,” they said.
Contact reporter Rachel Alexander: [email protected] or 503-575-1241.
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Rachel Alexander is Salem Reporter’s managing editor. She joined Salem Reporter when it was founded in 2018 and covers city news, education, nonprofits and a little bit of everything else. She’s been a journalist in Oregon and Washington for a decade. Outside of work, she’s a skater and board member with Salem’s Cherry City Roller Derby and can often be found with her nose buried in a book.
