The Pink Triangle, located in the hills of Twin Peaks, is a project started by Patrick Carney in 1995. As a symbol, pink triangles are steeped in history. His original Pink Triangle was made of cloth and installed by hundreds of volunteers year after year. However, with COVID-19 restrictions in place in June 2020, volunteer availability was limited. Carney called on Illuminate and Lightswitch to help construct the installation safely, and to breathe new life into this important project.
The Pink Triangle, located in the hills of Twin Peaks, is a project started by Patrick Carney in 1995. As a symbol, pink triangles are steeped in history. They were used by Nazis in World War II to categorize and persecute LGBT+ people, particularly gay men. Since then, the pink triangle has been reclaimed by the gay community, often being used as an icon of solidarity, liberation, and safe spaces. Carney sought to create a Pride Month tribute to those who were targeted by the Nazis’ violent homophobia. His original Pink Triangle was made of cloth and installed by hundreds of volunteers year after year. However, with COVID-19 restrictions in place in June 2020, volunteer availability was limited. Carney called on Illuminate and Lightswitch to help construct the installation safely, and to breathe new life into this important project.
Illuminate, a nonprofit located in the Bay Area, supplied Lightswitch with 2,700 color-changing LED nodes. These pixel-controlled RGB lights were mounted on lines that stretched across the one-acre wide shape.
While previous iterations of the Pink Triangle had been made of fabric, this new luminous version brought with it the opportunity for a more dynamic installation. Together, Lightswitch and Illuminate created nearly an hour’s worth of content to run over the thousands of lights, essentially turning the shape into a giant video screen. Our team crafted varying patterns and shapes that brought movement to the installation while maintaining its overall pink color scheme. This elevated the project from a static piece to an engaging abstract art experience, while still driving home its poignant symbolism.
For the launch of the 2021 Pink Triangle, an exciting lighting ceremony was scheduled. On June 1st — the first day of Pride Month — a pink torch was carried across the Golden Gate Bridge. Before the Triangle was lit, prominent figures such as Nancy Pelosi, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, and the project’s creator Patrick Carney spoke.
Working together with Illuminate, the Lightswitch team was able to bring new life and depth to a project that has long been an integral part of Pride Month in the Bay Area. Though the Pink Triangle’s installation was challenged due to pandemic restrictions, Lightswitch helped Carney’s vision come to fruition once again, this time brighter and more dynamically than ever before. In fact, the brilliant shape can now be seen glowing throughout the Bay Area, even through the region’s infamously foggy days. By offering our team’s expertise and collaboration, Lightswitch successfully installed the Pink Triangle in a safe, COVID-conscious way, helping this community-building project continue its annual tradition.
photography by:
Santiago Mejia / San Francisco Chronicle / Polaris
Christopher Michel
Gareth Gooch
