Amsterdam Rainbow Dress in Sydney
Image: The Amsterdam Rainbow Dress being modeled by trans-woman and theatre critic, Suzy Wrong. Sydney WorldPride 2023. Photo: Cassandra Hannagan
The Amsterdam Rainbow Dress is a unique artwork made from the 71 flags of countries around the world in which being LGBTQIA+ is still punishable by law. Created in 2016 by Dutch artists Mattijs van Bergen, Arnout van Krimpen, Jochem Kaan and Oeri van Woezik, along with a team of volunteers, the dress has travelled around the world to act as a visual reminder that inequality still exists in these countries.
It is the first time the Amsterdam Rainbow Dress has been brought to Australia, and it is being used to promote the Human Rights Conference that will take place next year as part of Sydney WorldPride. The extraordinary dress has a skirt diameter of just over 16 metres and stands 3.5 metres tall.
The bodice of the dress is made from the Amsterdam city flag, however, LGBTQIA+ people in the Netherlands have equal rights and attitudes are generally positive in that country.
When a country whose flag is included in the dress updates its laws in favour of LGBTQIA+ rights, their flag is replaced by a rainbow flag. Since its creation, the dress has had six country’s flags substituted with rainbow flags.
The dress will continue its journey around the world, bringing attention to the violation of human rights for LGBTQIA+ people.
Sydney WorldPride Human Rights Conference takes place in Sydney from 1-3 March, 2023.
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