Walls That Whisper Pride in North Dakota and Beyond
Art collecting can be a quiet act of rebellion—especially when the works on your walls celebrate LGBTQ+ voices in places where acceptance is still hard-won. For Rob and Eric Thomas-Suwall, their journey began with a wedding-week encounter with David Hockney’s exuberant colors and David Wojnarowicz’s poetic fury, sparking a collection that now fills their North Dakota home with queer creativity. Each piece, from Chris Bogia’s playful abstractions to Salman Toor’s globe-trotting paintings, is both a personal joy and a public statement.
Collectors like Caitlin Kalinowski and Bernard Lumpkin turn their homes into living archives, connecting artists and communities, and using their networks to amplify queer stories. For Dan Berger and Noel Kirnon, collecting is deeply intertwined with activism—honoring the struggles and resilience of those lost to AIDS and those fighting for visibility today.
In these collections, art becomes more than decoration; it’s a gathering of voices, a shield, and a celebration that refuses to be hidden.
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