Rainbow Flag
Gilbert Baker
American, 1951–2017
1978
A sewn nylon rainbow flag made by Gilbert Baker in 1978 as a bold, visible emblem of gay pride and community.
Bright, saturated rainbow bands tumble down from a wooden staff—glossy, rippling nylon and neat stitched seams giving the banner both a handcrafted intimacy and a public, celebratory presence.
Baker's flag transformed a simple, portable design into a global emblem of LGBTQ+ visibility and solidarity, showing how visual design can forge collective identity and claim public space.
Medium
Nylon
Dimensions
36 x 60" (91.4 x 152.4 cm)
Classification
Department
Credit
Gift of the designer
Accession
728.2015
Palette
Art Terms
Exhibitions
