A bold graphic work blending engraving, pop culture, and activist tribute
Born in Alsace and based in Montreal since 2010, Laurence Heinrich is a graphic designer and illustrator with a distinctive style. Her artistic world blends the aesthetics of traditional engraving and comic books, infused with inspiration from the pop-rock scenes of the 1970s and 1980s.
Her hand-drawn illustrations are defined by sharp contrasts in black and white, laced with biting humor and a fascination with the strange. Skulls, anatomical hearts, imperfect forms—her work explores the beauty of the bizarre while nurturing a spontaneous creative gesture, inspired by the imagination of everyday life.
A manifesto-poster: Never Without Our Pride
For the 2024 edition of the Montréal Pride Festival, Laurence Heinrich created the commemorative illustration entitled Never Without Our Pride. Designed as a visual manifesto, the piece draws inspiration from the graphic codes of the 1960s and the spirit of the Stonewall uprising.
At the center, the raised fist embodies collective strength and the fight for equality. The hands, depicted in non-realistic colors, express a desire for universal inclusivity—beyond categories, genders, and origins. Surrounding this symbol, eighteen monarch butterflies illustrate the diversity of flags represented in the Montréal Pride Parade.
The monarch butterfly was chosen for its powerful symbolism: it evokes movement in groups and collective migration, much like the millions of monarchs that travel across North America each year.
In many ancient cultures, the butterfly is also associated with the spirit and transformation. Here, it symbolizes vitality, resilience, and the unique beauty of the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. The Never Without Our Pride poster thus pays tribute to all the voices that make up this movement and reminds us that pride is a path we walk together.
