Rainbow tubes, Beaudry metro Rainbow tubes, 1999
Painted aluminum
Overall width 3,8 m

Location: Beaudry metro station, exterior of entrance building

This decoration for the exterior of Beaudry metro station's new entrance building is surely a first: an homage, in the design of a piece of public infrastructure, to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community in which the building stands.

The rainbow flag, created by American designer Gilbert Baker in 1978, is an international symbol of LGBT liberation, pride, and diversity. Originally eight in number, the six stripes of today represent life, healing, sunlight, nature, serenity, and spirit.

Gay establishments have been concentrating in the Centre-Sud area since the early 1980s. As it came to take over from earlier gay neighbourhoods in the western part of downtown, it came to be known as "le village de l'est" by analogy to New York's East Village, a fashionable gay district at the time. The Village is now firmly established in this area and nearly all gay-themed businesses in town are located here.

The artwork itself consists of a series of six aluminum masts, one in each colour of the rainbow flag, forming a portico above the station doors and piercing the roof.