Beyond This Picture Frame, I Protect You  2025

24” x 30”
Acrylic on stretched canvas, red thread
Permanent Installation at Northwestern Impact Institute


This series ends in stability and security. Inside a home, together this couple holds hands and looks towards the shrine of the Rabbit God, just as he had wished for in the fable. His picture up on the shrine explicitly depicts him as a spiritual guardian, overseeing and protecting the community. Alongside the picture of Tu’er Shen is a small portrait of Marsha P. Johnson which reminds us of the valiant efforts of lgbtq+ community who fought for our rights. The atmosphere returns to a dreamy state, blurring the line of reality and idealism. This painting acts both as a real-life testament of our elder queers and as a futuristic vision of prosperity and well-being. This painting echoes the wishes of the community and research that seeks to build adequate data of the queer community. The more knowledge and data there is to understand the community, the better society can provide resources that will help lgbtq+ members thrive. Notice the overall colors of the paintings are reminiscent of the gay pride flag, again revolving back towards the research and efforts to better understand behaviors that can combat and destigmatize HIV, closing in on the specific demographic of Dr. Mustanski’s work as well as the original meaning of Tu’er Shen, protector of gay love.

Read about the Triptych here

Click through the individual pieces on the left to read more about each painting and it’s relation to Dr. Mustanski’s work.