‘Le Jou’ by Lawrence F. Bahrych now at The Loose Seal
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, June 2, 2026
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Lawrence Frank Bahrych was my younger brother who entrusted me with his oil paintings. Sometimes, large FEDEX tubes would come in the mail with rolls of very large original paintings. He never put a price on his art and had no interest in selling it. He gave it to me with no strings attached, so what I am choosing to do is share it in the same spirit.
He is not here to talk about it because he disappeared in northern India in 2004, in Dharamsala, where the Dalai Llama and the Tibetan government in exile are located. He went there for a two-week teach-in by the Dalai Llama and stayed to volunteer with a school serving refugee children from Tibet. He was teaching them English and art when he went missing after a hike up a steep trail outside of town.
The Indian government and the US Embassy helped us to search for him, but no trace was ever found. What I have left is a wonderful collection of his original art, including the triptych on display for the Pride celebrations.
This work is one of my favorites. The title is Le Jou, French for “the game,” and it depicts a game of hide-and-seek, of hiding sexual identity in a forest where the players are as elusive as the ball. The stark, leafless tree is one of Larry’s primary symbolic images, juxtaposed with architectural pillars and stained glass walls. In this constructed world, a false move can lead to the coffin in the upper corner of the final panel.
It is a serious game, a search for self-identity and self-preservation. Larry lived in Philadelphia with his partner, Ken, the love of his life, before same sex marriage was legal. They had to hide their relationship, and their sexual identity, because Ken was a public school counselor. It was a time when discrimination against gay people was the norm. Larry painted this to express the secrecy, the ambiguity, and the sharp edges of life of a gay man at the end of the 20th century—and to some extent even today.
The triptych took two months to paint and was displayed in the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts annual student show in March of 1989. Larry graduated with honors and three individual prizes from the Academy in 1989. In the booklet that goes with this work, the themes of social alienation and personal despair are explored in a series of works that show the gradual transformation from isolation to redemption and hope through the alchemy of art.
Le Jou can be seen at The Loose Seal, a community cultural space in Friday Harbor that features art, music, social gathering, and curated experiences for the town. Intimate concerts, poetry showcases, private ticketed cocktail events, as well as community partner-led workshops and art shows can all be found there.
Check out the calendar on socials or on the door for open hours for the month and regular programming like Sunday open mics, First Friday Art Walk, regular DJ dance nights, etc. Membership options, event punch cards and space rental options are also available. Email loosesealsji@gmail.com for information or walkthroughs.
