Tai Ericson, a multimedia sculptural artist based in Vermont, has created an imaginative and moving way to honor transgender and gender non-conforming people who lost their lives from violence. He repurposes donated Harry Potter books and turns them into stunning portraits.
Ericson began the project called “The HP Series” this year and it serves as a protest to the many transphobic comments made by Harry Potter author JK Rowling.
His website states: “The author of the HP books is wildly transphobic and has contributed purposefully and relentlessly to a culture that demonizes and dehumanizes trans people. The portraits destroy her work, replacing it with a memorial to someone that lost their life to the culture fostered by the author,” and “Trans women are women. Trans men are men. Trans rights are human rights.”
For several years Rowling’s public statements on gender and gender identity have created controversy. On October 30, after Glamour UK featured trans women on their cover, Rowling posted on X: “Now mainstream women’s magazines tell girls that men are better women than they are.”
Several stars from the Harry Potter films have responded by speaking out in support of the trans community. Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, all affirmed that “trans women are women.”
Chris Columbus, director of the first two Harry Potter films, called Rowling’s comments “very sad” and “unfortunate.” David Yates, the director of The Fantastic Beasts movies, has also distanced himself from her remarks about trans people.
Some of the people Ericson has portrayed include Ra’Lasia Wright, a Black Latina trans woman of Puerto Rican descent, who was shot and killed in Minneapolis, and Sam Nordquist, who was tortured by seven people in a hotel room for over a month in Hopewell, New York.
Comments from Ericson’s Instagram page include “Justice for Sam Nordquist. Thank you so much for doing this for my brother.” and “This is incredible! How moving and important your art is. Absolutely stunning! Your work brought tears to my eyes.”
According to the Transgender Day of Remembrance website, more than 50 transgender people were killed or took their own lives. The GLAAD “ALERT Desk” report noted that from May 2024 to April 2025 there were over 930 anti-LGBTQ+ incidents reported nationally, with over half targeting transgender and gender non-conforming people.
Ericson donates 20 percent of the proceeds from sales of the portraits to Advocates for Trans Equality, a not-for-profit organization based in New York.