Publisher Note
“An old Jean-Luc Godard quip comes to mind: ‘It’s not blood, it’s red,’ to which the symbolists inevitably reply: ‘It’s not red, it’s blood!’ The same symbolists who would likely exclaim, ‘It’s not a painting, it’s a flag!’ to which the formalists would object in turn: ‘It’s not a flag, it’s a painting!’ Asked differently still, the question becomes: Is it a duck, or a rabbit? Is it a—duckrabbit? (There is no such thing—or is there?)”—Dieter Roelstraete
What does it mean to paint a flag and to paint it in 2020? Through art historical, sociocultural, and philosophical lenses, Dieter Roelstraete undertakes an investigation of vexillology—the study of flags—as a way to decipher World Paintings, the new series of works by Norwegian artist Fredrik Værslev depicting national flags.
Flags connote territorial belonging and whereas class, racial, and sexual identity continue to dominate the political discourse of art, national identity has long been shrouded in taboo. In times of ever-tensing culture wars—wars fought over symbols (flags, hymns, face masks, statues)—and unparalleled racial strife, Værslev’s artistic proposition is an especially contentious yet also a painfully timely one. Worldwide, COVID-19–enforced semi- or total lockdowns induce nations, borders, and sovereignties to regain weight.
Publisher | |
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Release Place | Milan, Italy |
Edition | 1st edition |
Release Date | December 2020 |
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Artist:
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ISBN-13:
978-88-6749-410-1
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Work | |
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Topics | Vexillology |
Language | English |
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Format | Softcover |
Dimensions | 14.7 × 31.5 cm |
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Pages | 121 |