Independence Day Special: Interpreting the American Flag

Happy Fourth of July!

To celebrate our nation this year, Craft in America looks back at fiber artists who have interpreted the U.S. Flag. This iconic symbol has become a powerful tool as artists negotiate ideas of nationalism, patriotism, immigration, race, gender, identity, and community. Take a look at the image gallery and video link below to learn more about artists who have used the Star Spangled Banner to create new meaning in their work:

Jim Bassler creates hand-woven interpretations of the American Flag, building social commentary into the structure of weaving. Faith Ringgold integrates figurative representations of American people into a “Bleeding” Flag, pursuing the human identity of national symbolism. Victor De La Rosa has been working on a project called Future Flags of America, where he invents new versions of U.S. Flags that reflect an increasingly Latino United States. Victor’s Study for 2050 U.S. Flag was installed on the streets of San Francisco, where it became a participatory platform for passersby to mark themselves. Consuelo Jimenez Underwood uses the flag to speak to the politics of the U.S.-Mexico Border. Learn more about Flag projects by Underwood on her segment from Craft in America’s THREADS episode: Consuelo J. Underwood segment from Threads