Old Glory
Featured in ItsNiceThat
Old Glory is an ongoing research project exploring the complex and conflicting meanings of the U.S. flag.
The American flag has been studied extensively, and is one of the most recognisable symbols ever produced, however the broad contexts in which it has been used have proposed contradictions, associations, and new meanings as a result.
Informed by writing, images, artefacts, and theory, the project explores how the wide contexts in which the flag is used affects its meaning.
Further project information below.
Old Glory
Further Information
Old Glory is a research project exploring the complex and conflicting meanings of the U.S. flag. Originally inspired by my observations of U.S. politics during the pandemic—particularly events like the Black Lives Matter protests and the January 6th riots—the project seeks to unpack how the flag has been used in diverse and often contradictory ways. From representing hope and prosperity to tyranny and despair, the flag has come to embody a wide range of social, political, and cultural ideas.
The project draws from my dissertation and critical theories, presenting the flag’s symbolism through a series of loosely arranged sheets of paper. This disordered presentation reflects the flag’s non-hierarchical nature, encouraging viewers to engage with the materials and form their own interpretations. The design is intentionally strict, with constraints such as U.S. Letter paper, a 13-column grid referencing the flag’s stripes, and a type system using Gotham and ABC Diatype. The ordered type system is used to intentionally juxtapose the looseness of physical form it, and the flag arguably takes.
The work initially took shape as a university exhibition called America, inspired by Wolfgang Tillmans' Truth Study Center, which informed how materials were arranged in an open, free-flowing manner. This approach, alongside my dissertation, continues to drive Old Glory forward as an evolving project—currently being expanded into an online platform where people can submit their own references and debate the flag’s meaning. I aim to capture ongoing shifts in the flag’s interpretation, with plans for a documentary exploring its significance across different American communities.
In August 2024, I was fortunate enough to have the project featured on Its Nice That, which you can [read here]