What's in a Flag? Artists' Intentions and the Meaning of the Stars and Stripes
Caroline Liegey ’13, Levinson Intern
Published by the Hood Museum of Art, Dartmouth College
2013, 2 pages
The six artists featured in this installation use the flag to make a wide range of points, from a scathing indictment of American foreign policy to a commentary on the paranoia and insecurity of the American middle class. Some of them, intentionally or not, challenge viewers’ presumptions about such a recognizable symbol. With introspection and additional information, the viewer can come closer to understanding the artists’ intention and the flags’ meanings. The more aware we are of the possibilities, the richer our experience of these works will be.