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Long May She Wave: A Graphic History of the American Flag

October 25, 2008 - February 22, 2009

 

The Nevada Museum of Art will examine the design of the American flag in the exhibition Long May She Wave: A Graphic History of the American Flag. From Civil War-era flags and Native American moccasins to political campaign buttons and heirloom quilts, Long May She Wave: A Graphic History of the American Flag assembles thousands of American flag-related objects and artifacts from the private collection of Kit Hinrichs, one of the world's leading graphic designers and a partner in the international design firm, Pentagram. Long May She Wave: A Graphic History of the American Flag is scheduled for exhibition from October 25, 2008 through February 22, 2009 and is planned to coincide with the 2008 United States presidential election. (left: Thirty-six-star flag, circa 1865, wool bunting with cotton stars)

One of the most recognizable icons in the world today, the American flag has enjoyed a long history of graphic renderings and artistic re-interpretations. Although the Continental Congress agreed in 1777 that the United States flag should be comprised of stars and stripes in red, white, and blue, more than a century passed without formal design regulations -- yielding a wealth of exuberant and unbridled creative manifestations of the national banner. Far from being a static symbol, the flag has been the subject of countless graphic interpretations over its 224-year history, each version owing more to the personality of the maker than to established formal conventions.

Nowhere are these continual changes better examined than in the collection amassed by graphic designer Kit Hinrichs. In this unique collection, "the flag is presented in an extraordinary array of celebratory, ceremonial, political, commercial, and artistic settings," according to Gerard C. Wertkin, Director of the American Folk Art Museum.

Themes examined in the exhibition include: the flag in celebration, featuring items such as decorative ornaments, home items, and sports memorabilia; the flag in commerce, as seen on magazine covers, product packaging and advertisements; the flag in art and folk art, with crocheted flags, quilts and artists' renderings; the flag at play, with wooden blocks, parade parasols, party horns, and various toys; the flag in politics and protest, with posters, buttons and miscellaneous campaign collateral; the flag in Native American art, with woven blankets, beaded coin purses, gloves, and moccasins; and the flag at war, with battle-flown flags from the Civil War and Korean Conflict, as well as war medals and memorabilia ranging from pennants to whiskey flasks. (right: Toy Soldier Flag Bearers, not dated, metal, ceramic, and composition miniatures)

A special feature included in the exhibition Long May She Wave: A Graphic History of the American Flag, is a selection of quilts ranging from a Centennial-era creation to a contemporary work designed for the Lands' End catalogue.

United States patriotism and quilting have a long and close history, often visually represented through the incorporation of the American flag into the quilt designs. This connection is evident in several works highlighted in the exhibition, including: the 36-star Log Cabin quilt (signifying Nevada's statehood), as well as a Victorian-era Crazy quilt -- an exceptional example of the quilting technique best known for its mosaic appearance and randomly-shaped pieces.

Other highlighted works in the exhibition include a 36-star flag circa 1865, a World War II-era work assembled from postage stamps and U.S. Postal Service cancellation marks on envelopes, as well as buttons and postcards from historic presidential campaigns.

Kit Hinrichs' collection of American flags and stars and stripes memorabilia totals nearly 5,000 objects. Hinrichs is co-author of several books, including Stars and Stripes, Vegetables and Typewise. His work has been exhibited internationally and is in the permanent collections of the Museums of Modern Art in New York and San Francisco.

(above: Lakota Gauntlet Gloves, circa 1960, glass beads and leather)

 

(above: Terry Heffernan, Great American Sport, 1995, color photograph)

 

 

Catalogue

This exhibition is accompanied by the book Long May She Wave: A Graphic History of the American Flag, available for purchase in The Store at the museum.

 

Selected wall texts for the exhibition

Among the most recognizable icons in the world today, the American flag has enjoyed a long history of graphic renderings and artistic reinterpretations. Although the Continental Congress agreed in 1777 that the United States flag should be comprised of stars and stripes in red, white, and blue, more than a century passed without formal design regulations -- yielding a wealth of exuberant and unbridled creative manifestations of the national banner.
 
For millions of people, the American flag embodies the values, ethics, strengths-and foibles-of the United States. It is a symbolic icon that is loved and cherished by some and reviled by others. Countless men and women have sworn allegiance to the flag -- and many have given their lives defending the values it represents. Celebrated on battlefields yet central to political protests, emblazoned on children's toys and stitched into heirloom quilts, the Stars and Stripes has been continually reclaimed by the American public.
 
Long May She Wave: A Graphic History of the American Flag assembles thousands of American flag-related objects and artifacts from the private collection of Kit Hinrichs, one of the world's leading graphic designers and a partner in the international design firm, Pentagram. The range of objects presented comprise their own genre of folk art and are a unique part of American heritage -- revealing the history, culture, and political climate of the United States.

Collector's statement

My family's only heirloom was a tattered and patched thirty-six-star Civil War flag sewn by my great-great-great aunt, Ida Peppercorn, in 1865. When I was in first grade, my mom allowed me to take this keepsake to school for show-and-tell; it was my proudest moment that year. Decades later, my parents asked me to be the family caretaker of this coveted flag, and I hung it prominently in my first New York apartment.
 
My interest in the Stars and Stripes could have ended there, but as a designer, creating graphic symbols is an important aspect of my work. The American flag was a symbol I couldn't leave alone. Designers are continually challenged to come up with visual icons that evoke immediate recognition, emotional power, and universal meaning. By any standard, the American flag has brand value that every designer would envy.
 
But the American flag is not only a recognizable symbol. It is also one to which everyone, not only Americans, has a personal and often visceral response. Over the past two hundred years, people have expressed their feelings toward the United States through its flag. They have used it to legitimize their causes, whether products or political campaigns.
 
When I view my collection as a whole, I am fascinated by the many forms the Stars and Stripes has taken over the decades. I have found flags molded in Jell-O, carved in tree trunks, etched in granite, and sprinkled with glitter. Through this parade of objects and imagery, I've learned about the social milieus from which the various flag interpretations emerged. It is not just the flag as a designed object that has intrigued me; it is the rich history that surrounds it, too.
 
For me, the collector's passion is in the joy of discovery -- in sorting through piles of stuff at antique fairs and flea markets and finally unearthing a new and wonderful iteration of the Stars and Stripes; in learning about how people lived and thought in another time; and in deepening my appreciation of the independent spirit and resourcefulness of the true "designers" of the flag, the American people.
 
­ Kit Hinrichs

Related programs

E.L. Cord Museum School at the Nevada Museum of Art
QUILTED CLOTHING
Saturday, December 6 / 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Bring your sewing machine and a favorite pattern to create vibrant and stylish vests or jackets with quilter Jimmie Benedict. Learn quilting techniques, and be inspired by the historic quilts featured in the exhibit, Long May She Wave: A Graphic History of the American Flag. Use pieced-together fabric to make wearable quilted clothing. Ages, cost and details at nevadaart.org/school/schedule.php or 775.329.3333
 
ARTBITE
Needle Felting and Wool Appliqué in the Era of the Civil War
Friday, December 12 / 12 noon
Sandi Sullivan, of Windy Moon Quilts in Reno, explains the history and processes of wool needle felting and appliqué. Before the advent of felting and quilting machines, women felted or spun raw wool into material useful in the creation of flag-related art. Join her for a rich discussion of this almost-forgotten art. Fee. Purchase tickets online at www.nevadaart.org/tickets or at the Museum admissions desk.


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