The Heraldry of Presence

Overview

The Heraldry of Presence will be at Fresh Gallery Otara October 10 to November 8. The exhibition, held as part of Artweek Auckland 2014, will see artist Fiona Jack bring together flags and banners made by her and members of the local community. Flags are an interesting tool that carry a strong symbolic message, especially in time of conflict. A flag can represent the spirit of a nation or act as a signal. It can be raised in a patriotic gesture or as a sign of resistance. Protests are once again becoming a frequently used tool of public dissent in response to the myriad of environmental and geopolitical issues facing the word today. Flags and banners play an important communicative function in this collective action, making the exhibition a timely response to global events.

The exhibition will be accompanied by a public programme, which will include an artist talk, an insight into the history of the Polynesian Panther Party, a visit by six heritage artists from Niue and a banner making workshop. The current government plans to put the design of the New Zealand flag up for dispute as soon as next year, so perhaps the workshop is a good opportunity to come up with an alternative.

Fiona Jack is an artist who has a strong interest in local histories, collaborative art practices, and is someone who navigates the tricky area of sociopolitically engaged art with rare subtlety and intelligence. Pop down to Otara for the exhibition opening on Thursday October 9 for a wine and a chat with the artist herself.

Image source: Fiona Jack