21 June 2005
By Moana Kousal
A series of five flag-related exhibitions currently on at Pataka is raising interesting debate and even TV3's John Campbell got in on the act.
Symbols of sovereignty was launched last weekend with the help of Facelift's John Campbell - aka Cohen Holloway.
Campbell, who supports a new flag for New Zealand, was a fitting special guest, or at least his impersonator was - giving a rousing and entertaining address at the June 12 winter season launch.
Curator Bob Maysmor said the exhibitions grew out of the rising debate around the country about whether we should have a new national flag.
"We saw the potential to extend the debate by mounting an exhibition on the topic, but rather than presenting a singular focus on just the flag design issue, we saw the potential to put the discussion within a wider historical, cultural and artistic context.
"Like Topsy, the idea and the number of exhibitions just kept growing until we realised that all our main galleries could be filled."
The exhibitions cover the debate of whether we should have a new national flag; the use of flag imagery in the contemporary art; how flags are used to convey messages in protest and celebration; and the history of flags in New Zealand.
Jack or Black - A New Flag For The Nation? Runs until August 21; using paintings, sculpture, photography and video, Flagworks celebrates flag imagery in contemporary New Zealand art, until September 11; Protest and Celebration features images by leading documentary photographers of flags used in protest and celebration, until September 11; History unfurled looks a the evolution of flags, until October 16, and Niu Tireni runs until August 21.
Kapi Mana News
(c) 2005 Fairfax New Zealand Limited