When No Flag Represents You
We’re living in strange times. Each year our world is becoming more globalised and we we have never travelled more than we do now, cross-polluting cultures, habits, gastronomies, languages, etc. While at the same time we are also experiencing a heightened nationalism. We cling to national symbols for them to draw the contours of our identity. It is easy to get lost about who we are in an age where centuries old truths are broken down and redefined. Nothing is black or white anymore, everything is a spectrum. In so much uncertainty we hang on to traditional symbols, because they are never questioned. And what is more sacred than a flag?
Flags and nationalism go hand in hand together. They are flown up high in the sky and when we see them waving in the wind, they summon warm feelings of pride and belonging. Because that is what flags do: they evoke a sense of identity and a set of values. It is what makes flags turn an object into an idea, a piece of cloth into an identity.
However, as flags are used to promote a sense of unity, they also imply exclusion. You can only unify a group by creating boundaries that will exclude others from being part of that group. The stronger the sense of solidarity and nationalism is, the greater the antipathy becomes towards the Other.
Where do we draw the lines of those who belong to a flag and those who don’t? Can we pledge allegiance to more than one flag? I belong to two flags and feel therefor I belong to none. My darker skin and dark thick hair exclude me from belonging to the tri-coloured flag from Belgium, while my tall posture and undeniable accent set me apart from the Peruvian flag. Is it even possible for a flag to represent its entire people it belongs to? Our nations have become so fluid and hybrid it seems impossible for one centuries old flag to represent its entirety.
“Flags of No land” is a satirical attempt to create flags for people who are not represented by the flag of their nation, because they belong to several or none. Symbols from their different backgrounds are melted into a new whole, creating a flag representing their own new space. Looking for symbols that connect, the answer was quickly found in food.
Food has easily travelled around the world; it has connected people from different cultures and represents an element of belonging. We feel united when we share a table, we feel united with our roots when taste or smell food from home, we unite by bringing different flavours together. Food for as long as we can remember has created bridges between cultures and people. It is the perfect symbol of union and has shown to be much more flexible than the static nationalist symbols we hang onto today.
Ultimately, Flags of No Land wants to make you think and reflect upon the sacristy of flags. They were created as practical war signals with no other utility than showcasing what side one was fighting on and we have transformed them into holy grails which cannot be mocked, questioned or critiqued. So maybe it is time to get them off their pole and just… eat them.
Flags of No Land is an art project created by Laura Ramos as part of her Graphic Design Postgraduate. For more flags and information, click here.
