F L A G S
- 2019

An emblem of uprising against the ruling class that promotes a vision of a shared belief system, Rad Hourani’s flags appropriate the symbol of those in power to magnify the voice of those oppressed through division. Comparable to the powerful tool that both categorizes and stirs loyalty for the purpose of serving propaganda flair, his flags are quilted into a banner to appear as though they were created by a fictional united humanity. Paying homage to our tendencies in seeking belongingness within groups of everyday society, by means of forming religions and cults, these banners allow for individuals to ascend as their own ruler by contributing to their collective sense of unity.

The Flag, a cloth that can both divide and terrorize humans, is a strong ideological marker in societal repertoire that can mean completely different things to different people. Here, Rad Hourani’s flags are made of leftover scraps as they are born from his concerns for the environment and to create sustainable artworks. The patterns created within the banners are reminiscent of data graphs and computerized personal information that registers the contemporary state of being.

Crafted from the once noble textiles, the flags stand for the masses taking back what should belong to all, the class responsible for the production of the very same textiles. It is in taking back ownership of our collected data and of rising against environmental waste, that humans of the computer age can truly recover our free will by uncovering a new definition of luxury: consciousness.