Patriotism/Nationalism

This text-based artwork includes the word “Nationalism” in white superimposed on the word “Patriotism” in red, held together upon an unfurled American flag. The flag is removed from its normal status and nationalism and patriotism take precedence as they loom above. The separation is indicative of the individualism presented at the Capital insurgency on January 6th, where the collective representation of the United States was debased by the faction of white nationalists usurping the importance of the flag for us all.

My work deals with the intersection of identity and semantics, specifically the etymology or origins and constantly evolving meanings of words. The words and symbols we use to define ourselves, and others have the power to unite or to divide. I am particularly interested in how events, words, and symbols change an individual’s idea about themselves and their place as part of a collective identity.

This artwork is a response to the Capitol Insurrection of January 6th, 2021, the 2020 protests on inequality and injustices within the U.S., and how we, as a nation, have to reconsider (and are continually reconstructing) our own collective and individual identities. I am drawing on the long and varied history of the use of the U.S. flag within social justice and activism artworks. Many inequalities that existed at the beginning of the civil rights movement persist today. This creates a complicated and varied idea of what it means to be an American. The lived experience of one is not the same for all. America’s identity has always been fluid but at its foundation are the aims and noble virtues of democracy. I want the viewer to question: What is this nations’ identity? How might a different lived experience within this country change a person's perception of patriotism? What is White Nationalism within the U.S? How are flags and other visual forms used to unite and divide? How have current events shaped how you feel about the U.S.?

created BY Emma Quintana