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Edson's Flag

Object Details

Exhibition Label
Watt created this piece to honor veterans; in particular, her great-uncle Edson Plummer, who served in the Air Force during World War II. The stars and stripes of his funeral flag are visible behind an array of blankets, which in Watt's hands represent everyday objects carrying both extraordinary histories and intimate memories. Like many of the artist's stitched wall pieces, the work evokes pop art, abstract expressionism, and the visual traditions of Native American communities, including her own tribe, the Seneca Nation of Indians.
Connections: Contemporary Craft at the Renwick Gallery, 2019
Data Source
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Artist
Marie Watt, born Seattle, WA 1967
Date
2004
Credit Line
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Driek and Michael Zirinsky in honor of Jane Beebe and Spencer Beebe
Copyright
© 2004, Marie K. Watt
Medium
American flag (from U.S. military burial) with wool blankets, satin, and thread
Dimensions
130 × 84 in. (330.2 × 213.4 cm)
Type
Decorative Arts-Fiber
Crafts

Featured In

  • Smithsonian Artist Research Fellowship: Art and Artists
  • Three Cheers for the Red, White, and Blue
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