Flag Show

MINNEAPOLIS – July 27, 7:00 – 10:00 p.m. – opening reception for FLAG SHOW; the exhibit runs through August 24. Lauren Thorson has selected twenty six artists from across the nation and the world. Their backgrounds are just as varied, such as Maison Nue – a collaborative design, textile and music studio run by four young Perisian women; and Peter Haakon Thompson – a Minneapolis based recipient of Jerome and McKnight Fellowships well known for his community interaction work. Each artist has been given free reign to create a flag that will represent them in the exhibit. The idea is simple. As Thorson says: “everyone knows what a flag how is,” yet even she awaits opening day to experience the significance of the exhibit. It begins with the idea of coming together to communicate, using the age-old method of emblems. In line with Gamut Gallery’s tradition of the “Art Happening,” the concept of this event is only complete when the flags are gathered from the corners of the world and fly together. Then artists and art lovers alike will witness the conceptual event all at once. A complete list of artists, process updates and submission video can be found at flagshow.org.

Thorson is no stranger to visualizations of unpredictable notations. She has long found inspiration – and fine art applications in raw, even dry data. This exhibit is a milestone for Thorson; she has allowed this data stream to flow into the realm of something more personal and conversational. It began as an artistic obsession with weather and meteorological data. In this project, she pays homage to a favorite avant-guard series of brief weather reports filmed and delivered by David Lynch. Each artist filmed themselves relaying several basic facts about the weather on the current day in their area, as part of the FLAG SHOW selection process. They were instructed to “create a flag representing their identity, associations and loyalties. The artist should use the flag as a means to communicate ideals and/or needed information that will stand strong in a contemporary environment”. Past this nudge, their only limitations are the size of the flag mount and a selling price of $300.00 or less. In fact, artists are encouraged to break new ground in creating these hanging works.

Lauren Thorson has exhibited and lectured nationally; worked as a designer and has been published internationally. She was recently named one of The Walker Art Center’s “Ten Artists to Watch in 2013,” and was an AIGA Minnesota Design Show award winner for her typeface: Galvan in 2011. She is currently a visiting assistant professor at the University of Iowa, her alma mater for her BA in communication/ advertising and BFA in Graphic Design. She has also been adjunct faculty at MCAD, where she received her MFA; a research assistant and teaching assistant at the U of M, where she plans to continue her Phd studies in Graphic Design upon returning to Minnesota.

FEATURED ARTISTS
Maria Fernanda Albornoz, Minneapolis, MN
Gustavo Inafuku, São Paulo, Brazil
Andrew Allison, Pittsburgh, PA
Katie Hargrave, Minneapolis, MN
Nicole Killian, Internet
Vadim Gershman, Minneapolis, MN
Madeline Sorenson, Minneapolis, MN
Steve Listwon, Boston, MA
Adam Setala, Minneapolis, MN
Anton Pearson, Brooklyn, NY
Christopher Gasser, Minneapolis, MN
Camille Morehead, Iowa
Erik Brandt, Minneapolis, MN
Michael David Franklin, Minneapolis, MN
Peter Haakon Thompson, Minneapolis, MN
Julia Parris, Brooklyn, NY
Sara Kabri & Luis Lopez Smith, London, United Kingdom
Studio Set, Minneapolis, MN
Maison Nue, Paris, France
Dante Carlos, Minneapolis, MN
Lea Sorrentino, Philadelphia PA
Eman Alshawaf, Kuwait City, Kuwait
Michael Menchaca, San Antonio, TX
Brian Walbergh, United States of America
Protey Temen, Moscow, Russia
Elsa Westreicher, Leipzig, Germany