Luck of the Draw
Anti-immigration flags removed from lampposts, quilted with white cotton and wadding
45 x 110 x 10 cm
Wall hanging

No one would leave home, unless
Anti-immigration flags removed from lampposts, quilted with white cotton and wadding
60 x 131 x 93 cm
Floor Installation

My pieces attempt to turn flags hung with hostile intentions into things of comfort, warmth and welcome, encouraging audiences to reflect on the colonial history of the flag and speak up against ignorance and racism.

No one would leave home, unless explores one interpretation of the St. George flag, with its colour and iconography being seen as/becoming a symbol for respite and safety in which asylum seekers and migrants can find comfort in. In doing this, I hope to emphasise how it could be anyone (including the viewer) seeking the same shelter or comfort, if the world was different.

Luck of the Draw takes influence from the 1800s luxurious bedroom drapery, exposing a time when colonialism was prominent which, in later centuries, lead to the diversity that makes up the country to this day. Making this drapery with flags removed from lampposts emphasised the irony of people supporting extremist groups like Reform UK, preaching about their ‘English heritage’, yet this heritage’s violent history is what created the diversity they are trying to prevent. This piece was striving to evoke the absurdity of supporting these far-right parties, when what they want to “restore” was built on immigration.

Pairing these pieces together, I wanted to create tension between the works while giving two reflections and perspectives of the St. George flag – the luxury of the 'luck of the draw' being born in the UK, and the comfort provided those seeking sanctuary.