Remembering Our Veterans

Since today, November 11th, is Veteran's Day, I selected my favorite US Flag photo to honor our veterans. This flag is displayed on the side of a large, repurposed industrial building that stands along the banks of the Rock River.  The flag is a five ton metal sculpture painted with vibrant reds, whites, and blues and is composed of various mechanical parts and hand tools which were artfully assembled and welded together.  The parts and tools were scavenged from the building on which it hangs, a former paper company.  I included the parked cars in the photo to give the viewer a concept of how large this flag (18x36 ft) is compared to its surroundings.

One of the reasons this flag appeals to me is its composition and symbolic statement.  It is distinctly middle class/blue collar in its presentation and construction.  The strength of America is in the welding of these many dissimilar parts to create a common message for future generations and to serve as a reminder to us that the freedom we enjoy today was paid for by those who came before us many who were different from us. We stand gratefully on the shoulders of the veterans and others who walked through darkness.  

Having just concluded one of the ugliest and most divisive elections ever, we need to open our minds to the message of this flag and rediscover together how to artfully and thoughtfully assemble the many dissimilar parts once more.