The Flag Project at The Rink at Rockefeller Center Video and Commentary
Free to the public
August 1 – 16, 2020
Back in May, Rockefeller Center put an alert for folks to submit designs, they’d come up with, to be flown on the flag posts surrounding the Rink at Rockefeller Plaza. With nearly 200 winning designs to be chosen the project’s aim was to unite and celebrate New York City’s community during, and in response to this difficult time as the city recovers from the COVID-19 crisis.
Yours truly had the fine chance to take in all the many new publicly designed flags hanging off the posts where the rink would normally be – and what a wonderful set of designs they are! Designs ranged from that which we’re currently experiencing socially to the landmarks, icons and people that make the Big Apple what it is and always has been – these flags are a collective reflection of our city, our history and our culture.
By happenstance, I stumbled upon a couple of winning entry artists whose flags were hanging right beside each other.
First, there’s Kristin Doney, a New York City illustrator with a wonderfully giant love of/for our furry friends. She was there with her own little friend ‘Louie’, to share with me how her flag celebrates our animal rescue organizations and all the pets who found their forever home and are now living it up in the city!
Dogs make NYC friendlier!
The following video features Kristin’s winning design followed by her holding ‘Louie’ and looking up at her own flag. Thereafter, we’ve featured a cartoon video of hers created in honor of those on the frontlines of our current COVID-19 health crisis.
You can find her website at www.KristinDoney.com where there are free downloadable coloring pages for kids. The pages show the dogs washing their paws, social distancing and cheering for our essential workers. As well, you’ll find a coloring page for her winning Rockefeller flag design as well.
Thereafter, I came across Deborah Adams Doering and Glenn N. Doering.
The couple are founders and lead artists in the socially-engaged art collaborative DOEprojekts. You can learn more about them in the following video as well as by visiting their two sites: doeprojekts.org & doeprojekts.com
The Flag Project is free, outdoor exhibition that is open to the public, does not require tickets, and can be viewed at any time. Created by Tishman Speyer in an effort to unite and celebrate community during the early phases of the Covid-19 pandemic, The Flag Project invited New Yorkers to show their love for their city and submit their own artworks celebrating New York City: its diverse culture, vibrant energy, strength, and resiliency. Each winning design was produced into an 8-foot by 5-foot flag.
In addition to being crowdsourced by the public, a handful of artists and notable New Yorkers designed flags as part of the exhibition. Participating artists include Jeff Koons, Marina Abramović, Christian Siriano, Sarah Sze, Steve Powers, KAWS, Laurie Anderson, Hank Willis Thomas, Carmen Herrera, Jenny Holzer, Shantell Martin, Sanford Biggers, and Faith Ringgold.