Eighteen in Copenhagen, a new space by V1 Gallery, is currently showing 29 Flags, a solo exhibition/installation by Cali Thornhill DeWitt. The exhibition opened on October 13th and will stay on view until October 14th.
DeWitt’s new body of work consists of 29 vintage Stars & Stripes with flock lettering reflecting on the infamous moments that marked the last few decades of American life. Installed hanging off the ceiling through the gallery space, the flags come in various sizes and from various time periods and places. Fitting their origin, each work refers to a specific event in the US’s recent history – from the death of Marilyn Monroe, the Waco siege, Elvis comeback concert, the cult of the Manson family, Traci Lords’ underage porn, The Unabomber, to the trial of O.J Simpson.
The new work is stepping away from the graphic “sign” pieces and experiments with flag based concepts that DeWitt previously exhibited in Copenhagen during his debut in 2015. Juxtaposing the textual message against such iconic objects, 29 Flags investigates and reflects on events that mesmerized America and the rest of the world. Not necessarily the historic moments in the full sense of the word, these events hyped by the mass media are deconstructed with a mixture of haiku poetry, TV shop lines, breaking news titles and text messages, creating a strong duality effect typical in his practice.
