The 'Kaleidentity' Bunting
- Madeleina Kay
- Jun 4
- 1 min read
As part of my “Kaleidentity” project I decided to indulge in an experiment, asking the question “is it possible to subvert the typical purpose of a flag - which usually represent a collective identity, by designing flags to represent unique, individual identities?”. I decided to print the designs in lino-cut, because flags are inherently repetitious, emblazoned upon any number of objects and a vast variety of surfaces and materials. The reductive nature of the design process chimed with the insight of one of my research participants who had described flags as a “flattening of identity”, whilst also reflecting that with this method, no two prints came out exactly the same – an apt metaphor for the constantly shifting nature of identity.

When discussing this element of the project with my research participants, I realised that many people were uncomfortable with the concept of a flag because of their historical role in conquest and oppression. This led me to print the flags at a small scale, so that they could be strung together like bunting, which is unintimidatory in nature, whilst emphasising the celebratory nature of the project. The bunting creates a metaphorical connecting thread between my research participants, several of whom had mentioned during their interviews the importance of “finding their tribe”, their joy at connecting like-minded people together and their feeling of belonging to diaspora/migrant communities regardless of the individual’s country of origin. The intention is for the bunting to be hung in exhibitions, with each flag above/below their corresponding portraits.
As per usual, when I work in any kind of textiles materials the cats were keen to "help".

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