Jeff Koons created this design for the Flag Project.
Jeff Koons created this design for the Flag Project.

Flags Fly for New York

Artists design flags to show support for New York City.

It’s been a rough year for America’s biggest city. In the spring, New York was hit hard by the coronavirus. More than 200,000 New Yorkers got sick. Thousands of stores had to close. Now artists are showing their support for the Big Apple. They created nearly 200 flags for New York.

The flags represent different parts of New York. Some show the city’s tall buildings or bridges. Others feature famous foods — such as pretzels or bagels. And many include the men and women who call NYC their home. These New Yorkers are tough and brave. And they are united to bring their city back.

All types of artists made flags — including painters, sculptors, designers, and graffiti artists. A few of the artists are very famous. Some are less known. Most of the artists are New Yorkers. Yet some also come from other cities or countries. The 105-year-old artist Carmen Herrera made a flag. So did Eve Parkman, age 10.

“Flags guide people through uncertain or dangerous situations,” said artist Marina Abramović. “They can be used as a way to unite people,” she added. “I created a flag which represents the EKG line of the human heartbeat,” she said. “The line of my flag represents the resilience of the human spirit,” Abramović explained. “The most important thing of all is that we keep going and never give up.”

Jeff Koons is famous for making balloon shapes in his sculptures. His flag shows balloons in the shapes of the letters “NYC.” Koons said he was “honored” to join the Flag Project. He also hoped to show the diversity of the city. Koons said he tried to do that with the “multicolored diamond pattern.” The artist explained that his image “reflects how I feel about New York City.”

In total, 193 artists worked on the Flag Project. Their designs began flying on the flagpoles in Rockefeller Center on August 1. Anyone can see the flags for free until August 16. Officials from the Flag Project hope it will help create “a new era of togetherness and human connection amidst a difficult time.”

These flags fly high. Perhaps the soaring flags will help New York’s spirit soar as well.

Updated August 7, 2020, 5:02 P.M. (ET)
By Russell Kahn (Russ)

Jeff Koons created this design for the Flag Project.
Jeff Koons created this design for the Flag Project.

It’s been a rough year for America’s biggest city. In the spring, New York was hit hard by the coronavirus. More than 200,000 New Yorkers got sick. Thousands of stores had to close. Now artists are showing their support for the Big Apple. They created nearly 200 flags for New York.

The flags represent different parts of New York. Some show the city’s tall buildings or bridges. Others feature famous foods — such as pretzels or bagels. And many include the men and women who call NYC their home. These New Yorkers are tough and brave. And they are united to bring their city back.

All types of artists made flags — including painters, sculptors, designers, and graffiti artists. A few of the artists are very famous. Some are less known. Most of the artists are New Yorkers. Yet some also come from other cities or countries. The 105-year-old artist Carmen Herrera made a flag. So did Eve Parkman, age 10.

“Flags guide people through uncertain or dangerous situations,” said artist Marina Abramović. “They can be used as a way to unite people,” she added. “I created a flag which represents the EKG line of the human heartbeat,” she said. “The line of my flag represents the resilience of the human spirit,” Abramović explained. “The most important thing of all is that we keep going and never give up.”

Jeff Koons is famous for making balloon shapes in his sculptures. His flag shows balloons in the shapes of the letters “NYC.” Koons said he was “honored” to join the Flag Project. He also hoped to show the diversity of the city. Koons said he tried to do that with the “multicolored diamond pattern.” The artist explained that his image “reflects how I feel about New York City.”

In total, 193 artists worked on the Flag Project. Their designs began flying on the flagpoles in Rockefeller Center on August 1. Anyone can see the flags for free until August 16. Officials from the Flag Project hope it will help create “a new era of togetherness and human connection amidst a difficult time.”

These flags fly high. Perhaps the soaring flags will help New York’s spirit soar as well.

Updated August 7, 2020, 5:02 P.M. (ET)
By Russell Kahn (Russ)

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