Flags (2001–2006) – Flag as Structure and Identity

The Flags series develops as an investigation into identity—personal, collective, and cultural—conceived as a mutable sign. Executed in plywood and, in some cases, on canvas, the works adopt undulating forms constructed from interlocking segments, suggesting fragmentation and recomposition.

Each flag engages with specific historical and symbolic contexts. Certain works reference global events, such as the fall of the Twin Towers, or ongoing geopolitical tensions, as in Israpal. In another instance, a cross made up of six elements operates as a formal structure linking faith and vulnerability.

Following the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Italian flag is reinterpreted in relation to women migrating from countries in crisis, seeking new forms of belonging in Western societies. Around their bodies appear fragments of their countries of origin, while on a white background short phrases are inscribed in simplified language, expressing fear, longing, motherhood, and displacement.

Stars recur throughout the series—American, Iraqi—functioning as emblems of power and destiny. In My Name is Maria, heart shapes and root structures reference female agency, raising questions concerning spiritual and cultural leadership.

The Flags cycle positions the flag not as a fixed emblem, but rather as a constructed and revisable symbolic field.