Hoisted

Hoisted is an interactive public artwork exploring the recognition of sovereignty for the natural world. The installation is a large scale intervention of giant Inkahoots-designed and user-generated flags celebrating the flora and fauna of a nominated local region. Hoisted was first staged at Botanica – Contemporary Art Outside from 10-19 May 2019 in the Brisbane Botanic Gardens.

Inkahoots identifies and researches a curated list of local flora and fauna related to the installation site. These are presented on the Hoisted flag-building web-app with unique visual assets and information enabling users to create a flag based on their chosen species. These user-generated flags are then projected amongst other flags representing each of the local major groups of life, and are also collected and archived on the website.

Inkahoots has developed a critical theoretical manoeuvre we're calling vexillografting. If vexillography is the established practice of flag design, vexillografting is the strategic transfer of meaning using the persuasive symbolic power of flags to champion neglected yet fundamental priorities.

Can this splicing of meaning through the process of inventing flags for native fauna and flora help change the way we value the natural world, and our relationship to it?

For more about the ideas behind the work go here.

Inkahoots would like to thank: Curators Natasha Smith and Ineke Dane from UAP; Bella Ford from Articulated; the crew from Treescape; Stephen and Michael from Buck Outdoor AV; the BCC Botanica team and volunteers; Brisbane Botanical Gardens Curator Dale Arvidsson and team; Gabriella Wilson and Lucas Surtie for assistance with research and design.

Images by Stefan Jannides, Inkahoots and BCC.