union, 2016, Emergency survival blanket, Flagpole. Dimensions variable.

This work addresses a global crisis characterized by rising political, racial, and religious tensions, which increasingly push societies toward a pursuit of homogenous societies. Taking the form of a signal flag, the piece is constructed from an emergency survival blanket—an industrially mass-produced object designed to preserve body heat in extreme conditions.

The blanket’s metallic gold and silver surface has become an evocative emblem, frequently appearing in media imagery of Europe’s refugee crisis, where it serves as the only protection for countless displaced individuals. This duality—its dazzling allure juxtaposed with its association with human vulnerability—embodies a striking contradiction. By reimagining this ubiquitous object as a flag, I aim to evoke reflection on themes of belonging, displacement, and the shared human quest for survival and dignity.