"Liberty und die Neue Ordnung" ("Liberty and the New Order")

This painting describes the new order in the present day, in the era of Brexit and the Trump presidency. These two entities have seen the demise of the influence of the English speaking powers (the U.S. and the U.K.) on the world stage. In turn, it also describes of the European countries’ increasingly independent and self awareness in light of the vacuum left by the lessening influence of the U.S. and U.K. in geopolitical and social affairs. I’ve attempted to represent these phenomena by superimposing the recognizable forms of the Union Jack and the Stars and Stripes flags. Their traditional colours however have been substituted with the variety of colours which make up the various European flags. It also deals with the very central issue of immigration and how it is dealt with. Here we can discern the partial frontal portrait of the Statue of Liberty, representing the fundamental foundation welcoming immigrants to the new land. At the same time, we can also see a partial profile of a Native American head, representing the indigenous people of America. This juxtaposition of flag forms and colours, together with the stylized images of symbols of openness and conflict in the American history of immigration evokes a statement on how shifting attitudes have influenced (not necessarily for the better) national policy towards foreigners.