raising flags 37: Jonathan Monk

With raising flags 37, we are confronted with a motif that initially seems familiar. The colourful flags formally take up the tripartite division of classic national flags, and the choice of colours is also reminiscent of social contexts. Jonathan Monk’s colourful homage takes us in a different direction: into the colour world of Franz West. The colourful flags by Jonathan Monk open up new references on the Stubenbrücke, where Franz West used his white lemur heads to reveal the complexity of a simple symbol.

On the occasion of Jonathan Monk’s solo exhibition at Belvedere 21, two of the flags (measuring 366 x 550 cm) will be shown consecutively in the sculpture garden of Belvedere 21, parallel to the presentation at Stubenbrücke. The remaining two flags will be presented one after the other inside the exhibition space, draped over a divan by Franz West.

“WEST WIND – when invited to propose a design or designs for the raising flags project, I tried to come up with an idea that worked within the given context. Vienna’s Stubenbrücke, Franz West’s missing sculptures, the Austrian flag, and a certain amount of confusion all seemed like the ideal starting point. National flags are so horribly loaded – hopefully I’ve added some Westian lightness to the classic rectangular divide: hard-edged abstraction with a touch of pink.” (Jonathan Monk)