Artist flags up self-determination

RIGA - Latvian artist Aigars Bikse has launched a novel protest againstthe global dominance of American corporations by means of the Stars andStripes, a large volume of cola drink, local craftsmanship and a coupleof webcams.

His latest work features a hand-woven flag receiving a regular dousing in the soft drink.

The resulting installation, entitled 'The Incredible Adventures ofthe USA Flag in Latvia' was unveiled March 7  at Akniste secondaryschool. If that seems like a strange location for apolitically-flavored protest, Aigars Bikse has an explanation.

"I got the impulse for this work from the former U.S. Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright," Bikse says. "Some time ago when the LatvianMinistry of Health wasgoing to stop selling of carbonated and sweetened soft drinks inschools and kindergartens Ms Albright wroteto the president of Latvia asking for the cancellation of such a step by theministry. I really felt affected. In this case global business'co-laundered' itself together with politics, leaving an impression ofa process of a low ethical value."

Preparation of the artwork took 16 months. "It was important thatevery detail was prepared with utmost precision, but the finalsynthesis needed to take place in an average country school inLatvia. The stand of the aquarium is hand-made, created by artisanValdis Bekmanis according to an individual design. But the flag's clothwas created by the textile artist and weaver Amanda Berga, according toancient Latvian folk traditions, using only natural sheep's wool and natural colors.

The only difficulty was finding an ordinary school willing to host such a controversial object, Bikse says.

"The project was offered to school headmasters in many schoolsof Latvia. The surprising demonstration of self-censorship onbehalf of many school headmasters wasalmost worth another separate art project, and so for a long time itwas impossible to find a home for the artwork. The search for a schoolcontinued until the beginning of 2008 when the Akniste schoolheadmaster agreed to exhibit the project in the school premises. Aschool in the rural countryside of Latvia, woollen cloth weaved accordingto ancient traditions, woodcarving requiring an immense input of workby the artisan - these are symbols of values which are quite oppositeto those of the consumer culture and stand for the independence ofdecision-making of a small state, " Bikse believes.

Live webcams feeding into a dual-language site allow viewers around the world to watch the  artwork in action at www.flagadventure.com where it will run until May 7.