Jack or Black by Erena Koopu student at ToihoukuraA week­end trip to the out­er reach­es of Welling­ton­ist cov­er­age end­ed with a crack­ing vis­it to Pata­ka at Porirua and in par­tic­u­lar the com­pre­hen­sive and thought pro­vok­ing ‘Sym­bols of Sov­er­eign­ty’ series.

Out­lin­ing the extra­or­di­nary evo­lu­tion of flags in New Zealand this a series of five exhi­bi­tions all with a flag theme:

  • JACK OR BLACK — A New Flag For The Nation?
    until 21st August. Explor­ing the debate that sur­rounds the issue of whether or not New Zealand should change its flag. This top­i­cal exhi­bi­tion reach­es into the heart of the issue by voic­ing the feel­ings of ‘ordi­nary’ New Zealan­ders.
    Vote for your favourite from the exam­ples or add your own design to that of oth­ers.

  • NIU TIRENI — Paul Thomp­son
    until 21st August. Flags based on the signs and sym­bols of nine­teenth cen­tu­ry Maori flags then pho­tographed in full flight.
  • FLAGWORKS
    until 11th Sep­tem­ber. Cel­e­brat­ing the icon­ic use of flag imagery in con­tem­po­rary New Zealand art.
  • PROTEST AND CELEBRATION
    until 11th Sep­tem­ber. Images by some of New Zealand’s lead­ing doc­u­men­tary pho­tog­ra­phers depict­ing flags being used in protest and cel­e­bra­tion.
  • HISTORY UNFURLED
    until 16th Octo­ber. Evo­lu­tion of flags through­out New Zealand’s short his­to­ry

This is a top­ic that has gen­er­at­ed a lit­tle heat with­in Welling­ton­ista Tow­ers and here’s a few oth­er links we’ve found that have assist­ed us in our disc­s­sions: