a note from an artist

On Wednesday 15 August I posted an entry about Montse Romagosa and the sculpture she dedicated to the flags for peace project.

Peace and Freedom

Montse was really moved by the response of the readers and on 12 September she sent me a note so that I could post it here. It is only my fault that it has taken me so much longer to do so. I have been feeling poorly and things got disorganized for a while here.

So this is Monte's note for you all:

'I am delighted with the many interesting interpretations of Peace and Freedom. My intention is to recover objects of daily use that have lost their original purpose of being - discarded materials, objects that the passage of time and subsequent deterioration have turned into waste, old pieces of junk, things that have lost their meaning and their value - and to give them new value, a new symbolic and aesthetic significance.'

I hope Montse will forgive my delay and thank you for your warm interest in her work.

first flag from Spain

I have been posting from Spain as a member of a group of artists called 'Roots'. However, the first Flag I can show you here was not made by a member of our group at all but by Montse Romagosa, a jewelry designer gone sculptor from Barcelona (230 kms from here). The beautiful photographs were taken by Àlvar Caixal.

Montse visits the area regularly, she has a house here in Beceite, and she liked the idea of the 2012 Project from the very beginning. She is a member of another group of artists called Land Art Associació Catalunya.

So her first contribution to the Flags for Peace Project is placed on the ground, on a piece of land. This piece of sculpture is not very large or heavy and she means to hang it in a public place for 21 September. I'd love it to be near the ten flags of our Group.

The piece is titled 'Peace and Freedom' and it is made with recycled materials, mainly iron and rope. The iron grid represents Freedom.

The same figure placed in a different location. I'm not sure where (I forgot to ask!) but the surroundings look a lot like anywhere around here.

'Peace and Freedom' resting on rows of roof tiles made of clay. I think it's a 'she'. What do you think?

P.S. Mary Jane, I thought this work would appeal to you, I hope it does!

first set complete

my first set of flags are in the darchor style - or vertically oriented... 

and, yes, they are small!


i used my carvings of the 'om' symbol and an opening lotus blossom to etch metal... i liked the idea of an opening flower here - to me it acknowledges the difficulty we can have being vulnerable... unlike the natural growth of the lotus, we often have to work at being open... i think many of us at times stay tightly bud-like, but the only way to experience and share love and peace fully is to blossom...

there is a lapis drop at the bottom... 


this was interesting for me - while flags are traditionally on fabric, my jewelry/metalworking background clearly guided my decisions... the carvings were first intended to use on a soft material... but i had to try them with etching on copper and brass and am glad i did... 


i really want to tell everyone how pleased and grateful i am for all of the participation, the community that is very present here... by having you signed up already as authors, i get to be just as surprised by the blog posts that regularly appear as everyone else... it's a gift and i thank you! if you aren't already an author and would like to be, please just let me know...