Pennants

 Came across this image on eBay, I wasn’t looking for anything in particular.

What a great object. But what is it? It is a pennant, (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pennant_(sports) ) usually used to commemorate a sports team, often baseball, and are real collectors items in the US. 

My thoughts are, what a great item to commemorate the community, or something that perhaps you wouldn’t think to commemorate. 

Have pennants been used in art, it seems like quite an obvious item to reference, but it is quite culturally a American. Has it always been American? 

 

This is a painting by the preraphelite muse Lizzie Siddel. Lady Affixing pennant to a Knight’s spear. 1856. This painting is very tender, she supports the knight - perhaps her lover or husband. The painting is titled as the Lady is affixing the pennant although it looks like it is a mutual effort, but this act helps to make her central to the task. 

https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/siddal-lady-affixing-pennant-to-a-knights-spear-n03202

So no, it hasn’t always been American, they have definitely been part of British culture. 

https://www.tate.org.uk/search?q=Pennant searching the Tate for the use of the Pennant in art. 

 Kero by Olle Baertling 1957, this isn’t a direct reference rather than a triangle, very much about negative space. 

 Top of a mast, with pennant, JWM Turner 1800/7 , this references the pennant and its use in maritime.

Searching Flags on the Tate

The wonderful work by Yukinori Yanagi 1996. Where ants were able to crawl through sand creating tunnels and breaking down of the flags, suggesting the breakdown of local cultures and movement of people across nations. 

https://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/yanagi-pacific-t07464 

The flags and banners etc. are being used regularly in contemporary culture as people try to have their say about subjects being ignored by government, nationalism, BLM, queer culture, the NHS, corruption, climate change, me too, gilet jaune etc. It feels like a time full of revolution, rebellion, change making. I suppose we need to be pushed to near rock bottom for us to rally up and change culture and society!