Let It Fly!

Flipping thru some virtual pages I found a great post by Adbusters. If you don't know about Adbusters, you should. They are the self proclaimed "Culture Jamming Journal of the Mental Environment." It already sounds fun, doesn't it?!

The 'busters have once again kidney punched us right in the norm of our stereo-typical societal boundaries by running a One Flag Competition - The Flag for the United Earth.

It may sound a bit Sci-Fi for our planet to have it's own flag, but in a world so ridden with degredating resource competition, waring religious factions, catastrophic famine, and corporate gluttony....maybe an artsy dose of "Hey - Aren't we really all in this together?" isn't such a bad idea. Besides, we need a global flag to fly at the next Intergallactic Olympics - right?!

32 finalists original flags were chosen and the winner voted on by the likes of you and me. Take a look at the entire group - some wonderful concepts. Although I don't particularly like the winning flag - you really can't go wrong when lots of creative people from various contexts get together to create a global symbol of unity.

My first place vote went to:
Horizon by Craig Burstom - UK

Craig says, "My flag is a two colour representation of the horizon. Dividing the flag into one third green for land and two thirds sky blue, my flag is symbolic of optimism, progression and forward thinking."

As many agreed - the simplicity and earth like tones make for a gentle and easily recognizable representation of the planet...and one just about any 3 year old in any location could paint.

The actual winner was: Marc Arroyo Ortiga - Berlin, Germany

Marc says..."First I thought that a flag can’t achieve this project. It has too much symbolism in itself. It shouldn’t be a flag. But maybe, it should be a flag that doesn’t need to be a flag. It needs to be a kind of spirit that people all over the world know and understand in their own way."

So, it's basically the un-flag flag. I get it and it works, just not from the stands of a Davis Cup match on another planet.

Ivan L