Nancy Gipple | Tree Series #4 | Textile | 1994

Nancy Gipple
This tree series as also titled "Different Views, Same Situation".  On tree series #4, this alternate title is especially helpful.  There are many different views of the same larger situation contained in just this one quilt.

In this tree piece, the singular view of the tree is composed of four American Flags; one large upright dominant flag which is resting on or bearing down on three smaller inverted flags.  The three smaller ones support and I think ironically and unhappily give stability to the large one bearing down on them.

The overall image is a bare limbed tree which is larger than the outer edges of the quilt.  The image runs off the quilt on all four sides.  The unified and fragmented image of the single organism of the tree is composed of fabrics from all over the world and is very ethnically rich and diverse.

I can't help but think of how many ways there are to be an American.  We have so much diversity: economically, racially, ethnically, religiously, sexual orientation, physical and mental ability to name a few…so many smaller American Flags.

I look forward to the day when my little representation of this situation is obsolete; When none of the flags are inverted, in the distress position, and all are interlocked, quilted, holding each other up, not down.