SARAH NOLAN

This series of seven hand sewn pennants metaphorically represent the artist’s aspiration for a material recognition of their work. The conventional reading of these flag shapes, reminiscent of the felt pennant purchased as a souvenir or awarded for a sporting achievement, are subverted by the text, which have been sourced from art reviews, statements quoted from panel discussions, or from observations and experiences of the art world. Located somewhere between the decisive congratulatory tone to the explicit reinforcing of a fact, the reduction of this text to a single word allows the artwork to take on a more ambiguous and provocative tone. Freed from the social meaning of both the pennant form and the artistic context of the sourced word, the work “Nice” reminds us all that art can simply be liked without explanation.

The abundance of beads, sequins and trimmings stitched on to plain and patterned fabrics imply a kitsch preciousness. These humble, extravagant ornaments thus take on the guise of treasured mementos of goals achieved.

- Gavin Perin, 2009