Hoisted (Botanica)

Hoisted was first staged at Botanica – Contemporary Art Outside, from 10-19 May 2019, in the Brisbane Botanic Gardens.

In collaboration with the local community and scientists, Inkahoots identifies and researches a curated list of local flora and fauna related to the installation site. These are presented on the Hoisted flag-building web-app with unique visual assets and information enabling users to create a flag based on their chosen species. These user-generated flags are then projected amongst other flags representing each of the local major groups of life, and are also collected and archived on the website.

Inkahoots has developed a critical theoretical manoeuvre we’re calling vexillografting. If vexillography is the established practice of flag design, vexillografting is the strategic transfer of meaning using the persuasive symbolic power of flags to champion neglected yet fundamental priorities.

Can this splicing of meaning through the process of inventing flags for native fauna and flora help change the way we value the natural world, and our relationship to it?

For more about the ideas behind the work go here.