Freedom and Equality, or Death (or Happy Birthday Maria)
2017
Gouache and household emulsion on wall.

Installed at the Victoria Square Project in central Athens (victoriasquareproject.gr). The Victoria Square Project is an ongoing social sculpture by the artist Rick Lowe, originally created for documenta14.

Based on the Greek flag, the work brings together the many shades of blue that the national flag has passed through in its evolution. According to popular tradition, the nine stripes represent the nine syllables of the phrase “Ελευθερία ή Θάνατος” (“Freedom or Death”), the five blue stripes for the syllables “Έλευθερία” and the four white stripes “ή Θάνατος”.

It also features an ‘=’ sign, symbolising equality, suggesting that a future flag for the country might consider this as a possible addition to freedom.