Birth of the Flag I & II

1974 · 37 min

In this art performance turned into a film, a woman gives birth to the American flag. When this became a film, Oldenburg completely reformulated the contents of the original action and transferred the locale from an indoor swimming pool to the open countryside. The main similarity between the two versions is that water remains a dominant motif in both. With its stress on nature, the film is a far more lyrical piece than the original happening.

Directed by Claes Oldenburg