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Britannica 1959 Flag

James Allen

Judge Patricia H. Clark Children and Family Justice Center

A transformed encyclopedia set becomes a metaphor for America.

James Allen. Britannica 1959 Flag, 2019. Excavated encyclopedias. Judge Patricia H. Clark Children and Family Justice Center, Seattle, WA. King County Public Art Collection. Photo: joefreemanjunior.com

1959 Britannica Flag is what James Allen calls a "book excavation," a relief sculpture made from books, cut open to reveal carefully selected text and images. This particular work, cut and assembled to form an American flag, is constructed from a full set of Encyclopedia Britannica published in 1959—the kind of broad reference material people commonly kept in their homes prior to the advent of the internet.

“Like the country, the piece has many layers that come together to create the whole,” Allen says. He hopes the imagery “will spark curiosity and conversation about history, nature, places, and many other topics.”
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James Allen. Britannica 1959 Flag, 2019. Excavated encyclopedias. Judge Patricia H. Clark Children and Family Justice Center, Seattle, WA. King County Public Art Collection. Photo: joefreemanjunior.com
James Allen. Britannica 1959 Flag (detail), 2019. Excavated encyclopedias. Judge Patricia H. Clark Children and Family Justice Center, Seattle, WA. King County Public Art Collection. Photo: joefreemanjunior.com
 

About the Location

Judge Patricia H. Clark Children and Family Justice Center

4Culture believes in juvenile justice reform that results in zero youth detention. We also believe artists can lead the way in enacting this change, as culture-bearers, storytellers, and community-builders. Every single artist involved with the Judge Patricia H. Clark Children and Family Justice Center project has demonstrated a commitment to uplifting young people. Likewise, all…

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