The New World navigates between the flags of the Old World

BACKGROUND. The artist book gained recognition as a distinct genre of the visual arts in the 1970s, becoming central to the development of conceptual art. The medium has spawned numerous specialist critical publications and institutions including The Center for Book Arts in New York and the Artists' Books + Multiples Fair in Brisbane. The flag book structure, developed by Hedi Kyle in 1979, has become an influential structure in contemporary bookmaking. The Old World navigates between the flags of the New World reconfigures illustrations of flags and coats of arms from Soviet-era Estonian encyclopaedias, forming part of a conscious move towards more sustainable production strategies through the use of recycled materials which, in turn, drive content. The book alludes to ongoing trans-national migrations that continually adjust a country's cultural make-up - highly topical in an era of Brexit and the current political re-evaluations of Australia's immigration policy. RESEARCH CONTRIBUTION. In making a flag book from flags, the work considers the capacity for the book structure itself to drive content. The reconfigured flags and coats of arms create new allegiances, challenging the idea of an inviolable symbol of one's national or cultural identity. Rather, the book presents these symbols in a state of flux and open to re-negotiation. Appositely, following the folding of the Soviet Union, a number of the national emblems themselves are themselves already redundant. RESEARCH SIGNIFICANCE. The Incinerator Art Award is a nationally significant award highlighting the role art can play in addressing pressing social concerns. The 2018 award attracted over 300 entries Australia wide, with 33 finalists selected by a judging panel consisting of Max Delany (director, ACCA), Melissa Keys (curator, Buxton Contemporary) and Mark Feary (Artistic director, Gertrude Contemporary). Selection as a finalist reflects recognition of excellence in the field at a national level.