PARLEY x UTÖPIA ARTIST FLAGS: JEPPE HEIN
In collaboration with Utöpia, we teamed up with Danish contemporary artist Jeppe Hein to create a limited edition artist flag in support of the Parley Global Cleanup Network.
This image courtesy of Jeppe Hein©. Featured work: WE ARE ALL INTERCONNECTED (flag), 2020. Produced by Utöpia. Size: 5 x 3 FT. Header image — Jeppe Hein®, Today I feel like … Schirn, 2020 Courtesy KÖNIG GALERIE, Berlin / London, 303 GALLERY, New York, and Galleri Nicolai Wallner, Copenhagen Photo: Esra Klein and Lena Sobczinski
Danish artist, Jeppe Hein, widely known for his experiential and interactive artworks has teamed up with Parley and Utöpia to create a limited edition Artist flag, titled ‘WE ARE ALL INTERCONNECTED (flag)’. The flag is made with Parley Ocean Plastic® and is created from approximately five plastic bottles recovered from island communities and coastlines by our Global Cleanup Network. This edition is limited to 100 flags and is produced by Utöpia, with 100% of the proceeds will support Parley’s education and eco-innovation projects.
“My intention is to portray life in its entirety, reflecting the connection between us all and thus encourage exchange about it. By smiling at someone, we can show this connection and our appreciation for each other. These faces smile for you and they want you to smile too!”
Jeppe Hein, July 2021
Jeppe Hein’s internationally known artworks can be positioned at the juncture of art, architecture, and technical inventions. Unique in their formal simplicity and notable for their frequent use of humor, his works engage in a lively dialogue with the traditions of Minimalist sculpture and Conceptual art of the 1970s.
His experiential artworks actively engage the viewer to challenge preconceived notions and perceptions while highlighting our deep interconnectedness. For example, his ongoing project Breathe With Me, has engaged over 93 million people and aims to bring the entire world together with the one simple, universal action of breathing. This sense of interconnectedness of all living beings raises our responsibility to protect our planet and the oceans.
For centuries flags have been used for communication, showing allegiance, and building communities. With our collection of artist flags, Parley wants to embolden statements of resistance and hope through the powerful voices of artists.
Every minute the equivalent of one garbage truck of plastic is dumped into our oceans, interrupting the most important ecosystem on our planet and directly threatening the survival of many species of sea life as well as humanity.
Now available to purchase on the Parley Shop. All proceeds support Parley’s Global Cleanup Network.
Image by Agustin de la Parra
Parley Ocean Plastic®
Image by Camellia Menard
Q&A
Parley sat down with Jeppe Hein to discuss the ideation of the flag and his relationship to the ocean.
Your flag, titled "WE ARE ALL INTERCONNECTED", shows an armada of colorful smiley faces, quickly painted in watercolor. Who are they and why are they smiling?
My flag shows spontaneous self-portraits visualizing my mood, just as I felt in the moment of painting. At the same time, my intention was to portray life in its entirety, reflecting the connection between us all and thus encourage exchange about it. We all breathe and even though we live different lives each breath keeps us together, connected, sharing the same air. By smiling at someone, we can show this connection and our appreciation for each other. These faces smile for you and they want you to smile too!
Why is “happiness” interesting for art?
Art can be very appealing for people, creating joyful situations as well as relaxing moments and opportunities for interaction with other people. Art makes people laugh and life is easier with a smile on your face - or as Charlie Chaplin said: a day without laughter is a day wasted. I believe if an artwork puts a smile on your face and gets you in high spirits, it even makes your life better – at least momentarily.
Flags with special colored designs are used as tools for signaling, conveying particular meanings – where do you want to see your flags flying?
Wherever a smile is missing and people need to be reminded that we are all interconnected.
Your flags are made of Ocean Plastic® and support Parley’s Global Cleanup program. Why did you decide to get involved and support the initiative?
I got to know Parley for the Ocean and its Global Cleanup program when preparing my project Breathe with Me. Breathe with Me is a global engagement art project that spreads a simple but ambitious message of interconnectivity, by inviting everyone to breathe together and paint their own individual breath next to each other.
It ignites awareness, unity and positive action for a strong and sustainable future. It inspires engagement that is impactful in a multitude of ways to see how the world can breathe together for a better future. In this approach, our projects have a lot in common and I see it as meaningful addition to support Parley’s program, because we need action to safe our planet and we need the oceans to breathe.
Do you have a close relationship to the oceans? What marine creature would you like to have the ability to transform into?
I was born and grew up in Denmark, a country that is surrounded by the ocean and so I have a very close relationship to the oceans. I would love to be a dolphin, because I like surfing.
JEPPE HEIN
Jeppe Hein is a Danish artist based in Berlin, widely known for his production of experiential and interactive artworks that can be positioned at the junction where art, architecture, and technical inventions intersect. Unique in their formal simplicity and notable for their frequent use of humor, his works engage in a lively dialogue with the traditions of Minimalist sculpture and Conceptual art of the 1970s. Jeppe Hein’s works often feature surprising and captivating elements which place spectators at the centre of events and focus on their experience and perception of the surrounding space.
Image of Jeppe Hein, photographed by Tom Wagner.
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