A flag stands for something, for a country, an organisation, a football club, an event. We hang out flags for festivities. A flag is made up of colours, shapes, symbols and sometimes words. Take the Finnish flag. A sky-blue cross on a long, white, rectangular background. This flag is perfect for Finland. I was later told of its symbolism. The white represents snow and the blue represents the thousands of lakes in Finland. A flag does not have to say literally what it stands for. There is another good example from Finland. The vases by the architect Alvar Aalto are both beautiful and surprising. Aalto was inspired to create these unique forms by the shapes of the Finnish lakes. I hope that my flags reflect the sounds of Bruges as Aalto’s vases do the lakes of Finland.

Deze publicatie is uitgegeven naar aanleiding van de openluchttentoonstelling ‘Vlagger’ in de centrumstraten van Brugge en de tentoonstelling met de originele ontwerpen in het Groeningemuseum- Arentshuis van 29 april tot 14 augustus 2011. / Cette publication est éditée à l’occasion de l’exposition à l’extérieur ‘Vlagger’ dans les rues commerçantes de Bruges et l’exposition des ébauches originales au Musée Groeninge- Hôtel Arents du 29 avril au 14 août 2011. / This publication is printed on the occasion of the open air exhibition ‘Vlagger’ in the shopping streets of Bruges and the exhibition with the original designs in the Groeningemuseum- Arentshuis from 29 April until 14 August 2011. / Diese Publikation erscheint anlässlich der Freilicht­ausstellung ‘Vlagger’ in den Einkaufsstraβen von Brügge und der Ausstellung mit den Originalentwürfen im Groeningemuseum- Arentshuis von 29. April bis 14. August 2011.