Each year around the fourth of July, we try to introduce you to some sort of creative form of patriotism and this year is no different. Meet artist Paul Rousso, an American artist based in North Carolina who combines realism with abstraction in his oversized sculpted representations of everything from candy wrappers to cigarette packs. But since today is July 4th we are sharing with you his series of distorted American Flags, hand sculpted of styrene or acrylic.
Paul Rousso American Flag Sculptures
With all the recent political upheaval, the controversial immigration policies, the horrendous number of mass shootings and the polarizing President, his cabinet and his policies; these crumpled, distorted representations of “Old Glory” are fraught with new meaning.
The Paul Rousso American Flag Sculptures aren’t easy to find on his website, because they are not his most recent work. But I did locate several images of them and found some on his Instagram feed as well. These sculptures are large – with many measuring at least 5 feet tall or wide. Frozen in movement, they turn from a textile to organic sculptural form from every angle.
American Flag With V, 46x84x6″, Mixed Media On Hand Sculpted Acrylic:
American Flag Updraft, 23.5x30x15″, Mixed Media On Hand Sculpted Acrylic:
American Flag Rising, 51x38x30″, Mixed Media On Hand Sculpted Styrene:
American Flag Flat, 42x64x8″, Mixed Media On Hand Sculpted Styrene:
American Flag Distorted, 37x67x522″, Mixed Media On Hand Sculpted Styrene:
American Flag Squared, Mixed Media On Hand Sculpted Styrene:
American Flag with Some Wave 45x79x7″, Mixed Media On Hand Sculpted Styrene:
American Shield, 51x35x8″, Mixed Media on Hand Sculpted Acrylic:
American Woman, 57×37.5×12″ (146x96x30cm), Mixed Media On Hand Sculpted Styrene:
American Flag Hurricaned, Mixed Media On Hand Sculpted Styrene:
Study For American Flag Rising:
Paul Rousso has many other wonderful sculptures that play with form and ephemera.