THE FLAGS OF CHARLES FLAGRANZ

What if Pakistan sent a man on the Moon before the United States? What if the US or North Korea concentrated more on the environment and less on their artillery? What if Stalin or Hitler married a good cause like the future of their children or assisting people where it’s mostly need it? What if Seychelles went to Everest before the British? What if the Pope promised true access to information instead of Paradise? What if a great Country like China was going to believe in Coke instead of Communism?

An answer to all such stupid dilemmas comes from Charles Flagranz, an anarchic artist who is changing the meaning of the world by changing its symbols. The provocation is interesting, insulting or funny. It depends from your point of view. Our beliefs are based, more often than we think, on visual symbols. Their power is holy, hypnotic and unquestioned. Not for Charles Flagranz, who is travelling the world in search of answers, and probably troubles. He kindly asked us to promote his work on our blog and we are happy to oblige. The Brandpowder Team wanted to give a tribute to Flagranz’s message which is, basically, quite positive and universal. We don’t take any responsibility, though, because we represent an independent authority on bullshit and we only believe in our flag (which is a beer label). Anyways, the border between flag and flagrant is quite easy to break, most of all if you are addressing susceptible people.

We asked Charles (during a brief interview over the phone) some clues about his future projects. He told us he recently run out of money and, for a while, he won’t be able to produce any art. He’s just hanging around, touring the sunny coasts of South Africa with an old motorbike. He told us he wishes to be rich and famous like Jeff Koons, but without marrying a porn star. We asked him what he currently does for a living. He told us he’s now considering a part time job as a carpenter in Cape Town, just to make a little money to get on a plane and pay a visit to his uncle Hans in Stuttgart. We didn’t want to ask him more.