Joseph Havel: Wrapped in Stars

Joseph Havel’s exhibition Wrapped in Stars is comprised of three large scale sculptures. Continuing the artist’s long term interest is utilizing fabric as they basis for his sculptures, each of the works in this exhibition engages the American flag, both directly and indirectly. In two works, Wrapped in Stars, 2015-17 and Night, 2007, Havel extracted stars from the canton - or union - of American flags directly. The largest work in the exhibition, Domestic Flag (before stars), 2015-17, utilizes a variety of fabric sources (t-shirts, dress shirts, curtains, lace..etc) that were sewn together to create a body of fabric that corresponded to the proportions of the Betsy Ross flag. Havel’s sculptures allow for multiple interpretations that encompass both poetry and politics.