Fragment of a Ship Flag c. 1630 - 1707

This is a fragment of a ship flag by an anonymous maker, and its date is unknown. Imagine the hands that raised it, the stories it could tell. Ship flags historically symbolized national identity, but they were also deeply implicated in trade, including the transatlantic slave trade. As a mute, partial object, this flag raises questions about the representation and erasure of histories. What does it mean that the maker is unknown, and that the flag itself is only a fragment? The flag invites us to reflect on the complex and often contradictory narratives of exploration, exploitation, and cultural exchange. Consider the many lives, often unacknowledged, that intersected with this object and the ship it once flew upon. What does it mean to see a piece of history that is both present and absent, a symbol that speaks volumes in its silence?