Herald 

Mary Jane Ansell created this painting, titled Herald, in the twenty-first century. We see a figure, a young woman, sitting cross-legged, posing with a rifle, an American flag, and wearing what looks like a British military jacket. The artist seems to be playing with visual codes and cultural references. The red coat is suggestive of the British Empire's colonial past, and the American flag is a symbol of more recent American global power. The pose and the placing of the flower may suggest a gesture of peace, but the meaning of this symbolic juxtaposition remains ambiguous. Ansell seems to be questioning the legacies of power and conflict. The artist uses these symbols in the context of contemporary debates about national identity, colonialism, and the role of women. By researching the historical and cultural significance of each of these elements, we can better understand the artist's intentions and the complex issues she raises in her work.