Hand dyed vintage Indy 500 flags, thread, paint, nails, and wire on board
As they tested out different techniques to create this artwork, artist H. Herin took a few pit stops, asked for help from friends, and ultimately gained a new perspective for the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing,” a phrase first coined in the 1950’s by Alice Greene, who, at the time, was a young copywriter for WIBC Radio. Ode to Alice Greene was produced from hand dyed vintage flags used during past Indy 500 races. Non-toxic RIT dye was used to change the colors of the flags to greens and blues to symbolize the start of the race and the end of the pandemic era cancellations. Once the flags were dyed, HH cut them into strips and braided them together. As they were braiding the pieces they thought of all the stories, lives, and histories that have become intertwined with the race. As a native Hoosier, the 500 has always been a constant in their life but something they had never participated in. As they took something symbolic, like the checkered flag and dyed it a new color, they were reminded of the women who have made history when they joined the race for the first time in 1977.
H. Herin is an interdisciplinary textiles artist and native to Indianapolis. They studied painting and drawing at the Art Academy of Cincinnati and graduated in 2018. Their work is fabricated by using discarded, recycled, and thrifted materials to create artworks that range from sculpture, painting, collage, sewn garments, and installations. They believe the materials they use bring accessibility and accountability into art, forcing you to reflect on the objects being used. The practice of creating these works is a sacred action of meditation, remediation, rebellion, and obsessive self-expression through symbolism, texture, and material. Trash can be a treasure if you look at it through new eyes. Any silly idea can spark an adventure. They create art for themself and for all to interact with, to reflect on, and enjoy. @lee.lazerr
