Available for purchase. For more information contact Luz Correa at luzamparo@alfa-gallery.com
In an incisive commentary on global trade and national identity, Keith Francis repurposes a 34" x 60" cotton American flag—manufactured in China—to confront the dissonance between the ideals of freedom and the economic realities of job loss in the United States. Since China's accession to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2001, the growing trade deficit has resulted in approximately 3.7 million American jobs being lost due to offshoring practices.
The artist's addition of yellow embroidered block letters reading "MADE IN CHINA" across the flag underscores the irony of American symbols produced abroad, prompting viewers to reflect on the implications of consumerism and the paradox of a nation that prides itself on independence while relying heavily on foreign labor. This juxtaposition invites discourse on contemporary issues of trade and economic inequality, particularly in the context of the U.S. relationship with China.
