Arts festival asks for blood donations to soak ‘colonial’ flag

Dark Mofo has announced a controversial artwork to feature at the Hobart festival in June — but first it needs blood donations.

Spanish artist Santiago Sierra’s Union Flag artwork will feature at Dark Mofo festival in June. Picture: Santiago Sierra Studio

Winter festival Dark Mofo has announced a controversial art work in which the British flag will be soaked in the blood of First Nations peoples.

The work, Union Flag, by Spanish artist Santiago Sierra, will invite First Nations peoples from countries and territories colonised by the British Empire, who live in Australia, to donate blood for the project.

“We request the donation of a small amount of blood, less than what is usually taken from donors, and carried out by a medical professional prior to Dark Mofo 2021,” Sierra said in an open letter announcing the project.

Dark Mofo, an arts festival, is staged in Hobart in June.

Sierra added: “The project consists of immersing the British flag in the blood of people from territories colonised by the British Empire.

“We seek applications from across Australia with blood drawn from single participants selected to represent each territory or country. The blood will be combined in an aluminium bucket in which the British flag will be immersed.”

“The use of the British flag is not about any specific people, but rather seeks to reflect on the material on which states and empires are built,” Sierra said.

“The First Nations people of Australia suffered enormously and brutally from British colonialism. Nowhere more so than in Tasmania where the Black War in the early 19th century had a devastating impact, almost killing the entire Tasmanian Aboriginal population — an act that has since been defined as genocide.

“The intent of this project is against colonialism,” Sierra said. “It is an acknowledgment of the pain and destruction colonialism has caused First Nations peoples, devastating entire cultures and civilisations. Colonisation by the British Empire is only one example of plundering and conquest, albeit one of the most forceful, both for its geographic reach and for the genocidal methods applied.”

Dark Mofo creative director, Leigh Carmichael, said: “We’re pleased to announce the inclusion of Santiago Sierra’s Union Flag in this year’s festival.

“It’s a logistically difficult project and we are working diligently to ensure we are able to realise the work for the upcoming festival. This call out to First Nations peoples from countries claimed by the British Empire at some point in history to participate is the first public phase of the project.

“We hope to receive interest from as many people across Australia as possible.”

To register interest: darkmofo.net.au/blood

Dark Mofo runs from June 16 to 22, with a full program to be announced next month.

The blood-soaked work in Union Flag will be displayed at the festival.

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