Photo Fringe 2024

MacDonaldStrand, False Flags, 2024

'Images are not to be altered to show a different reality as we are a news agency and cannot be seen to not be showing the truth of the moment.'

This is an extract one of the many confusing email messages we received from international picture agencies following our objections to our project No More Flags being fined thousands of pounds by a web-scraping bot copyright company. The third party company had been used to detect infringement of the use of their images. Eventually we had to withdraw the project.

Researching the company, we could see that aggressive communication and fines had been issued not only to two artists trying to make a point about racists thugs, but also to community groups, small charities, local history societies and unwitting individuals who had used an image on their blog or shared on social media. Warning letters assert that, even if the images are immediately removed one is still liable to pay large sums of money in fines.

Our project No More Flags was sourced from photographs of extreme right-wing marches in the UK and USA. We invited people to send us images they felt threatened or appalled by, and we offered an on-demand redaction service by crudely removing the national flags shown in the images. The aim was to withdraw the asserted legitimacy of the flag-waving, faux-patriotism of these marches. We called this process 'cathartic Photoshopping.'

Taking the flags away from these nationalists was not only therapeutic for us, but disempowering to them. The resulting images showed remarkably similar protagonists marching with blank flags, exposing the dull, mono-cultural, selfish and diminished society that they try to promote and celebrate.

No More Flags was also aimed at the commercial systems used around the distribution of these images by picture agencies and the unbalanced exposure that these right-wing fringe groups are given. The photographs seemed the result of a collaborative dance between the racists agitators and the photographers. One group wanting exposure and the other saleable content.

The outcome of this codependent relationship provides a shocking imbalance of 'reality' and the 'truth of the moment.' Instead it shows that hatred, violence and anger are newsworthy, and that the far-right fully understand and use this. This new iteration of the project, which we have titled False Flags, takes the large-scale flags initially made to hang in an exhibition space alongside the incoherent soundscape of these marches, and present them as 'burial flags' folded in the ceremonial shape of a triangle.

'A false flag operation is an act committed with the intent of disguising the actual source of responsibility and pinning blame on another party.'

False Flags shows at Gallery DODO at Phoenix Art Space

as part of Photo Fringe until 17 November

open Wednesday - Sunday by appointment by Instagram Direct Message to (@aproposdodo)

or email to dodoinformation@yahoo.com

Artist Talk:
False Flags and Other Mistakes

Sunday 10 November
11am–12pm
Phoenix Art Space

Remembrance Sunday two minute silence will be observed

MacDonaldStrand will talk about their ongoing practice and False Flags The Gallery will be open from 10.30 for viewing before the talk. Free coffee and apple cake will be available in the White Room. This will be a hangover-friendly event.

This event is hosted by Gallery DODO as part of Photo Fringe 2024