Helis, summer 2024
Pennant Flag at Spruce Street Harbor Park, Philadelphia, PA
On a spring day in 2005, Link’s mother saw on the
local news that a beluga whale that originated in
Canada was spotted in the Delaware River between
Philadelphia and her hometown in South Jersey. As a
family, her two siblings, father, mother, and she,
loaded themselves into the minivan to see if they
could spot this elusive and misguided creature.
Recent research led her to discover the whale's name,
Helis, who was called a “freak” by Quebecoi scientist
Robert Michaud. As an artist, a queer person, and
someone who sometimes feels like a “freak,” she can’t help but think of the expression “let your freak
flag fly.” She also can’t help but feel for a creature that lost its way amid a world reckoning with the
effects of climate change. In thinking about the theme, commemoration, she wants to acknowledge that
today marks the 7th anniversary of her mother’s passing and nearly 19 years since this suburban
adventure. Her mother, not unlike Helis, left her home country of Poland in 1979 for a new life. This flag
celebrates the blurriness of borders, Helis’s big swim, freaks, and above all this fond memory of her
mother, Małgorzata Link.
Sketch for “Helis”, colored pencil on paper, 2023.
Documentation by Jeremy Link
“Commemorations” is an outdoor exhibition that celebrates the art of remembrance through the vibrant display of artist-designed flags. Inspired by the pioneering artwork of Ree Morton and her 1975 installation “Something in the Wind,” this exhibition invites sixteen (16) selected artists to create large pennant flags that honor individuals, places, or concepts worthy of celebration.
Featured artists include Amy Boone-McCreesh, Jordan Buschur, Alex Ebstein, Austin Eddy, Kati Gegenheimer, Mark Gibson, James Heimer, Madeleine Herisson-Leplae, Duwenavue Santé Johnson, Alicia Link, Caitlin McCormack, Addison Namnoum, Brice Peterson, Gordon Stillman, Katharine Suchan, Keo Luu.
curated by Libby Rosa