Casgliadau Arlein

Mini banner 'Welsh Union of Odd Queers'.

Small pink cotton banner with yellow cotton fringe along its lower edge and small brass grommets in upper corners. The banner is in landscape format and is printed in red with a central design of a hand which has a heart on its palm. This is surrounded by scrolls above and below that read: 'WELSH UNION' and 'OF ODD QUEERS'. On either side of the hand are scrolls that read 'TAKE IT' and 'SLEAZY'. Vertically, down each side edge of the banner, are the words 'COMEDY' and 'TRAGEDY', separated from the central design by a strip of chequerboard design. Above and below the words 'comedy' and 'tragedy' are 10-pointed stars. Edges are folded back in a single turn-back and stitched in place with machine stitches using pink thread.

The fringe is cut from yellow cotton fabric. The strip is laid on top of the pink fabric of the banner and the ends are folded around the sides. It is held in place with machine stitches using pink thread. The upper edge of the yellow fabric is a selvage. The strands of the fringe are created by cutting the yellow fabric into narrow, vertical strips. The reverse of the yellow fabric is partially printed in red with the same design as the front. (The words 'ODD QUE...' can be read).

The artist stated that this is “a replica banner modelled after a larger felted banner made in 2021, commissioned by the Arts' Council of Wales & Creative Cardiff. It was made partly in homage to my late partner, Noah Clark, with whom I carried many banners during our time together. After the original banner was displayed, I found that many Welsh queer people were deeply touched by it - often thanking me for making a union style banner they felt truly represented the intersection between their Welsh and queer identities. These banners now represent a part of the unique art scene in Cardiff which is heavily populated by LGBTQ+ artists producing work that proudly stands at the intersection of Welshness and Queerness”.