Magic Mop (a proposal for a new flag for Europe) consists of a standard mop bought in China, that is adorned with 12 yellow stars reflecting on nation state symbols and shifts in power. Made for the 2011 exhibition No Government, No Cry organised by artist Kendell Geers, it also echoes the then current situation when Belgium was without a working government for 541 days. While still the seat of the European parliament, the country continued, seemingly as normal, without governance. In its materiality and symbolism, Magic Mop combines to raise questions about nation state and government, values, and the continuity of everyday activities – a flag that literally and metaphorically cleans the decks.
