In "Roots of Resilience," sixteen artists were selected from a call for applications to design flags that tell stories of hope, strength, and community, honoring the journeys of those who made Philly their home. From textiles to digital art, these powerful flags will fly at Spruce Street Harbor Park from May 22, 2026, to September 7, 2026.
About the Flag:
Originating from a photograph of Aaron Lam Kwok Yam’s mother’s first visit to the sea, the piece becomes a flag that conveys a sense of distant longing and intergenerational memory of migration. It shifts from private memory to public gesture, fluttering between past and present. The work reflects the strength carried across generations, the courage to leave the familiar, and the quiet endurance that helps navigate life’s uncertainties.
Originating from a photograph of Aaron Lam Kwok Yam’s mother’s first visit to the sea, the piece becomes a flag that conveys a sense of distant longing and intergenerational memory of migration. It shifts from private memory to public gesture, fluttering between past and present. The work reflects the strength carried across generations, the courage to leave the familiar, and the quiet endurance that helps navigate life’s uncertainties.
About the Artist:
Born in 1995 in Guangdong Province, China, Aaron Lam Kwok Yam currently lives and works in Hong Kong. Influenced by the interplay between personal experience and social phenomena, his works explore contemporary notions of migration and diaspora, post-identity politics, and the emotional intricacies embedded within these conditions.
