Art Science & Flags Collide at Sail4th 250

By Selva Ozelli, image Flag CCL Series by Selva Ozelli for Four Museums

In central London’s Waterloo Place, a life-size statue of Banksy titled “Flag Man” emerged overnight late April as King Charles who was only the second British monarch to address U.S. Congress, following his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in 1991, framed environmental stewardship as a foundational alliance between the UK and the US. King Charles declared nature “nature’s own economy” and emphasized that protecting it is a shared responsibility that underpins both nations’ prosperity and national security.

Sail4th 250

As the US celebrates the 250th anniversary of its independence on July 4th with Sail 4th 250 as the largest maritime event, I wanted to bring to your attention a few exhibitions that revolve around the theme of the Flag that are endorsed by Freedom 250  the official initiative organized by the White House task force to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the United States (the Semiquincentennial).

Putnam History Museum, Cold Spring, NY

The Rose Flag CCL:  The rose is the symbol of the USA, New York State and the official national flower of England, specifically represented by the Tudor rose.  To this day still many US cities use the Tudor Rose in their flags.  Since Cold Spring, NY is home to several species of native rose bushes which include Virginia Rose (Rosa virginiana), Carolina Rose (Rosa Carolina),  Swamp Rose (Rosa palustris) I featured them in my Rose Flag CCL for Putnam History Museum.

Havre de Grace Maritime Museum, Havre de Grace, MD

Hydrangea & Rose Flag CCL

National Lighthouse Museum, Staten Island, NY

Ocean Lovers – Angel Fish Flag CCL, more about this flag below.

Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University (LDEO) Palisades, NY

Miriam Cinquegrana who oversees the Art Meets Science initiative at LDEO explained “The Flags of Science art show featuring four US Flags was created by Selva Ozelli  in honor of America’s 250th anniversary and the groundbreaking research of Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory scientists.”

These Flags include:

Ocean Lovers – To the Core Flag CCL

Atmosphere Flag CCL

Space Solar Flag CCL

Tree of Life/Tectonic Flag CCL celebrates the Liberty Tree, the towering 130-year-old elm in Boston, Massachusetts, which served as the primary gathering spot for the Sons of Liberty. This tree was incredibly important to the independence of the USA because it provided a visible, outdoor sanctuary where colonists organized historic protests against British taxation, laid the foundational groundwork for revolution, and openly debated their grievances.

In August 1775, during the Siege of Boston, British troops and Loyalists deliberately cut the tree down for firewood to erase the powerful symbol of rebellion. Instead of crushing the colonial spirit, the destruction of the elm tree triggered unexpected consequences.  Colonists viewed the felling of the tree as an act of malicious tyranny fueling the independence concept across the 13 colonies with patriots throughout the 13 colonies designating their own local liberty trees and erecting “liberty poles” in defiance of the Crown.  As a result, the Liberty Tree became a powerful symbol of colonial defiance and unity—acting as a living anchor for the ideals that fueled the American Revolution.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juxNGFwR_x0

Statue of Liberty Exhibition at the National Lighthouse Museum (NLM) Featuring Hunt Slonem and Selva Ozelli

HRH Princess Anne (The Princess Royal) bridges her deep ties to British maritime history with modern environmental and climate goals. Her focus is heavily anchored in serving as a global champion for ocean conservation and sustainable marine technology in an era of rising sea levels and shifting environments. For these reasons she serves as the honorary chair for the National Lighthouse Museum in Staten Island, NY (NLM) which serves as a Sail4th 250 key viewing spot.

To celebrate the 250th commemoration of the founding of the United States as well as on 28th of October, 2026 the 140th anniversary of the dedication of the Statue of Liberty, officially titled “Liberty Enlightening the World,” as gift from France to the U.S., a sculpture designed by Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi which initially served as a lighthouse on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, the NLM is hosting the Statue of Liberty Art Show from June 14th, 2026 to January 2nd, 2027.

Curated by Stevie Peters, the art show showcases a historical photo of Lady Liberty when she first arrived at NY Harbor — that is on loan from Victoria Westhead — and oil paintings by award-winning artists Hunt Slonem and Selva Ozelli.

Hunt Slonem joins the Statue of Liberty Art show with his signature “Bunny, Bird and Butterfly” series, which includes a US flag representing abundance, hope, and fertility; his Abraham Lincoln series depicting the timeless icon of American history as a “great soul,” a symbol of law and personal liberty; and his Chandelier series, which reflects his fascination with light and historic grandeur.

Hunt explained “On Marilyn [Monroe]’s desk, she had a picture of her mother and a picture of Lincoln. And she said, ‘I really didn’t know who my father was, so it might as well be Abraham Lincoln.’ I work with diviners and mystics, and one of them started channeling Lincoln in my house, [Lincoln] guided me to paint certain things, like my doves: he wanted me to paint them as a symbol of freedom.”

Selva Ozelli, joins the Statue of Liberty Art Show with her Ocean Lovers-Angel Fish Flag CCL a 20 ft by 13 ft US Flag from her Flag CCL series that represents the seven rays on the Statue of Liberty’s crown, depicting our world’s seven continents, seven seas, and its angel fish inhabitants, which are often regarded as a symbol of hope, peace, and spiritual guidance.  Selva will be presented with an Artistic Vision award for this huge flag by NLM during the museum’s gala on August 7th.

“I am honored to join the Statue of Liberty Art Show along with a historical photo of Lady Liberty and my favorite artist Hunt Slonem with my Ocean Lovers – Angel Fish Flag CCL painting.

For one hundred and forty years, The Statue of Liberty  in New York Harbor and  hundreds of replicas and models of “Lady Liberty” located around the world ranging   from small, historical models in Paris to full-sized or scaled-down copies in cities like Tokyo, Rio de Janeiro, and Las Vegas have become a very important symbol of  the global spread of liberty, freedom, democracy, law, hope and inspiration to serve every creature  of our world.”

“Whether people have seen Lady Liberty in real life in different cities or only in photographs, whether the people are American or from other nationalities or cultures, the Statue of Liberty,  which first served as a lighthouse standing tall in NY Harbor across from our museum has come to symbolize something important for people in their own lives at a very personal level – she represents a certain level of security, constancy, freedom, democracy, the rule of law, hope, and the abolition of slavery serving as a universal beacon of light, liberty and inspiration. We invite everyone who wants to see the Statue of Liberty Art Show or Lady Liberty herself and the largest waterfront spectacle, SAIL 4th 250…Where Light Meets Liberty! that will take place from July 3-8, 2026, in the Port of New York and New Jersey, with the main spectacle, the International Parade of Tall Ships, scheduled for July 4, 2026.

These events are part of America’s Semiquincentennial (250th) anniversary celebration and is expected to be the largest international maritime gathering in U.S. history, with over 30 tall ships from around the world, sailing up the Hudson River. Our museum, which is hosting a July 4 Watch Party Breakfast, will serve as a key viewing spot. For further details or to be an event sponsor, contact www.lighthousemuseum.org,” explained Linda Dianto, Executive Director of NLM.

Have a great Sail4th 250 filled with art science and flags everyone!

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