Giant American flag art project embodies spirit of Philadelphia

Saturday, July 12, 2025
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- Philly artists stitched together their red, white, and blue designs to create an American flag fit for the nation's 250th birthday celebration next year.

The community art project is called, 'Wings & Water.' It is composed of individual bandanas designed by Philadelphia artists, school students, and even Native Americans from as far as Arizona.

The creator of the project is Duwenavue Sante' Johnson, founder of the Mason Stitch Art Collective. She is also a hand-embroiderer of Presidential American flags with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) Troop Support "Flag Room."

The concept designer of the project is Hayato Matsushita, a Japanese-born American artist with a different ongoing exhibit titled, 'Esoteric America: Decoding the Founding Ideals.'

The 'Wings & Water' American flag will remain at Cherry Street Pier until July 29, 2025.



Further workshops will be held throughout the year where participants can contribute their designs to the flag.

Then, the flag will return featuring more bandanas next year to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence.

To learn more, visit their website.

Watch the video above to see what this project means to some of the artists involved.

RELATED: Pa. man renovates 'Hanoverville Roadhouse' with pieces of Lehigh Valley history

Pa. man renovates 'Hanoverville Roadhouse' with pieces of Lehigh Valley history

Copyright © 2026 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.