Annette Kelm Straws and Stripes, 2018

Straws and Stripes depicts three wheat stalks leaning against a white-and-blue striped textile background with slight creases creating darker folds. The work’s title is a play on the English name Stars and Stripes, a paraphrase referring to the flag of the United States of America. At the same time, there is no apparent relationship and the suggestion of a connection is based on the forms — literally stripes and stalks from a plant — is not stated in any other obvious way. It is precisely this playful aspect that recurs in Annette Kelm's practice: a deliberate openness to interpretation of her combinations of objects and their potential significance, either by themselves or in the context of the composition.