For Which It Stands… explored key moments in U.S. history and culture through artworks depicting the American flag. It was named one of “15 Exhibitions Outside of NYC to See this Spring” by Hyperallergic
The Wall Street Journal included the exhibition at the top of its list of ways to “Celebrate the Nation Across the Nation”
This spring and summer, the Fairfield University Art Museum presented a major loan exhibition as part of a series of cultural and artistic events commemorating the 250th anniversary, or semiquincentennial, of the United States.
The exhibition was on view through July 25, 2026. At the time of closing, the exhibition welcomed over 10,000 in-person visitors and program attendees to the museum. The video tour of the exhibition, available on the Museum’s website and YouTube channel has already reached more than 99,000 views.
For Which It Stands… featured more than 70 works by diverse artists across art movements from the early 20th century to the present day, focusing on depictions of the American flag. The exhibition included works ranging from Childe Hassam’s Italian Day, May 1918—lent by Art Bridges—to a new textile sculpture by Maria de Los Angeles, commissioned specially for the exhibition. Works by artists including Jasper Johns, Faith Ringgold, Robert Rauschenberg, Shepard Fairey, and Julie Mehretu challenged viewers to consider who the American flag truly represents and whether justice is available to all. Additional pieces by renowned artists like Emma Amos, Eric Fischl, Glenn Ligon, and many others further enriched the exhibition.
Included works were lent by private collectors, artists, galleries, and institutions such as the Forge Art Project, Columbia University Avery Library, Delaware Museum of Art, The Mattatuck Museum of Art, Bridgeport Public Library, Gordon Parks Foundation, Orlando Museum of Art, Westport Public Art Collections, Yale University Art Gallery, the State of Connecticut’s CT Artists Collection, and the Fairfield University Art Museum’s own collection.
