The Cold Warmth: Jay Critchley’s Flags Fly on the Edge of America

This summer, Provincetown Harbor hosts The Cold Warmth, a powerful new installation by inter-spatial artist Jay Critchley. Known for his thought-provoking, environmentally conscious art, Critchley uses a simple but potent symbol—the flag—to explore shifting global alliances and the meaning of patriotism in today’s world.

The project features hybrid flags that merge the U.S. flag with those of other countries. The first two on view—U.S./Russia and U.S./Turkey—raise timely questions: What does it mean to be an American? A patriot? A world leader?

Located next to Angel Foods at 467 Commercial Street, the flags will remain on display through October. Additional flags may include Canada, Greenland, Panama, China, and the European Union. The installation will also feature performances, readings, music, and community gatherings.

Sponsored by the Provincetown Public Art Foundation, The Cold Warmth asks viewers to reflect on the direction of U.S. foreign policy and its growing alignment with authoritarian regimes. “The daylong changing of light is one of Provincetown’s defining features,” Critchley says. “This project sheds light on the White House’s disturbing shift in our relationships with allies and autocratic countries.”

The opening reception takes place Thursday, July 31 at 6:00 pm beside Angel Foods and includes refreshments and surprise guests.

Jay Critchley, a longtime Provincetown resident, has shown work across the U.S. and internationally. His art often incorporates found materials—like sand, fish skins, and plastic washed ashore—connecting politics, environment, and place.

With The Cold Warmth, he transforms the familiar into something urgent and unsettling, inviting us to see our national symbols in a new light—fluttering in the sea breeze, asking who we are and where we’re headed.