Me on Opening Day

Part of the 2018 "Playin' Around South Orange" Public Art Project

The Yellow Flag Iris Piano

This Piano was planted at Bishop Dougherty University Center at Seton Hall University South Orange, NJ for as long as it withstood the weather.
The 2018 kick-off event took place on Saturday, August 25 at noon.

In 1994, I got hooked on photographing Iris flowers. I always thought they were purple until I learned that they appear in all colors and that the name comes from the Greek word for rainbow. One kind of Iris in particular, caught my attention, the Yellow Flag Iris. It is also known as "fleur-de-lis" and it carries with it history and controversy. Common thought is fleur-de-lis is a lily flower, but graphically it looks like an iris, and here is good explanation of that: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fleur-de-lis) I feel this is great time for the fleur-de-lis, which is typically associated with France, this year's winner of soccer's World Cup 2018. The fleur-de-lis represents nobility, royalty, and heraldry. To me, this flower is very interesting, because symbolically, being yellow for a warning flag, or a yellow card in soccer. Contradictorily, the yellow flag iris has also been considered a noxious weed that is toxic to livestock and humans. It is an invasive plant that chokes waterways. and breeding grounds for fish. Then again, Its has the ability to take heavy metals out of polluted waterways. Whatever your opinion of this flower, it is amazing and pretty decorative.
– Bill Billec 2018