Chloe Zhang
The plastic pink flamingo is an iconic lawn ornament in American culture, with a history that dates back to the 1950s. Designed by Don Featherstone, these flamingos were first manufactured by Union Products, a Massachusetts-based company, and have since become synonymous with kitsch, artifice, and a symbol of rebellion. The popularity of plastic pink flamingos can be attributed to various factors, including the association of flamingos with Florida's extravagance and the use of new materials like plastic, which was becoming widely available in the post-WWII era.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Creator | Don Featherstone |
| Year of creation | 1957 |
| Place of creation | Leominster, Massachusetts |
| Company | Union Products |
| Inspiration | Carleton Mitchell and B. Anthony Stewart's article, "Ballerinas in Pink" in National Geographic Magazine, October 1957 |
| Colour | Hot pink |
| Material | Plastic |
| Symbolism | Kitsch, bad taste, cheapness, rebellion, outrageousness, oxymorons, artifice, nature, class, taste, propriety, art, sexuality, and nature |
| Cultural connection | South Florida, a fashionable vacation destination for the wealthy |
| Use | Lawn ornament |
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What You'll Learn
Don Featherstone designed the plastic pink flamingo in 1957
In 1956, Don Featherstone was hired by Union Products of Leominster, Massachusetts, to sculpt three-dimensional versions of the company's most popular two-dimensional products, including flamingos. Featherstone was a trained sculptor and classical artist who had recently graduated from the Worcester Art Museum's art school in Massachusetts. He needed a job, and Union Products was looking for someone who could sculpt and design plastic items.
In 1957, Don Featherstone designed the plastic pink flamingo, naming the first one Diego. Featherstone's flamingos were hot pink—a new and exciting colour at the time that was associated with celebrities like Elvis Presley and Jayne Mansfield. The colour pink was also connected to the extravagance and exotica of Florida, where flamingos had once lived in great numbers but were hunted to near extinction by the twentieth century. The Flamingo Hotel in Miami Beach further solidified the exotic bird's association with high society.
Featherstone drew inspiration from Carleton Mitchell and B. Anthony Stewart's article, "Ballerinas in Pink," in the October 1957 issue of National Geographic Magazine. He selected two images from the magazine—one flamingo with its head up and the other with its head down—knowing that the flamingos would be sold in pairs. Featherstone then sculpted the bodies in clay, completing his creation in about two to three weeks.
The plastic flamingo became an iconic symbol of pop culture and was mass-produced by Union Products. It won Featherstone the Ig Nobel Prize for Art in 1996, and in 1987, the governor of Massachusetts declared it "an essential contribution to American folk art." The plastic flamingo has since appeared in avant-garde art galleries and museum gift shops, and it has spawned a spoof lawn greeting industry that installs flocks of pink flamingos on people's lawns in the middle of the night.
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They were manufactured by Union Products
The iconic plastic pink flamingo lawn ornament was manufactured by Union Products, a company based in Leominster, Massachusetts. Union Products was a family-owned business that began operations in 1947, and it played a significant role in the popularity of these unique lawn decorations. The story of the plastic pink flamingo is closely tied to the company's history and its connection with the artist who designed it, Don Featherstone.
In the early years, Union Products primarily produced practical items like ice trays and chocolate molds. However, in 1957, they introduced their first line of plastic lawn decorations, which included ducks and other birds. It was during this period that Don Featherstone, a talented artist and graduate of the Worcester Art Museum, began working for the company. Featherstone had a passion for birds and is credited with designing the now-famous plastic pink flamingo in 1957. His design was meticulous, and he ensured that the plastic version captured the elegance and beauty of the real bird.
The plastic pink flamingo quickly became a popular item, and Union Products began mass-producing them in the early 1960s. The company's location in Leominster, a town with a rich history in plastic manufacturing, likely contributed to the success and accessibility of these lawn ornaments. Union Products utilized rotational molding, a popular manufacturing technique at the time, to create the hollow plastic flamingos. This process involved heating and rotating a mold to create a seamless plastic form.
As the popularity of the plastic pink flamingo grew, Union Products expanded its operations. The company moved to a larger facility in Leominster in the 1970s, allowing them to increase production and meet the growing demand for these unique lawn ornaments. The plastic pink flamingo became widely recognized as a symbol of American kitsch and was embraced by homeowners across the country who wanted to add a touch of whimsical flair to their yards.
Union Products continued to manufacture the plastic pink flamingos for decades, and the company experienced various changes in ownership over the years. Despite these changes, the plastic pink flamingo remained a consistent and beloved part of their product line. In 2006, Union Products ceased operations due to increasing competition from cheaper imports and changes in consumer tastes. However, the impact of the plastic pink flamingo on American pop culture and lawn decoration remains significant.
Today, the plastic pink flamingo has become an iconic symbol, often associated with a sense of nostalgia and playful kitsch. Its popularity has endured, and it continues to be a sought-after item for collectors and enthusiasts of mid-century design. The legacy of Union Products and Don Featherstone's original design lives on, reminding us of a time when these vibrant plastic birds brought a touch of tropical flair to suburban landscapes across America.
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The flamingo was inspired by a National Geographic article
The plastic pink flamingo is an iconic lawn ornament in the United States, with a history that dates back to the 1950s. It was in this decade that flamingos were all the rage, but sourcing a live flamingo in Massachusetts proved challenging for artist Don Featherstone, who had been hired by Union Products to sculpt three-dimensional animals.
Featherstone's inspiration for the plastic flamingo came from a National Geographic article titled "Ballerinas in Pink," written by Carleton Mitchell and B. Anthony Stewart and published in October 1957. The article featured images of flamingos with their heads in different positions—one up and one down. This was particularly useful as the flamingos would be sold in pairs, and Featherstone selected these two images to sculpt the bodies in clay, completing his creation in about two to three weeks.
Featherstone's flamingos were hot pink, a colour that was new and exciting at the time and associated with celebrities like Elvis Presley and Jayne Mansfield. The use of plastic as the material was also significant, as it was becoming increasingly popular for mass-produced commercial products. The flamingo itself carried associations with the extravagance and exotica of Florida, where the birds had been hunted to extinction in the 19th century. However, resorts in the early 1900s began importing flamingos to populate their grounds, and Miami Beach's first grand hotel, aptly named "The Flamingo," further solidified the connection between the bird and tropical vacations, wealth, and sophistication.
The plastic pink flamingo quickly became a symbol of artifice and nature, marking boundaries of class, taste, propriety, art, sexuality, and nature. It gained further recognition when it appeared in John Waters's 1972 cult classic film "Pink Flamingos," solidifying its place as an icon of trash and kitsch.
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Plastic was a cheap and sturdy material
The pink plastic flamingo is an iconic lawn ornament in the United States. It was designed by Don Featherstone in 1957, during his second year working for Union Products, a Massachusetts-based lawn and garden decoration manufacturer. Featherstone was a trained sculptor with a background in classical art. He had graduated from the Worcester Art Museum's art school in Massachusetts and was hired by Union Products in 1956 to sculpt three-dimensional versions of the company's most popular two-dimensional products.
Featherstone's flamingos were made of plastic, a cheap and sturdy material that was becoming increasingly popular for mass-produced commercial products. Plastic's durability and low cost made it an ideal choice for manufacturing kitsch lawn ornaments like the pink flamingo. The use of plastic allowed Union Products to produce large quantities of the ornaments at a low cost, making them accessible to a wide range of consumers.
The choice of plastic as the primary material also tapped into the post-WWII spread of suburbanization and the growing popularity of petroleum byproducts. Plastic was seen as a "miracle material" that could be easily moulded into various shapes and colours. Featherstone's flamingos were hot pink, a new and exciting colour at the time that was associated with popular celebrities like Elvis Presley and Jayne Mansfield. The use of plastic allowed for the creation of bright and vibrant flamingos that stood out in any lawn or garden.
In addition to its durability and low cost, plastic also offered design flexibility. Featherstone was able to sculpt the flamingos using clay, and the finished product was then reproduced using injection mould technology. This process involves compressing and heating plastic and then injecting it into a mould, allowing for the quick and efficient production of complex shapes. The use of plastic moulding techniques ensured that the flamingos could be mass-produced while maintaining their detailed and intricate design.
The combination of plastic's durability, low cost, and design flexibility contributed to the widespread popularity of the pink flamingo lawn ornament. It became a symbol of American folk art and an iconic representation of kitsch, taste, and cultural trends. The accessibility and affordability of plastic as a material played a crucial role in the success and proliferation of the pink flamingo as a cultural phenomenon.
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They are considered a symbol of kitsch
Plastic pink flamingos are considered a symbol of kitsch, and their history dates back to the 1950s. Don Featherstone, a trained sculptor and classical art student, designed the iconic lawn ornament in 1957 during his second year working for Union Products, a Massachusetts-based lawn and garden decoration manufacturer. Featherstone's flamingos were inspired by Carleton Mitchell and B. Anthony Stewart's article, "Ballerinas in Pink," in the October 1957 issue of National Geographic Magazine.
The popularity of plastic pink flamingos as lawn ornaments can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, the colour pink was associated with celebrities like Elvis Presley and Jayne Mansfield, making it a new and exciting colour choice at the time. Secondly, plastic was a cheap and sturdy material that was becoming increasingly popular for mass-produced commercial products. Finally, the flamingo itself was associated with the extravagance and exotica of Florida, a fashionable vacation destination for the wealthy. Despite being hunted to extinction in Florida by the twentieth century, the association between flamingos and the state remained strong. Miami Beach's first grand hotel, named The Flamingo, further solidified the connection between the bird and tropical vacations, wealth, and sophistication.
Featherstone's plastic pink flamingos quickly became a symbol of kitsch, bad taste, and cheapness. This perception was reinforced by their appearance in John Waters' 1972 cult classic film, "Pink Flamingos." In the movie, the anti-heroine lives in a trailer surrounded by pink flamingos, competing for the title of ""filthiest person alive." The juxtaposition of the flamboyant pink flamingos with the grittiness of the film's setting cemented their association with kitsch and trash.
In the following decades, plastic pink flamingos continued to be a polarising symbol. While some considered them tasteful, others viewed them as tacky. In 1987, the governor of Massachusetts, Union Products' home state, declared the pink flamingo "an essential contribution to folk art." This recognition elevated the status of the once-derided lawn ornament, and by the late 1990s, they were even being sold in the gift shop of the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles.
Today, plastic pink flamingos remain a ubiquitous presence in American culture, with flocks of flamingos sometimes appearing in people's yards as a surprise or decoration. They have spawned a spoof lawn greeting industry and have even inspired a soccer club logo. While opinions may vary on their aesthetic value, plastic pink flamingos have undoubtedly earned their place as an iconic symbol of kitsch in American popular culture.
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Frequently asked questions
The plastic pink flamingo was invented by Don Featherstone in 1957. Featherstone was a trained sculptor and classical art student who was hired by Union Products in 1956 to sculpt three-dimensional versions of the company's most popular two-dimensional products.
Featherstone created the plastic pink flamingo because Union Products wanted to tap into the post-WWII spread of suburbanisation and the new age of petroleum byproducts to make "plastics for the lawn". The flamingo was also culturally connected to South Florida, a fashionable vacation destination for the wealthy, where flamingos had once lived in great numbers.
Featherstone was inspired by Carleton Mitchell and B. Anthony Stewart's article, "Ballerinas in Pink", in National Geographic Magazine's October 1957 issue. He selected two images from the magazine — one flamingo with its head up and the other with its head down — because he knew the flamingos would be sold in pairs.
Plastic pink flamingos are often considered symbols of kitsch, bad taste, and cheapness. They are also seen as symbols of rebellion, outrageousness, or oxymorons.
