Artist back in Northampton with colourful alternative to waving St George flag

An artist who has taken an unusual approach to celebrating St George's Day will be back touring Northampton on April 23.
Mick Henson has taken a colourful, and unusual, approach to celebrating St George's Day in Northampton in recent yearsMick Henson has taken a colourful, and unusual, approach to celebrating St George's Day in Northampton in recent years
Mick Henson has taken a colourful, and unusual, approach to celebrating St George's Day in Northampton in recent years

Mick Henson took action four years ago after thinking that English people were becoming concerned about marking the day.

“Many English people are concerned that our national symbol of the flag and St George himself maybe interpreted as hardline or even racist making people very uncomfortable in celebrating the day,” he said.

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“So over the past four years I’ve started reinventing St George’s Day for the 21st century by giving it a new theme every year - 2013 was flower power, 2014 was Zodiac man and last year was psychedelic cavemen. Cave painting will be this year’s theme.

Mick Henson has taken a colourful, and unusual, approach to celebrating St George's Day in Northampton in recent yearsMick Henson has taken a colourful, and unusual, approach to celebrating St George's Day in Northampton in recent years
Mick Henson has taken a colourful, and unusual, approach to celebrating St George's Day in Northampton in recent years

“I’m hoping this will make it more of a carnival atmosphere rather than just a flag-waving day,” he added.

Mr Henson, who runs Mick Henson Sculptures, will be in the Market Square on April 23 from 10.30am to 2.30pm and will then be touring the town.

“I’m a Northamptonshire artist born and bred so I try to do as much as I can to support the town; there has never been any money available for St George’s Day,” he said.