The Pink Flamingo
"America is home to some strange and, sometimes, downright ludicrous traditions and practices. Having a flamingo (or 50) in your front yard is one such tradition, and enquiring minds would like to know what that is all about.
Truth be told, the meaning of this practice is somewhat subjective as it depends on what the owner would like it to represent. When plastic yard flamingos emerged in the 1950s, it was the climax of America’s post-WWII obsession with the graceful birds. Then, plastic flamingos were kitsch items, cheap décor that added a dash of fun to the garden.
Flamingos also represent Florida, a popular retiree destination. Individuals living the American dream (at least in the mid to late 20th century) intended to spend their golden years on the state’s sun-soaked beaches, surrounded by flocks of pink flamingos. These dreams of ultimate relaxation spread throughout the country, and plastic flamingos were identified as the easiest way to turn homes into “beach houses”.
Of course, no great success story is without detractors. The 1960s saw the first signs of anti-flamingo rhetoric, like “cultured” homeowners and social critics, lambasted lovers of cheap plastic garden ornaments. Cultural publications and other media tried, by all means, to discourage the public from the favored gnomes, idols, and birds.
The sentiment gained so much momentum that even Sears dropped the pink plastic flamingo from their catalog.
Pop culture has also played a significant role in the history of the lawn flamingo. One of the earliest depictions of the ornament was in John Water’s popular 1972 film Pink Flamingo’s although the movie was not about flamingos.
However, the film did help America fall in love with the ornament again, as they were celebrated ironically as a lowbrow icon.
The movie’s success spawned a radical readoption of the pink lawn flamingo as America’s unofficial bird. The ironic wave was in full swing, with flamingo (now a recognized design theme) at the heart of the momentum. Flamingos returned to every decorative item you can think of in the mid-70s and through to the 80s…vases, tablecloths, etc."
