"Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red"

[kathyh]

As today is the day the final poppy is placed in the commemorative installation "Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red" before it is taken down I thought I'd share the photos I took on two visits in September and then last week. The installation consists of 888,246 hand-made ceramic poppies planted in the moat of the Tower of London, each one

Comments

[shapinglight]

Stunning pictures. I hadn't realised the poppies were added to so gradually.

[kathyh]

Yes, they added some most days I think. They'd just finished planting some as we got there last week otherwise there would be photos!

[merryrose11]

Beautiful pictures, thank you for sharing them. I think they were a terrific idea and a poignant commemoration.

They are graphic without being horrific. I think the era of the men who died would have approved of that. I don't think they wanted other people to see the horror, just remember it. I am likely way off base though. These thoughts mostly come from my late father who was in ww2 and seldom talked of the war but proudly took part in every Remembrance day.

I do hope they don't keep them permanently though...in the 'moving on' vein of thought.

[kathyh]

They are a very poignant commemoration and "graphic without being horrific" exactly describes them.

They aren't going to keep them permanently. I think the "wave" and the bit that falls from the Tower window are staying until the end of November and then going to the Imperial War Museum, but everything else is being dismantled. People have paid for the poppies and the money is going to charity so it can't be kept and wasn't designed to be.

[destina]

Wow, that is very moving. I can't help but think that it reminds me of a river of blood, but it's so poignant. Thank you for sharing your photos.

[kathyh]

I know exactly what you mean about river of blood. That may have been partly the intention.

[kazzy_cee]

I find the arguing rather annoying - the whole point is that this was commemorating a specific date all the more relevant because of the centenary. In all practicality they just couldn't stay long because of the growing grass (unless you kill the grass underneath) and I'm sure they would eventually disintegrate. I

t's an amazing achievement and everyone I've spoken to has said how much more it means to see how many there are when you consider each one is a fatality.

[kathyh]

I was reading today how they had to draft in more people to make the poppies and they were working day and night to get them finished. Definitely an amazing achievement in terms of sheer logistics as well as everything else.

I find the arguing annoying too. It was always intended to be impermanent and that was very clearly stated from the beginning.

[camelittle]

It is an amazing and moving display. I am grateful that the organisers did not bow to media and political pressure to make it permanent. As the artists said, it's as much about the absence of the poppies as their presence. I love the fact that the poppies have each been bought by members of the public, almost as if each of the fallen has a new home, now.

[kathyh]

I'm glad they didn't bow to pressure to make it permanent too. The impact and meaning would gradually be lost if it was there all the time. As it is people will remember it and the sale of the poppies has raised a large sum of money for charity. Each of the fallen having a new home is a lovely thought.