"Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red"

This major and current art installation, Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red at the Tower of London, marks one hundred years since Britain's first full day of involvement in the First World War. 888,246 ceramic poppies - each representing a British military fatality during the war - will progressively fill the Tower's famous moat. 

The first of these flowers were planted on August 5^th 2014, one hundred years since the first full day of fighting in the war. The last one will be planted on November 11^th - Remembrance Day.

The iconic red poppy is a symbol of remembrance because in Western Europe, it is the first wildflower to appear when soil is disturbed. So after the war, the fields where soldiers fell became large regions of crimson blooms. For me, this idea somewhat reflects the installation – something beautiful and symbolic arising from tragedy. The name of this installation is also symbolic - originating from a poem written by an anonymous soldier in World War I: "The Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red."

The ceramic poppies were designed by artist Paul Cummins, who worked in collaboration with stage designer Tom Piper who was involved with the installation process. Cummins has become well known for his energetic ceramic flowers and vibrant glazes, combined with the raw presence of steel and wire. Piper is a British theatre designer. Each poppy was handmade by a team of volunteers in Derby and Stoke, working around Paul Cummins’ concept.

This video shows the making process of the ceramic poppies. Like many hand-building projects, the clay was cut and rolled into large flat sheets using a traditional ceramic rolling mill. A metal stamp (like a large cookie cutter) was used to cut petals from the sheets of clay, which were then paired together to form six overlapping petals.

The petals were then individually moulded by every artist to create the shape of the flower. I love this part of the making process because even though the makers were required to use one uniform cutting technique, the moulding by hand allows each poppy to be completely unique – not only in its appearance but also through its maker. I feel that this intimacy and interaction gives each poppy a background – a story within a story, making up this vast commemorative piece.

The poppies were then finished with a weatherproof, red glaze and assembled with metal and rubber components, ready to be ‘planted’ on site. Although the glaze is resilient, the intention is that each poppy and its metal stem will rust, weather and begin to look more natural after three months braving the British outdoors – adding yet another level to each piece’s individuality and narrative.

I really like that this piece is always evolving. It is currently in the process of a gradual installation at the Tower of London and once the poppies are removed from the site, they will be sent to new homes nationwide. The poppies have been available to individually purchase for £25, which will raise millions for six charities, one example being Help for Heroes. This idea means that each poppy will continue to be a symbol of remembrance all over the country for years to come. The longevity of ceramics is hugely significant and will allow these poppies to be treasured items for decades.

As a ceramicist, history lover and a bit of a World War obsessive, this piece is a dream come true. It successfully and intelligently commemorates a vital part of Britain’s history and I admire that a traditional craft like ceramics was the chosen material. Crafts such as ceramics are often misunderstood disciplines, so to use clay on such a large scale is really inspiring. Ceramics in the press and public eye can only be a positive thing for designer makers in this field.

As well as celebrating a practice I am passionate about, this huge project holds some personal significance because my Great, Great Grandfather was one of the 888,246 military fatalities during World War I. On Monday 18th August 2014 the name of James Gregory, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment was among the list of one hundred and eighty names read from the Tower moat at sunset (you can see this two minutes into the video below). This personal connection to the piece is something I am sure to share with many others nationwide, adding yet more significance to an already symbolic piece of art. 

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