We were lucky to be in London while the World War I memorial at the Tower of London was being constructed. We left before it was finished, but the photos I have seen are very impressive.  Artist Paul Cummins designed the piece, which includes 888,246 ceramic red poppy flowers, one to represent each fallen British or colonial soldier during WWI. The instillation is titled “Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red” and was designed to mark the 100 year anniversary of the war. I wanted to post this on Tuesday, but I had work the last two days, so this was as timely as I could make it. On Tuesday, on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, Europeans paused to remember the moment the war ended in 1918.

Poppies were the first flowers to grow in the churned-up earth of soldiers’ graves in Flanders, a region in Belgium. The use of the poppy as a symbol of remembrance was inspired by the World War I poem, “In Flanders Fields.”

It was touching to see the crowds of people gathering to honor and remember the dead for weeks.

Pieces of the memorial will now be displayed around the UK, part of it preserved in the Imperial War Museum. Some poppies were also sold for 25 pounds each, with proceeds from that going to charities. I think the artist designed a beautiful and poignant instillation that touched many people.

For more on the story and photos of the finished instillation, see these articles.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-29965477