BLOWN AWAY
2014
A study of a moment. The young man, his life fleeting as a gust of laurel leaves, he sees the whole world in a glance.
Time present and time past
Are both perhaps present in time future
- T. S. ELIOT
Inspired by Eliots Four Quartets, this piece pays homage to so many brave people whose lives are altered by their time. The plinth fabricated in mild steel is reminiscent of hastily dispatched munitions or ship’s funnel left to rust. Its stripes of bronze reflect adopted strength.
The sculpture was created for The Garden Gallery's exhibition, Echoes in the Memory. Rachel Bebb brought together a group of artists who considered through the theme of memories and personal histories to cherish the past.
For BLOWN AWAY's first summer, he transferred to the Sandham Memorial Chapel at Burghclere, near Newbury. A National Trust property, The Chapel houses a series of large-scale murals painted by Sir Stanley Spencer, portraying his experiences of the First World War.
Recovering soldiers from Tedworth House, helped to create the new garden there, and they commented that Blown Away "puts a face on the unknown soldier". For some, the sculpture "gets to the thrust of the rawness of emotion when you have PTSD".
Thanks to the incredible generosity of a couple, clients of The Garden Gallery, BLOWN AWAY has been permanently loaned to the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire. http://www.thenma.org.uk/
Enquiries:
RACHEL BEBB at THE GARDEN GALLERY
Rookery Lane, Broughton Stockbridge, Hampshire SO20 8AZ.
Phone 01794 301144 http://gardengallery.uk.com/cms/index.php/news
A POEM FOR A SCULPTURE
Ingrid Seifert, a violinist with London Baroque, was inspired to write a poem about BLOWN AWAY.
Where will you be
what will you say
when war with
laurel leaves
the wreath of honour weaves,
when wind while
youthful years
are spent blows dry their tears,
when fear holds
hands with me
to frighten off the enemy
and darkness
shines its light
on my companion’s longest night?
Where will you be
what will you say
when you remember
that hope and glory’s dying ember
was blown away?
Where will you be
what will you say?
June 2014
- Category:
- Portrait
- Flora
Location: Outdoor
Size: Large
This piece can be viewed by the public.
Dimensions: Overall Height 1.75m • Base 80cm diam.
Medium: Bronze Laurel Leaves with a rusted mild Steel base. Bronze cast at The Muse.
Edition size: UNIQUE
Collection: The National Memorial Arboretum
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