Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red: Tower of London Poppies
Last week, I was fortunate enough to visit the Tower of London and see the poppies- an art installation named Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red. Consisting of 888,246 ceramic poppies, the installation marks the centenerary of the First World War and each flower represents a British military fatality during the years 1914- 1918.
Although the artwork is beautifully poignant, it's very difficult to appreciate the true impact due to the atmosphere surrounding the Tower. Crowds pour out of the tube station in such great volumes that it is very difficult to move comfortably and is a struggle to reach the barrier for an unhindered view.
Due to such huge volumes of people visiting, there are inevitably people who don't seem to understand the significance of the art. What should be an opportunity for reflection is instead turned into a backdrop for smiling, jovial selfies.
Ultimately, the artwork itself is a hugely moving piece that truly puts into perspective the tragedies of war. I just wish the Tower of London had implemented a system to allow visitors to reflect on the military sacrifices.
Oh gosh, its actually so moving to see how busy it is and how many people are paying their respects.
ReplyDeleteAnnabel ♥
Mascara & Maltesers
This is something I have wanted to visit myself, but having seen the amount of crowds there I know that I wouldn't be able to get the full experience of it, so I am just visiting vicariously through photos instead. It would be amazing if it became a permanent fixture so it would eventually become a lot less busy.
ReplyDeleteRachel x
The Inelegant Wench
Love this post Becky. I'm glad you acknowledged that what is supposed to be a peace of art that allows us to reflect on a great tragedy has been somewhat lost among the huge crowds, some of which seem to want to brag about just having seen it, rather than consider what it actually means xx
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