16/52 'war package' .....

This little book is made from one of the pages I made for the 'Pieces for Peace' exhibition in Brussels in 2014 though it is completely reworked into a small folded format.  I  made a little box for the book and realised that although it housed a rather dramatic little book, the cover itself looked quite 'pretty'. This led me to start thinking about how war is often packaged in different ways, presented to us in different guises, concealed, ignored even tolerated.  Expected.

I rarely visit this arena in my artwork as it makes me so irate and then I become artistically crippled.  I do so admire people who can tackle weighty issues in their artwork, and in their writing .... my comfort is back in the landscape where I find nature heals all wounds and restores us.

Anzac Day is next week and at this time of year I find myself thinking about all our men and women who have lost lives through war.  Then I begin to think about all those who have lost lives in their own homes as part of domestic violence.  How can we hope for peace in the world when there is so much violence close to home.  Dismal thoughts ..... and this is why I usually avoid making this sort of book.

The imagery really speaks for itself.  Death and crosses.  Row upon row.  More on this next week!

pieces for peace .....

WORLD WAR 14 - 18

My book - heading to Ypres in Belgium, for their WW1 Centenary Celebrations.
All the books are to measure 14 cm x 18 cm.  Very Symbolic.

These crosses and equals signs took eight hours to complete
on the background of the third page!

Bringing my ideas together.

Not yet sewn but almost complete.

My book has fold out pages which means worked on
pages 14 cm x 72 cm

My first page of crosses (this is only a section) represent the crosses of the trenches and barbed wire.
Images with which we are so familiar.

These crosses form the symbol of the book - from trench crosses to those of the graves and lastly using the cross as our symbol for love (kisses).

'The poppies blow between the crosses, row on row.'
I have quoted John McCrae's poem 'In Flanders Field' throughout the book.

The final artwork, shown in sections.  Symbols are taken from different beliefs,
the crosses and equals marks of the background symbolise love and equality.

'At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,

... we will remember them.'

The Ode used in this work is taken from 'For the Fallen'
by Laurence Binyon and on Anzac Day it is traditional to recite this Ode.

And just because I like the photos .....

I made this book for my son Tim of whom I am so proud.

pieces for peace - WW1 14 - 18

Late last year I was emailed an invitation to submit a book for the centenary celebration of WW1 at Ypres in Belgium.  It took a while to recognise that this was something I really wanted to do - not that I know of any of my family who fought in WW1 (though I am fairly certain they would have done so) but because I am so proud of my son who is an officer in the Combat Engineers Regiment and has  given seven years of service to his country.  For me, this book is a direct tribute to him as he has given me a deeper understanding of what it means when our men go off to fight in war, and how much it would mean to live in a world of peace.

I have been busy in the studio trying to bring some of my ideas into a reality and have shown a snippet of these in the photographs below.  Not all of this will end up in the book but it is a beginning.  I head overseas soon so there is a need to finalise my images and get the book made and in the post - it will be a busy week!