It was not the time left that prompted my start on this next project however but the increased news reports that bring us the now constant news of a hero who has been killed, a hero who is being repatriated or one who will be sent on his final journey surrounded by distraught family and friends, I make no secret each year that, even without constant reminder my mind clicks a switch and from that moment onward it is about me fighting with my own memories and mental health concerns so that I am able to continue to function in the best possible way without needing to have my medication increased and still able to create a suitable and respectable tribute, not only to the friends that I have lost, but also toward other heroes.
My own list of lost friends is short but nonetheless painful, those friends and comrades that were on the one hand my drinking buddies and on others the babysitters for my son when he was little more than a girgle or cry, there are some I remembered from nights out in Berlin City and the NAAFI, the Falklands War, Gary Bingley, David Hardman, Stephen Prior, and Paul Sullivan, others from Warrenpoint in Northern Ireland back in 1979, Nicholas Andrews, John Giles, Ian Rogers, Walter Beard, he was even my own CSM in Berlin, and Thomas Vance, some had even baby sat for me when my son Karl was a mere gurgle, their departure a memory.
It was a single comment heard in a supermarket queue, albeit in a quieted voice I was close enough to hear the words, ''they knew what they went out there for, dont know why there is such a big fuss'', to not reply would have been uncharacteristic of me though it was simple.
''Joining the military and knowing what they are signing up for is the very thing that separates these brave young men from the rest of the pack and therefore deserve every mention, prayer, thought or deed that is bestowed upon them when they are killed''.
The ignorant, although I am surea minority in this country, are those who do not even appreciate that it is not just the soldiers that are at war it is the UK as a Nation, a Nation who is fighting a war against terrorism that is against and would wish change in our culture, ignorance they say is borne of bliss and this is certainly the case on this occasion, they whose conversation I listened to before interrupting constantly referred to our men and women on the front line as fools, the thought entered my head that the information highway had de-humanised the victims of this war, their families loss was no longer being felt by those not connected in any personal way, this has to be rectified, the installation therefore had to reflect the soldiers as people, as fathers mothers, brothers and sisters,as sons daughters and cousins, as people who did the same things as people do but just that little more.
It is planned to produce a foto card for each of the soldiers who have given their lives for their country while fighting in both the Gulf War and the Afghanistan War, Military Associations, their Numbers, Ranks Awards and Regiments will be excluded from the cards and, on the reverse, a caption giving them the same status as a civilian.
While already having a bond with these guys, I could even smell the uniform and blanco on one soldiers white belt as I set about my task, within minutes however I started to leave out the date a closer bond with the family, it was not about a date some years or months ago, it was as real and now for the grieving as if it was today, the dates were therefore replaced in many incidents as ....... was killed at work today....and replaced it with ' today.
The original planned location was of course the Cenotaph however the choice of red white and blue ribbon is so powerful that to completely cover the chain around the monuments base would be wholly undignified even carnival like, a quick chat with Tim (Leeson) over this matter quickly gave an alternative venue of the fence that runs along the riverside.
The fence runs for about 400 yards along the river, a recce tomorrow will give me a better idea of how they will sit, I also hope that the small plastic cards will create a chime of some kind as they tap the steel fence on which they will be secured adding to the effect. In addition and for further discussion and consideration I have the role of honour for the soldiers killed during the Falklands and Bosnian Wars which may integrate quite nicely especially given another ribbon colour, the bonus here of course notwithstanding the open space, it will look far less gaudy than plan A where the dignity of the occasion and the respect for the soldiers must be at the top of the list of considerations where the location of this installation is concerned.
Coming up next week, and rememberance day aside, I am attending a Public Art Event on the 16th where the artist Evewright will be producing a new experimental Drawing - A walking drawing on Morcambe Bay, A walking drawing is a large scale drawing on a vast landscape (canvas) of at least a quarter of a mile square, heres the link if your interested. http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=147631045260262
well all, take care for now
