A project that is truly standing the test of time – the soldiers are still standing vigil around Ripon, standing guard over ambulance stations, memorial gardens and over the remains of what was the largest military camp in Europe.
I first saw a silhouette soldier laying down next to a palette at Dan Metcalfe’s farm. The figures were off-cuts from his Fields of Mud, Seeds of Hope installation but their simplicity and beauty struck me immediately. Dan had worked with Jean, a local artist, to produce the outlines. I then started work to digitise the soldiers ready for the production line, with Econ Engineering providing one of the region’s largest laser cutters and around £10,000 in 5mm plate steel.
The Install
See how it all took shape. Thanks to Ripon Farm Services for their invaluable assistance.