The creators of the widely-lauded installation of ceramic poppies that filled the Tower of London’s moat have received funding towards a bid for a new vision set to build on the concept to mark Armistice Day.
The Historic Royal Palaces (HRP) commissioned the sprawling poppies commemoration, named Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red, to mark the centenary of the end of the First World War in 2014.
According to an application before the City of London Corporation, the designer behind the poppies installation was at work on another yet-to-be unveiled concept for the moat, set to extend on the poppies commemoration.
It is hoped that ‘Tower Remembers’ will run for 11 days in the lead-up to the 11 November milestone.
The City of London Corporation’s policy and resources committee agreed to support the installation, which is slated to draw crowds to match poppies’ five million visitors, with £25,000 in funding during its meeting on 7 September.
The installation is expected to be free to view from the Tower Hill concourse, or spectators will be able to pay an admission charge if they wish to enter the moat to see the work close-up.
According to the funding application, the new creation is set to be delivered by poppies designer Tom Piper and his creative team.
Over the 11-day period, which includes the City of London Lord Mayor’s Show day, the installation will emit a ‘reveille sound’ – a military tradition usually composed of a bugle call, pipes or drums – at sunset, followed by a four-hour light and sound show to gradually fill the West Moat.
The total cost of the work at the time of the application was £250,000, with HRP contributing £58,000 and the rest sought to be raised from trusts, livery companies, corporate sponsors, and the City of London Corporation.
The HRP has yet to finalise its full plans for the installation.
Cover image by Christine Matthews (Creative Commons).
