Flags fly in tribute to lives lost during the pandemic
MORE than 100 flags made of NHS hospital bed sheets have been installed on College Green in memory of those who have died during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The art installation, created by Bristol artist Luke Jerram, is also a tribute to the NHS, health and social care staff and volunteers who have been on the front lines of the pandemic for the past 18 months or more.
It has been touring the UK and Europe since it was commissioned last year as part of the Arts and Culture Programme at the University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Trust – which runs the Bristol Royal Infirmary and the children’s hospital in Bristol, and this week will be the first time it is coming ‘home’ to Bristol.
The artwork is in place on College Green until Sunday, October 17.
The sheets are turned into flags and are positioned to create a blue cross inside a white circle as an emblem of healthcare, and the artist said it was made in tribute to the work of staff who have “given so much to so many”.
“It’s great to finally bring the artwork home to Bristol,” said Luke Jerram, who most recently created a huge and accurate globe of the moon and of Earth, but is perhaps best known in Bristol for turning Park Street into a giant water slide a few years ago. This piece reflects changing moods and atmospheres according to the weather and how visitors interact with it. I hope this artwork will create a framed space and moment in time for personal and shared reflection,” he added.
The art installation is intended to provide a place for reflection and remembrance. Bristol Cathedral will be welcoming visitors to light a candle in memory of a lost loved one, as well as the opportunity to write commemorative messages.