Boyle brings sands of time in tribute to WWI fallen
OSCAR-WINNING director Danny Boyle’s production commemorating Armistice Day will be taking to beaches in Wales next month.
Faces of the millions of people whose lives were lost or changed forever by the First World War will be etched on to beaches on the centenary of Armistice Day in a “thank you” designed by the filmmaker.
Pages Of The Sea – the commission for 14-18 NOW to mark the centenary of Armistice Day – invites people to gather on beaches across the UK in an informal, nationwide gesture of remembrance for the men and women who left their home shores during the First World War, where millions of people served and many left by sea.
Swansea Council will be leading events at Swansea Beach and Broad Haven Beach on Sunday, November 11.
Each event centres around the drawing of a large-scale portrait of a casualty from the First World War, designed by sand artists Sand In Your Eye, which will be washed away as the tide comes in.
In addition, the public will be asked to join in by creating silhouettes of people in the sand, remembering the millions of lives lost or changed forever by the conflict.
Poet Carol Ann Duffy has been invited by Mr Boyle to write a new poem, which will be read by individuals, families and communities as they gather on beaches. Copies of the poem will be available at the beaches around the UK for those who wish to come together or to offer their own personal contribution.
Mr Boyle said: “Beaches are truly public spaces, where no-body rules other than the tide.
“They seem the perfect place to gather and say a final goodbye and thank you to those whose lives were taken or forever changed by the First World War.
“I’m inviting people to watch as the faces of the fallen are etched in the sand, and for communities to come together to remember the sacrifices that were made.”
People are also invited to explore an online gallery of portraits of some of the men and women who served in the First World War, and select someone to say a personal goodbye to either via social media or as they gather in person.
The images are drawn from the Imperial War Museum’s ‘Lives of the First World War’ which aims to tell eight million stories of those who served from Britain and the Commonwealth.
Visitors to the website can also add portraits of members of their family or community who contributed to the First World War.
Jenny Waldman, director of 14-18 NOW, said: “Danny Boyle has created a beautiful, poetic artwork that invites people to participate in a new nationwide gesture of remembrance on the centenary of Armistice Day.”