British artists Jamie Wardley, 33, and Andy Moss, 50, and a team of volunteers traveled to Arromanches beach, Normandy, to create this haunting reminder of the lives lost during the Operation Neptune landing on June 6, 1944.
Some 9,000 ghostly silhouettes were stenciled into the sand, then left to be washed away a few hours later by the rising tide.
Speaking of the project, titled “The Fallen,” Wardly said, “The idea is to create a visual representation of what is otherwise unimaginable, the thousands of human lives lost during the hours of the tide during the Second World War Normandy landings.”
The artists said they hoped their art, done for international Peace Day, would remind people of the value of peace.
See the story and more pictures: Haunting reminder of millions of lives lost in war as artists stencil 9,000 bodies onto Normandy beach to mark Peace Day
More photos here.
OMG PT, those images just send shivers down my spine. Especially the ones from farther off!
That was my reaction too. Exactly what the artists intended, I imagine.
Frankly, I couldn’t decide whether to be sad, or relieved, that the “reminder” was only temporary. As beautiful as it was, numbers on a page are a lot easier to live with day to day… 😳
Probably best that it was temporary. If permanent, it would lose its impact after a while.
Yeah, think you are right about it being temporary – it’s the unexpected shock and how fast the images disappear as the world/nature/life moves on.
Impressive concept and art
Beautiful and haunting.
Reality of how temporary and fragile life is
Reality of home many willingly stepped up and gave their lives to help and defend people they didn’t even know.
Tribute not only to peace, but also to courage and willingness to do hard things no matter the cost.
One of the best treasures you’ve shared
Thanks. I think the world needs more reminders like this.
this is very, very powerful
Indeed. I wonder how much of it was understood by the children who participated …
A powerful message. It is perhaps a time to correct one widely held misconception–a lot of those brave men were not there willingly. They were conscripted into the Army, and went where they were ordered to go because refusal would result in imprisonment. Nevertheless, they deserve our respect and admiration.
Why would anyone think less of their sacrifice just because they were draftees? I’ve never heard that mentioned.