Description

1914-1918

Focusing on one village that could be any , one towns focal point of remembrance to honour the memories of the bravest of the brave surrounded by symbolic images of the Great War. The observer will be able take from the painting their own personal understanding but one way to understand why I had to create this painting you must firstly understand the levels of violence and slaughter that occurred in the Great War. The total number of military and civilian casualties in World War One, was over 37 million, there were over 16 million deaths and 20 million wounded ranking it among the deadliest conflicts in human history.

This Conceptual art and idea behind this work is more important than the finished Painting. One way to understand why I had to create this painting you must firstly understand the levels of violence and slaughter that occurred in the Great War. .the total number of military and civilian casualties in World War One, was over 37 million, there were over 16 million deaths and 20 million wounded ranking it among the deadliest conflicts in human history. Casualties and deaths just within the British Empire. Exact figures are still in dispute, because of different definitions used each category, the questionable accuracy of the recording system used and the loss or destruction of a number of official documents. The data below reflect numbers from several sources and are consistent with most experts .British Empire.Total mobilized forces Killed Wounded Missing Total
8,904,467 908,371 2,090,212 191,652 3,190,235 The painting puts together different stories with different perspectives, so the observer can return time and time again to the painting, each time finding something new, and taking away there own interpretation of what they see. This painting commemorates 100 years since The Great War WW1, respectfully portraying the acts of extreme bravery, bloody obscenity and consequences of War. The effect it had on modern times. A generation of innocent young men, their heads full of high abstractions like Honour, Glory and England, went off to war to make the world safe for democracy. They fought with the hearts of lions and won with honour & glory ,But they were slaughtered on both sides in their tens of thousands. those who survived were shocked, by their war experience many saw . They rejected the values of the society that had sent them to war, and in doing so separated their own generation from the past and from their cultural inheritance. Some say this was the beginning of the end of the British empire and the start of a brave but dangerous new world ,the world would never be the same again. hat effect that had on many German people.

Original oil on canvas c170cm x 150cm in heavy Gold Frame