A memorial installation to soldiers killed in the D-Day landing on 06 June 1944 will be coming to the UK for exhibition in September, where it can be seen in full for the first time.
The artwork, For Your Tomorrow – the People’s Tribute, is currently on display in Normandy but will be at the National Trust’s Stowe Gardens in Buckinghamshire – the UK’s official host of the commemoration.
The large-scale art installation comprised of 1,475 Second World War military personnel silhouettes will be open to the public from the end of September until mid-November 2024.
For Your Tomorrow – the People’s Tribute was created by community artist Dan Barton, with the number of figures in the display representing the number of fatalities under British command on 06 June 1944.
The work is currently installed at the British Normandy Memorial in Ver-sur-Mer, France, where it will remain over the summer before coming to Stowe.
The figures will be installed in several areas of the 245-acre landscape gardens at Stowe.
Tanya Brittain, General Manager of the National Trust Gardens at Stowe, says, “It’s an honour to be chosen as the official UK host location for the British D-Day 80 memorial exhibition, For Your Tomorrow – the People’s Tribute.
“This September will be an opportunity to remember family, friends and colleagues lost in conflict situations over the past 80 years. Stowe has a rich military history, and we look forward to welcoming visitors this autumn to experience this poignant outdoor art installation against the stunning backdrop of Stowe’s historic landscape gardens.
“The 18th-century landscape garden at Stowe is well known for its many historic buildings and statues and has also featured in many well-known films and TV series.
“The Capability Brown designed landscape is renowned for its precise placement of eye-catching monuments to create a picture-perfect view. Its beautiful avenues, temples and lakes will provide an impressive outdoor gallery space and backdrop for this celebrated artwork.”
Artist Dan Barton has delivered several impactful military-based displays since founding the Oxfordshire-based charity Standing with Giants. The life-size figures are constructed entirely by volunteers, using recycled building materials and create meaningful spaces for people to visit and reflect.
“Our ethos at Standing with Giants is to value life, to understand and appreciate why we have our freedom, and to remember and pay tribute to those who have fallen so we can live the lives we have today. Using outdoor art is a great way to do this,” said Standing with Giants Founder Dan Barton.
The silhouettes are designed to represent the military personnel from all the armed forces, but, in addition, two bespoke figures of nurses have been included. They are of Sister Mollie Evershed and Sister Dorothy Field, who died while helping to save 75 men from the hospital ship SS Amsterdam, which sank off the Normandy beaches on 07 August 1944.
Both were given posthumous commendations for their actions and are the only two women commemorated on the British Normandy Memorial.
At Stowe, which is free to visit for National Trust members, there will be no additional charge to see the installation during regular opening hours.
In addition to regular opening hours, there will be sunrise (6.00am to 8.00am) and twilight (5.30pm to 7.30pm) visits available on select dates, for which there will be an additional charge.
A small number of pieces that make up the installation was seen at Stowe last year during a trial ahead of the work displayed in Normandy for the D-Day 80 commemorations. September will be the first time the full-size installation has been seen in the UK.
The complete installation weighs over 30 tonnes and will take around 15 days to set up with the help of 30 volunteers each day. The Trust is looking for people to be involved, so kindly email volunteergiants@nationaltrust.org.uk if you would like to get involved as a volunteer contact.
