Shared Remembrance
Poppies have a long history as symbols of remembrance.
The First and Second World Wars both left a mark on communities in the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham and around the world. Members of the armed services from both conflicts are remembered on War Memorials at both Warstone Lane and Key Hill. There are also white Commonwealth War Graves commission headstones in both cemeteries, plus a number of family graves who mention a loved one who died in war.
This collaborative artwork features over 250 individually stitched poppies, creating a commemorative tapestry to remind us of those from all nations and all conflicts who lost their lives in war, and the sacrifices made by men, women, children and animals in the pursuit of peace.
The artwork also features hand-stamped identity tags, with the names and ID of service personnel who are buried or remembered in the Jewellery Quarter cemeteries, so that their deeds and lives will not be forgotten.
There will be future dates to see the artwork (as part of ongoing remembrance activities). Find out what’s on and more about the Jewellery Quarter Cemeteries Project on their website.
Woolly Mammoth were commissioned by the Jewellery Quarter Cemeteries Project to work with them on this exciting project.
Tapestry kits were sent out during the winter lockdown in 2021 to a volunteer team across the city, and to year 6 at Benson Primary School. The artwork was ‘revealed’ at an event on 3 July 2021.
We made a film to help recruit the stitch team.
We gave people a choice of colour poppy to stitch, each colour being significant.
This project is possible thanks to funding from Birmingham City Council’s Municipal Charity and the National Lottery Heritage Fund.
