The Royal Hospital School (RHS) in Suffolk is commemorating Remembrance Day this year with their biggest art project to date.
Pupils at RHS have created 1,548 sails, imprinted with the name of every British naval vessel lost in the First and Second World Wars, along with the number of lives lost on each ship’s last voyage — totalling over 44,000 names.
Each sail has its own red “wave” with a commemorative poppy forming the symbolic “hull” of the boat and has been tethered to the ground at the memorial located at the front of the school. Viewed from above, the display forms the shape of a poppy and the lines of white sails are reminiscent of the white rows of headstones in military cemeteries.
The sail installation, entitled “A Sea of Souls”, is made up of individual sails between 20-60cm in size, and covers an area of approximately one acre, creating an undulating effect.
Harriet Barber, head of art at the Royal Hospital School, said:
“We are really proud of the finished installation. Every pupil in the school has been involved in this project, creating at least two sails each, researching the last voyage of their chosen ship and finding out about the men and women on board.
“It has been amazing to see the whole school engaging with the project, particularly those pupils who chose ships with which they had a close connection, through a family member, town or place they know well.
“The wider community is now also engaging with the project – with many stopping to ask us about it – which is great, as it shows that our commemorative artwork speaks to those who see it, demonstrating respect from our school.”
RHS has a rich naval heritage and each year the whole school marks Remembrance Sunday by attending one of two Remembrance services in the school chapel and taking part in a whole school divisions (a term used by the Royal Navy to describe a formal parade). For the last few years the school has also created an artistic installation, allowing the pupils time to thoughtfully reflect.