rough-hewn tribute to the fallen
9th March 2017
Paye Stonework & Restoration Ltd, the contractors for the memorial to the deaths in the Iraq, Afghanistan and Gulf conflicts, chose stoneCIRCLE to produce the art piece. The mammoth structure was designed by Paul Day, a well-known sculptor who also created the monument for the Battle of Britain. It commemorates both military and civilian losses in the regions. It was unveiled on 9th March by HRH Queen Elizabeth II and is situated in Victoria Embankment Gardens near the MoD building.
The monument was produced in Jordans Basebed Portland Stone and is composed of 10 blocks, the largest of which weighed 7000Kg. In fact, they were so heavy that stoneCIRCLE's lifting equipment could not cope with them and we had to buy in a 15-tonne crane to help with the job. The crane now makes life much easier for the team that unloads the delivery lorries.
The production process meant that once the blocks were rough cut, the monument was dry built in the yard around a stainless steel frame so that the edges could be pitched by hand to match the artist's requirements.
The stone is smooth and lettered on the back and front. Still, rough-hewn on the other 2 sides, which the artist says reflects the harsh, dry, rocky and rugged terrains of the two countries as well as suggesting that the outcome of the campaigns is still not fully resolved and there remain divisions among the public about them.
Once finished it was dismantled and collected for delivery to the site where Paye Stonework & Restoration re-erected it.
More information can be found on the Guardian website, and a video of the Queen unveiling the monument is on the Sun's site.
project details
client: Paye
artist: Paul Day
contractor: Paye Stonework and Restoration Ltd
material: Jordans Basebed Portland Stone
