Staffordshire exhibition to remember the Battle of Passchendaele

The sculpture represents soldiers from each side of the conflict and has been unveiled at the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire.

Professor Stephen Dixon, from Manchester School of Art at Manchester Metropolitan University, has crafted the 'everyman’ composite sculpture inspired by photographs of soldiers from the six nations involved in the Battle of Passchendaele - one of the most famous in history.

The metre-high portrait is the central feature of the Arboretum’s new ‘Passchendaele: Mud and Memory exhibition', using clay from both the Wienerberger Quarry and Brickworks, located on the Passchendaele battlefield site, as well as local Staffordshire clay.

The Battle of Passchendaele saw the allies and Germany battle for the ridges south and east of the Belgian city of Ypres in West Flanders from July until November 1917.

The new exhibition opened in the Arboretum’s Landscapes of Life Temporary Gallery on 8 July 2017 and will be on display until autumn.

Professor Dixon said: “The genesis of the project was a conversation about the brick-works on the Passchendaele battlefield site, and the possibility of getting clay from there to make a commemorative piece on the 100th anniversary of the battle.

"Passchendaele is known for its horrific muddy conditions, and the idea of making a sculpture out of the actual ‘stuff’ of the battlefield attracted me to the project. This chimed with my longer-term research interests in the material culture of the First World War; I have built a collection of personal, resonant and emotive objects, excavated from First World War battlefields, which also features in the exhibition."

Two of the subjects depicted in the piece are Lieutenant Colonel Harry Moorhouse, and his son Captain Ronald Moorhouse. Both were posted to the 4th Battalion of the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in the 49th Division.

Other elements of the exhibition focus on the power of historical artefacts from the conflict, many of which Professor Dixon collected himself.

Kathryn Rogerson, the exhibitions officer at the National Memorial Arboretum, said: “Temporary exhibitions are a key part of our cultural offering, allowing us to engage new audiences and explore artistic methods of Remembrance.

"We are delighted to host this new exhibition from noted sculptor Stephen Dixon, bringing part of Passchendaele’s battlefield to the Arboretum through an imposing mud masterpiece.”