Fields of Mud, Seeds of Hope – Armistice 2018 – Ripon Cathedral

Earth from Passchendaele is to form part of an innovative artwork to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One – and you can own a piece of it.

The large-scale artwork, ‘Fields of Mud, Seeds of Hope’, will go on display in Ripon Cathedral from October 3 and will be created using wet soil from one of the largest British military camps of the time, based in Ripon, mixed with earth from Passchendaele.

Gradually as the soil dries out, cracks will begin to appear revealing five battle weary soldiers returning from the front and deep within the piece, millions of poppy seeds lay dormant, representing hope and the resilience of life.

And the public has the chance to take home part of this unique work.

When the piece is decommissioned, segments of the soil will be made available for people to plant in gardens or to incorporate into other remembrance artworks so that the legacy of the work can continue.

The installation has been created by Ripon artists ,Dan Metcalfe, Jeanne Mundy and Joe Priestley with support from local councillors and businesses.

Mr Metcalfe said:

“We have used mud, – something very familiar to so many World War 1 soldiers and deeply symbolic of struggle and sacrifice, – and sought to form it into an artwork that looks to the future and has hope at its core.”

ORDER your boxed segments of soil including the poppy seeds, at the Fields of Mud website here. But hurry, order before the 9th September.