‘The Pity of War’ sculpture represented in Navy museum
Maquettes of a memorial for noncombatant and innocent victims of war have gone on display at the National Museum of the Royal Navy
A Quaker-supported sculpture that grew out of a concern about noncombatant war memorials is being exhibited for the first time in a military location.
Several maquettes, representing the final piece – The Pity of War sculpture by artist Peter Walker – are being shown at the National Museum of the Royal Navy in Portsmouth.
Friends from Southern Marches Area Meeting have been supporting Peter Walker to raise money for the sculpture since a Friend at Clun Valley Meeting contacted the National Memorial Arboretum.
Linda Murray Hale, from Clun Valley Meeting, told the Friend: ‘The concern was raised four or five years ago when a Friend thought there were lots of military memorials, but a lack of memorials for noncombatant and innocent victims of war. We approached the National Memorial Arboretum to ask if they would be willing to let us install one and they said a young sculptor wanted to do something similar. Since then, we have been working with him to raise money for the project. As part of the fundraising; he has made maquettes. They are doing the rounds in various cathedrals, but this is the first time they have been anywhere with military links, so it’s a definite breakthrough.’
The final sculpture by Peter Walker, cast in bronze at ten-to-twelve feet high, will ‘stand as recognition of unspoken stories and unseen memories that are often unacknowledged and underrepresented’, according to the website.
