The nasty left-wing Bible, The Grauniad, has provoked outrage after calling the poppy memorial at the Tower of London a "Ukip-style memorial."
The installation, called Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red, is seeing 888,246 ceramic poppies - one for each British military fatality in WWI - being installed in the Tower of London's now-dry moat, with the last one to be ceremonially placed there on Remembrance Sunday.
Now, armed forces charities accused the left-wing newspaper of trying to politicise the tribute to those killed during the First World War.
They sprang to the defence of the installation after the online article by a former Turner Prize judge described it as ‘trite, fake, and inward-looking’.
In a provocative critique, author Jonathan Jones wrote: ‘The crowds come to remember – but we should not be remembering only our own. It’s the inward-looking mood that lets Ukip thrive. But that’s probably an overinterpretation, because the spectacle of all these red poppies is emptier than that.
‘In spite of the mention of blood in its title, this is a deeply aestheticised, prettified and toothless war memorial.’
Describing his preferred style of tribute, he wrote: ‘A meaningful mass memorial to this horror would not be dignified or pretty. It would be gory, vile and terrible to see. The moat of the Tower should be filled with barbed wire and bones. That would mean something.’
Social media users described the article as ridiculous, disrespectful and missing the point. On Twitter, ‘Kemp1886’ said: ‘That Guardian article on the Poppy memorial is filth. Not remotely surprised though. No wonder circulation is so low.’
Sneering Guardian provokes anger after article calls poppy artwork 'Ukip-style memorial' and calls for ceramic flowers to be replaced with bones
Guardian published an article labeling the artwork as a 'Ukip-style memorial
Written by critic Jonathan Jones, he called it 'trite, fake and inward looking'
Armed forces charities accuse the article of trying to politicise the tribute
Says that the Tower of London's moat should be replaced with bones
Daily Mail
The Guardian has provoked anger after publishing an article that labelled the poppy artwork a ‘UKIP-style memorial’.
Armed forces charities accused the left-wing newspaper of trying to politicise the tribute to those killed during the First World War.
They sprang to the defence of the installation, called Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red, after the online article by a former Turner Prize judge described it as ‘trite, fake, and inward-looking’.
An aerial view of the Tower of London showing the poppy installation called Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red. The Guardian has provoked anger by publishing an article that labelled the artwork as a 'UKIP-style memorial'
In a provocative critique, author Jonathan Jones wrote: ‘The crowds come to remember – but we should not be remembering only our own. It’s the inward-looking mood that lets Ukip thrive. But that’s probably an overinterpretation, because the spectacle of all these red poppies is emptier than that.
‘In spite of the mention of blood in its title, this is a deeply aestheticised, prettified and toothless war memorial.
Describing his preferred style of tribute, he wrote: ‘A meaningful mass memorial to this horror would not be dignified or pretty. It would be gory, vile and terrible to see. The moat of the Tower should be filled with barbed wire and bones. That would mean something.’
Social media users described the article as ridiculous, disrespectful and missing the point.
In a provocative critique, former Turner Prize judge Jonathan Jones called it 'trite, fake and inward looking
And armed forces charities emphasised the way in which the artwork had caught the public’s imagination.
Help for Heroes said it would not dignify an article that ‘tried to politicise a memorial’ with a response.
A spokesman for armed forces charity SSAFA said: ‘The fact that hundreds of thousands of people have visited the installation to date, with many more expected as we head towards Remembrance, demonstrates how strongly the installation has resonated with the general public.’
A spokesman for the Historic Royal Palaces, which organised the memorial, said: ‘We have seen and read the article. It’s his opinion and we have nothing more to say about it. We’re just pleased with the way the public are responding to it – and that’s what’s more important to us.
‘We think it is incredibly evocative and we’ve seen people looking at it and being moved to tears just thinking about loved ones who died and the impact of war itself.’
Twitter user Jonny Wild wrote: ‘There are no words to express how disrespectful Jonathan Jones’ poppy article in the Guardian is – ridiculous piece of journalism.’
Journalist Ruth Green from Northern Ireland tweeted: ‘I saw the poppy installation last week. On so many levels Jonathan Jones has missed the point.’
But armed forces charities have emphasised the way in which the artwork has caught the public's imagination
Controversial: Sales of the left-wing newspaper, which was known as The Manchester Guardian from its founding in 1821 to 1959 and which is now based at Kings Place in London's Kings Cross, are dwindling
Another user, tweeting under the name ‘Kemp1886’, said: ‘That Guardian article on the Poppy memorial is filth. Not remotely surprised though. No wonder circulation is so low.’
The article was published on what is thought to have been a record day for visitors at the memorial so far, with police brought in to help control the crowds. Visitors yesterday reported long queues to catch a glimpse of the memorial, but most were pleased to see so many keen to pay their respects.
Sheila Bainbridge, 85, made the journey from Nottingham with her daughter, granddaughters and great-grandchildren.
The President of the Women’s Section of the Royal British Legion in Radcliffe-on-Trent, whose late husband Sgt Laurie Bainbridge fought for the Royal Air Force on D-Day and helped liberate the Belsen concentration camp, said the sight was worth the wait.
She said: ‘We don’t mind driving all the way down here and queuing to pay our respects.’ Undeterred by the crowds, her daughter Lynn Slater, 61, said: ‘It took us four hours to get here, we aren’t going to stop now.’
Visitor Angie Adriaanse, 65, from Wimbledon, south west London, told The Daily Mail: ‘I have never seen so many people.’
And one mum quipped: ‘I think the whole world has come today.’
Ray and Sue Smith, who travelled from Devizes, said it took them 30 minutes to get a good view. The couple said it was nice to see so many people take an interest, but Mr Smith, 68, said: ‘They are overwhelmed with crowds, they haven’t really planned how to cope.’
Millions of visitors have been to the installation including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry
Retired property developer Graham Barnes, 88, who travelled from Henley-on-Thames, said: ‘(The display) is staggering, very moving, and a wonderful way of commemorating the number killed in that war.’ And he said the crowd did not surprise him, adding: ‘We are a patriotic nation.’
Adela Everiss, 34, from the London Borough of Hillingdon, said she would be returning with her family early on Saturday to avoid the crowd, adding: ‘It is just too busy.’ Hayes man Alan Hammond, 82, said: ‘It is a bit chaotic.’ While his wife Jane, 81, added: ‘It is lovely, it really is, but you do have a job to see it.’
The millions of visitors to the installation include the Queen two weeks ago and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in August.
Artist Mr Cummins, 37, yesterday revealed he had lost a finger making one of the poppies - which were sold for £25 each, to make a total of over £22.2 million for armed forces charities - when his hand was crushed by an industrial roller.
The artwork – entitled Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red - has been slowly filling the moat around the Tower since July with the help of 8,000 volunteers. It is expected to raise more than £11million for charity before it is taken down the day after Armistice Day on November 11, when the final poppy is planted.
The installation, called Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red, is seeing 888,246 ceramic poppies - one for each British military fatality in WWI - being installed in the Tower of London's now-dry moat, with the last one to be ceremonially placed there on Remembrance Sunday.
Now, armed forces charities accused the left-wing newspaper of trying to politicise the tribute to those killed during the First World War.
They sprang to the defence of the installation after the online article by a former Turner Prize judge described it as ‘trite, fake, and inward-looking’.
In a provocative critique, author Jonathan Jones wrote: ‘The crowds come to remember – but we should not be remembering only our own. It’s the inward-looking mood that lets Ukip thrive. But that’s probably an overinterpretation, because the spectacle of all these red poppies is emptier than that.
‘In spite of the mention of blood in its title, this is a deeply aestheticised, prettified and toothless war memorial.’
Describing his preferred style of tribute, he wrote: ‘A meaningful mass memorial to this horror would not be dignified or pretty. It would be gory, vile and terrible to see. The moat of the Tower should be filled with barbed wire and bones. That would mean something.’
Social media users described the article as ridiculous, disrespectful and missing the point. On Twitter, ‘Kemp1886’ said: ‘That Guardian article on the Poppy memorial is filth. Not remotely surprised though. No wonder circulation is so low.’
Sneering Guardian provokes anger after article calls poppy artwork 'Ukip-style memorial' and calls for ceramic flowers to be replaced with bones
Guardian published an article labeling the artwork as a 'Ukip-style memorial
Written by critic Jonathan Jones, he called it 'trite, fake and inward looking'
Armed forces charities accuse the article of trying to politicise the tribute
Says that the Tower of London's moat should be replaced with bones
Those on social media take to Twitter to describe the article as 'ridiculous'
By Jim Norton and Ben Wilkinson for the Daily Mail
29 October 2014By Jim Norton and Ben Wilkinson for the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Guardian has provoked anger after publishing an article that labelled the poppy artwork a ‘UKIP-style memorial’.
Armed forces charities accused the left-wing newspaper of trying to politicise the tribute to those killed during the First World War.
They sprang to the defence of the installation, called Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red, after the online article by a former Turner Prize judge described it as ‘trite, fake, and inward-looking’.
An aerial view of the Tower of London showing the poppy installation called Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red. The Guardian has provoked anger by publishing an article that labelled the artwork as a 'UKIP-style memorial'
In a provocative critique, author Jonathan Jones wrote: ‘The crowds come to remember – but we should not be remembering only our own. It’s the inward-looking mood that lets Ukip thrive. But that’s probably an overinterpretation, because the spectacle of all these red poppies is emptier than that.
‘In spite of the mention of blood in its title, this is a deeply aestheticised, prettified and toothless war memorial.
Describing his preferred style of tribute, he wrote: ‘A meaningful mass memorial to this horror would not be dignified or pretty. It would be gory, vile and terrible to see. The moat of the Tower should be filled with barbed wire and bones. That would mean something.’
Social media users described the article as ridiculous, disrespectful and missing the point.
In a provocative critique, former Turner Prize judge Jonathan Jones called it 'trite, fake and inward looking
And armed forces charities emphasised the way in which the artwork had caught the public’s imagination.
Help for Heroes said it would not dignify an article that ‘tried to politicise a memorial’ with a response.
A spokesman for armed forces charity SSAFA said: ‘The fact that hundreds of thousands of people have visited the installation to date, with many more expected as we head towards Remembrance, demonstrates how strongly the installation has resonated with the general public.’
A spokesman for the Historic Royal Palaces, which organised the memorial, said: ‘We have seen and read the article. It’s his opinion and we have nothing more to say about it. We’re just pleased with the way the public are responding to it – and that’s what’s more important to us.
‘We think it is incredibly evocative and we’ve seen people looking at it and being moved to tears just thinking about loved ones who died and the impact of war itself.’
Twitter user Jonny Wild wrote: ‘There are no words to express how disrespectful Jonathan Jones’ poppy article in the Guardian is – ridiculous piece of journalism.’
Journalist Ruth Green from Northern Ireland tweeted: ‘I saw the poppy installation last week. On so many levels Jonathan Jones has missed the point.’
But armed forces charities have emphasised the way in which the artwork has caught the public's imagination
Controversial: Sales of the left-wing newspaper, which was known as The Manchester Guardian from its founding in 1821 to 1959 and which is now based at Kings Place in London's Kings Cross, are dwindling
Another user, tweeting under the name ‘Kemp1886’, said: ‘That Guardian article on the Poppy memorial is filth. Not remotely surprised though. No wonder circulation is so low.’
The article was published on what is thought to have been a record day for visitors at the memorial so far, with police brought in to help control the crowds. Visitors yesterday reported long queues to catch a glimpse of the memorial, but most were pleased to see so many keen to pay their respects.
Sheila Bainbridge, 85, made the journey from Nottingham with her daughter, granddaughters and great-grandchildren.
The President of the Women’s Section of the Royal British Legion in Radcliffe-on-Trent, whose late husband Sgt Laurie Bainbridge fought for the Royal Air Force on D-Day and helped liberate the Belsen concentration camp, said the sight was worth the wait.
She said: ‘We don’t mind driving all the way down here and queuing to pay our respects.’ Undeterred by the crowds, her daughter Lynn Slater, 61, said: ‘It took us four hours to get here, we aren’t going to stop now.’
Visitor Angie Adriaanse, 65, from Wimbledon, south west London, told The Daily Mail: ‘I have never seen so many people.’
And one mum quipped: ‘I think the whole world has come today.’
Ray and Sue Smith, who travelled from Devizes, said it took them 30 minutes to get a good view. The couple said it was nice to see so many people take an interest, but Mr Smith, 68, said: ‘They are overwhelmed with crowds, they haven’t really planned how to cope.’
Millions of visitors have been to the installation including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry
Retired property developer Graham Barnes, 88, who travelled from Henley-on-Thames, said: ‘(The display) is staggering, very moving, and a wonderful way of commemorating the number killed in that war.’ And he said the crowd did not surprise him, adding: ‘We are a patriotic nation.’
Adela Everiss, 34, from the London Borough of Hillingdon, said she would be returning with her family early on Saturday to avoid the crowd, adding: ‘It is just too busy.’ Hayes man Alan Hammond, 82, said: ‘It is a bit chaotic.’ While his wife Jane, 81, added: ‘It is lovely, it really is, but you do have a job to see it.’
The millions of visitors to the installation include the Queen two weeks ago and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in August.
Artist Mr Cummins, 37, yesterday revealed he had lost a finger making one of the poppies - which were sold for £25 each, to make a total of over £22.2 million for armed forces charities - when his hand was crushed by an industrial roller.
The artwork – entitled Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red - has been slowly filling the moat around the Tower since July with the help of 8,000 volunteers. It is expected to raise more than £11million for charity before it is taken down the day after Armistice Day on November 11, when the final poppy is planted.
Last edited:
