Standing with Giants: Art installation showing solidarity with war victims in Ukraine on display at Gunwharf Quays
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Silhouette figures have been put up at a shopping centre to show solidarity with victims of the war in Ukraine.
The award-winning art installation, Standing With Giants, has come to Gunwharf Quays after representations were displayed across the Portsmouth area. The tribute named ‘I Want To Live’ will stay up in The Plaza until May 3.
The tribute depicts the silhouette of a soldier holding a baby whilst leading a refugee mother and child to safety. It stands at 13ft tall and is made from 15mm thick laser-cut sheet steel.
Other life-sized figures were put on display on the parade ground at Fort Nelson last Friday. They were created to mark the anniversary of The Falklands War in 2022 – the first time Standing With Giants was seen in the south of England after previously being shown in Nottinghamshire and Lincoln.
Veterans who saw the tributes of 258 military personnel and civilians that died said they were left ‘stunned’ and ‘emotional’. The touring Ukraine installation will travel along the South Coast towards Dover and across the Channel to Brussels.
Standing With Giants and this installation is the brainchild of Dan Burton. The mural was created in collaboration with artist Peter Naylor.
They are hopeful the tribute will showcase the amazing work done by Portsmouth Helps Ukraine – created by Viola Langley and Maryna Kuzmenko two weeks after the war broke out. Over 100 tonnes of humanitarian aid has been delivered to Ukraine, and the group are aiming to push through the cost of living crisis and donation fatigue to help those who need it.