The installation of the installation

With the help of Eimi and Tim from the Auckland Council gallery install team, we were able to bring our ‘Held in Remembrance’ poppy installation to life on the wall at Nathan Homestead Pukepuke, Auckland.

The finished work spans 3.2m wide by 2m high. Clare Hocking and I completed the original stringing of the poppies, with each one attached – somewhat tenuously – to an invisible nylon thread.

My biggest concern going into the install was whether we could get all the strands onto the wall without them tangling. There were a few close calls, but thankfully I managed to catch things before any true bird’s nests formed.

Tensioning the threads at the bottom proved to be the next challenge. The nylon thread was surprisingly strong, but not always strong enough to handle the level of tension required. When it broke, it was frustrating – especially because, while invisible thread is wonderful in that you can’t see it…you also can’t see it when you’re trying to fix it.

Because of the limitations of the thread, the final result isn’t exactly as originally envisioned. But in some ways, that has allowed the work to breathe. Each individual poppy is clearly visible, and together they still hold the collective presence we were hoping for.

Through this installation, our goal is to raise as much money as we can for the ongoing work of the RNZRSA (Royal New Zealand Returned and Services’ Association).

As a thank you (for qualifying donations), we would like to send you one of the felted poppies from this installation.

To find out all of the details about the installation, the list of 50+ international contributors and how to donate, please click HERE.

PHOTOS:

1 Unpacking the poppies from their transport cocoons.

2 Eimi and Tim get the poppies onto the wall.

3 Tying each thread.

4 Tensioning off each thread.

5 Teri Berry (Auckland Felters) lends a hand.

6 Sarah and Teri Berry.

Instagram: @sarahritchiehq

Facebook: sarahritchiehq