International Blacksmithing Event

Poppy Cenotaph Maquet

The international gathering of blacksmiths will take place from 1st September to 6th September 2016 in Ypres.

Forging stations, tools and equipment and all of the infrastructure requirements of such an event, will be set up in the Grote Markt (the market square) in the centre of the city during the two days before the start of the event.

The Poppy Cenotaph column and a temporary steel supporting base will be supplied by donated by Sigma, a German engineering company thanks to the contacts with LVD and this will be erected at one end of the Grote Markt. The supporting frame will be overlaid with plywood sheets, complete with drilled holes, ready to receive the 2000 poppies during the temporary installation in the Grote Markt. Many of these will be produced by blacksmiths in their own workshops during 2015 and 2016 with the balance being made in public at the event.

When the cenotaph is transferred to its permanent site, the poppy field will be installed in concrete foundations. This will be bordered by an arrangement of low railing panels in two different sizes, to be laid out to represent the characteristic meandering form of the trenches.

Thirteen Master Blacksmiths are being invited from around the world to design the 13 larger, of 25 railing panels. These will be completed at the event using a ‘masterclass’ format in which master blacksmiths each work with a team of 6 volunteer blacksmiths to make their individual panels. This approach was used in the making of The Pillar of Friendship at Ironbridge. A design competition for the remaining 12 smaller, railing panels will be open to the international community of blacksmiths and designers. The design brief for the competition is attached to this document. The winning competition railing panels will be made alongside the 13 invited designs using the same masterclass format.

Twenty-five railing panel outer frames will be delivered to the market square and all the designs will be made during the 6 day event and fitted into the frames. Alongside this, the balance of the 2000 poppies will be forged by delegates to the event. Members of the public and children will be encouraged to try their hand at forging in dedicated forging areas, which will be made available within cordoned safety zones. Specialist blacksmith instructors will be present to assist with this learning experience. Strict safety regulations will be observed under the control of an appointed Safety Officer working to an approved Safety Plan. Stadium seating will be installed to provide public viewing.

A Forgemaster and a team of deputies will control the activities on the site, including the masters’ and competition winners’ teams.

One of the Forging areas at Monaghan

Unique displays of craftsmanship

Visit the site: http://www.ypres2016.com/

Design Briefs

• View the Panel Design Brief here.
• View the Exhibition Design Brief here.
• View Poppy Making videos here.