''Victory Over Blindness'' is a
bronze sculpture
Bronze is the most popular metal for Casting (metalworking), cast metal sculptures; a cast bronze sculpture is often called simply "a bronze". It can be used for statues, singly or in groups, reliefs, and small statuettes and figurines, as w ...
in Manchester, England, by Johanna Domke-Guyot. It is on Piccadilly Approach outside the main entrance of
Manchester Piccadilly station
Manchester Piccadilly is the principal railway station in Manchester, England. Opened as Store Street in 1842, it was renamed Manchester London Road in 1847 and became Manchester Piccadilly in 1960. Located to the south-east of Manchester city ...
and was commissioned to commemorate
the centenary of the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
.
The sculpture depicts seven blind figures guiding each other and walking together; their likeness are based upon real veterans who all suffered blindness as a result of action on the frontline. Unusually a plinth is not used and the figures are situated at eye level to engage passers-by. It was commissioned by the
Blind Veterans UK and was unveiled in October 2018. It is believed to be the only memorial to depict those wounded in the First World War.
Background
The location for a permanent memorial to commemorate the centenary of the First World War was supported by both
Network Rail
Network Rail Limited is the owner (via its subsidiary Network Rail Infrastructure Limited, which was known as Railtrack plc before 2002) and infrastructure manager of most of the railway network in Great Britain. Network Rail is an "arm's leng ...
and
Transport for Greater Manchester
Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is the public body responsible for co-ordinating transport services throughout Greater Manchester in North West England. TfGM is responsible for investments in improving transport services and facilities ...
. The exterior area outside the main entrance of Piccadilly station has historically been used for temporary exhibits and sculptures such as the ''Bee in the City'' art trail in 2018.
The sculpture was first created to mark the centenary of the Blind Veterans UK charity in 2015 and which now sits at the charity's
Llandudno rehabilitation and training centre.
A cement cast of the sculpture was first unveiled in 2017 at the
National Memorial Arboretum
The National Memorial Arboretum is a British site of national remembrance at Alrewas, near Lichfield, Staffordshire. Its objective is to honour the fallen, recognise service and sacrifice, and foster pride in the British Armed Forces and civilian ...
in
Staffordshire. With funding from the Gosling Foundation and support for a prominent location in Manchester, Blind Veterans UK commissioned the sculpture to commemorate the centenary of the First World War.
The sculpture was officially unveiled on 16 October 2018 by
The Countess of Wessex
Sophie, Duchess of Edinburgh, (born Sophie Helen Rhys-Jones, 20 January 1965) is a member of the British royal family. She is married to Prince Edward, Duke of Edinburgh, the youngest sibling of King Charles III.
Sophie grew up in Brenchle ...
. In a short ceremony and speech, she stated that, "As we approach the anniversary of the end of the First World War and, quite rightly, remember all of those who never returned, it is also important to remember those who did, changed by their experiences."
Depiction
The sculpture depicts seven life-sized figures guiding one another. It was inspired by a photograph the sculptor saw of World War I veterans, blinded in combat, leading one another from the front. Whereas statues or sculptures of lifelike individuals are generally placed on plinths, it was decided the sculpture should be situated on the ground and at eye level to engage passers-by and to highlight the notion that the sacrifices of those on the frontline in World War I should not be forgotten.
The sculptor, Johanna Domke-Guyot, stated that "People will be able to touch them, I want it to become a people's piece". The seven figures are all based upon World War I veterans who all suffered blindness as a result of action on the frontline and each figure depicts a similar likeness to the veterans.
The sculpture was well-received with it being described as "moving" for its subject matter and "striking" for its interaction with passers-by at eye level.
References
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British military memorials and cemeteries
Military history of Manchester
Monuments and memorials in Manchester
World War I memorials in the United Kingdom
Outdoor sculptures in Manchester