These images are © Historic Royal Palaces

Project:                       The Tower Remembers , Beyond the Deepening Shadow

Artiste:                        Mira Calix and Historic Royal Palaces

Venue:                        The Moat, Tower of London

Date:                           November 2018

Audience size:          over 1 million estimated over the period

There are not really words to describe this event. It seemed impossible- covering 500 linear metres of moat at the Tower of London with radio coverage for 44 in ear monitor systems and speaker coverage throughout.  All this whilst taking the greatest care in such an historic building and working in some of the coldest conditions I (Richard) had experienced. Somehow the team pulled it together.

There’s not much more to say- the result was one of the most moving tributes to the Fallen it is possible to imagine, let alone experience.

Eva Koch-Shulte was the bundle of energy that led the project for Historic Royal Palaces and it was she that inspired us to keep going and deliver on time. She was kind enough to write to us afterwards:

One month on from Beyond the Deepening Shadow, I still haven’t got the right words for a post-event message, or an appropriate way to say thank you.

Because on paper, even in hindsight, the event looked impossible to execute. I know you agree! We did not have the time, or the money, or the staff availability or the internal resources to do something like this. Instead, we had a hilarious number of risks from the outset, and a never-ending parade of obstacles after that.

It really does take the sort of faith, creative experience, artistic vision, childlike joy of trying (and trying again), inventiveness, collaborative spirit, humility and flexibility that you brought to the table to make this a reality. And your great humour! The combined energy of the creative and production team sparked off a chemistry which eventually ignited special forces within HRP and our partners. Particles started to move and react, the heat increased, unusual things happened, matter broke down and the alchemy began to work. It drew in universal goodwill and human spirit from all sides, and hey presto, there it was: Beyond.