Gallery: a wartime farewell in Tavira
When we visited Tavira for the day from our weekend base in Faro, I couldn’t help noticing the life-size statue of a soldier outside the station. He holds his kit bag in his right hand while his left is raised in farewell.
A soldier’s farewell
Across the road stands his wife or girlfriend waving back. She wears a simple summer dress; it must be a nice day. But windy; look at the way the soldier’s tie is whipped up as it catches a breeze.
She tries to smile as she waves goodbye
A nearby plaque, in Portuguese, explains that this is (unsurprisingly) a military memorial. The sculpture was the work of the Belgian sculptor Francis Tondeur and was placed here in January 2001.
The inscription on the plaque reads:
Em homenagem ao passado militar da cidade embelezando com os cataventos que marcam o movimento, a luz e a dinamica de contactos desta terra
Google Translate insists that this means:
In honour of the city’s military past, embellishing it with weathervanes that mark the movement, light and dynamics of contacts in this land.
And I have too little Portuguese to contradict, even though there are no weathervanes in sight!
The soldier’s eyes have since unfortunately been disfigured, vandalised; but I still found it a moving memorial to the separations caused by war. And all the more poignant given the number of families wrenched apart by the current fighting in Ukraine.
A closer look at him …
… and at her
So I’m sharing the two works for this week’s Photographing Public Art challenge and in tribute to / support of those Ukrainian families.
His view of her (shot looking over his shoulder)
I visited Tavira on a day trip from Faro in April 2022
40 Comments
Manja Maksimovič
Truly touching.
Sarah Wilkie
Indeed – thank you Manja 😊
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Sehr Jalil
Love it ! Thanks for sharing
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks, glad you like it!
leightontravels
It is a remarkable idea to have the two statues separated by the road and waving goodbye to each other. The installation really makes one think how difficult it must’ve been for couples and families who underwent such separations, and feel deeply for those who still do.
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, a simple idea but really so effective.
Life...One Big Adventure
How clever! Love it. Thanks, Mel
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Mel, glad you like it 🙂
Anabel @ The Glasgow Gallivanter
That’s an original and interesting way of tackling the subject, rather than having the figures embrace. Very touching.
Sarah Wilkie
I agree – it conveys the sense of separation much more strongly I felt.
wetanddustyroads
Two touching statues … even more so because they are not standing together, but still creating one story. And I think you’re right, the woman do “try to smile” … amazing how this facial expression has been captured in the statue.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you – they really are very well executed and so touching as you say 🤗
Rose
A very touching post Sarah. It would be wonderful to have a fluent Portuguese speaker help explain the plaque (weathervanes?).
It’s so saddening and enraging to see Ukraine (or any people) suffer unjust wars and terror. I’m frustrated by the unwillingness of the rest of the world to help. We all stand by doing so very little, as we have with so many other atrocities.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Rose. Do have a look at Jo’s comment about the plaque below. And of course I agree with you about Ukraine 🤗
photobyjohnbo
No doubt there are plenty of similar events taking place in Ukraine. So sorry to see what’s happening there. This is a poignant reminder of man’s inhumanity.
Sarah Wilkie
Indeed John, so sad 🙁
philosophy through photography
My apologies.
I am not sure why my comment made univited entry into Marsha’s.
Marsha please excuse me.
I know both you guys are kind and understanding.
Either I am at fault or one of the magics of WP!😂😂
Sarah Wilkie
Don’t worry, it happens quite often and I’m sure I’ve done it too! It’s too easy to click the wrong reply/comment box I think 🙁
philosophy through photography
Thank you Sarah for your kind words.
thehungrytravellers.blog
Really like that idea, the two opposing statues bidding farewell. Have you seen the large one of the embracing couple at St Pancras? I love that one too. Regarding the “flying tie”, do you think it’s a subtle reference to parting….as in, trailing clothes convey movement, movement conveys travel. Hence, the tie (on the one departing) is in motion, the skirt (on the one remaining) is static. Maybe….
Sarah Wilkie
Oh yes, I love that St Pancras sculpture (‘The Meeting Place’) 🙂 And that’s an interesting thought. There’s too little info online, that I could find, that would tells us in more detail about the artist’s intentions but yes, maybe …
Nemorino
What a great idea to have these two statues across the road from each other.
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, very effective – thanks Don
restlessjo
I seldom use this station as we have a tiny, much nearer one, but it’s a sad reminder. Portugal has had it’s share of conflict but nothing on the scale of Ukraine, which seems to have no resolution in sight. The translation seems accurate and I guess once there were houses where the Lidl now stands.
Sarah Wilkie
Thanks Jo. We saw the Lidl – it did look like a new arrival. I was puzzled by the reference to weathervanes and also ‘contacts’ but the overall message is unmistakable, and the sculptures speak for themselves.
Marsha
Such a sweet memorial. I wondered about the eyes. It looks like the sun could be in his eyes. This may be one of the most poignant military displays I’ve ever seen, borrowing a word from Margaret. Thank you so much for sharing it.
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you Marsha 🙂 I see what you mean about his eyes but I read somewhere that this was damage caused by vandalism. I don’t think they’re supposed to look like that,
philosophy through photography
Love the idea of two statues with lots of emotion looking at each other separated by the distance. And your touching narration gives the reader an idea of hardships of separation and suffering and destruction that happens because of wars.
Thank you Sarah
Sarah Wilkie
Thank you – I found these statues quite moving, much more so than the usual type of war memorial
philosophy through photography
And Photographer in you could not lose the opportunity!
Sarah Wilkie
Absolutely – especially as we had time to wait before our train! What better way to use up spare time than in taking photos?
philosophy through photography
true!
margaret21
Poignant indeed. And you visited Tavira without calling on Jo?
Sarah Wilkie
Ah, thereby hangs a tale! We had planned to meet up for coffee but unfortunately Jo was still testing positive so felt she had to pull out rather than risk infecting us 🙁
margaret21
Oh, what a shame.
Sarah Wilkie
Yes, just rubbish timing 🙁 I wonder how many little gatherings have been lost to Covid, alongside all the big stuff that we know about (weddings, funerals, festivals etc)?
margaret21
Plenty that we know about 🙁
Sarah Wilkie
😯 🤗
Sue
Oh, bad luck…