Johanna Domke-Guyot

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Size  25cm x 50.cm 

Silent Memory 

Limited Edition Bronze

I am now pleased to share the finished sculpture in Bronze. a limited edition of 10 signed busts. please email or telephone for details of cost or further  information.

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While researching  the gas attacks of  World War 1, I talked to several people who had a family member  that had been affected through chemical Warfare.

One lady told me her grandfather had very little sight and throughout his life suffered with his chest sometimes struggling  to breath, she remembers him sitting alone and very rarely  joining in any family activities. 

she said her grandmother would make mustard poultice to put on his back. I must admit I found that rather ironic that the chemical that may  have caused his disability  was used now  used to help him.

Richard Cartwright gave me first hand account of what Mustard Gas feels like. he was exposed accidentally in 2016 while working with some artifacts which had been used in the Great War and never  decontaminated. the gas which is actually a liquid had dried on a piece of canvas and turned to dust. It remains inert until it comes in contact with moisture or human sweat, he shook off the dust and some got on his legs which reacted with his sweat.

Several hours later his legs felt itchy, he said the pain gradually got worse over the next 12 hours.

 The characteristic yellow blisters formed over his legs he felt tired, sore eyes and dizzy.

over the next two days the sickness went away, the blisters went down leaving deep wounds which took 4 months to heal. His scarred skin his very sensitive and flares up and peels off every few months. 

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