Omaha beach...V

The image is arresting.

I had no reference for the work except for the title. The technique intentionally makes the scale ambiguous. Enough so that I thought maybe the photographer had placed these objects - - which I found interesting. As I said, I had no reference for the work.

I knew the name of the beach as the place where hundreds of American soldiers lost their lives in World War II. But any signals about the beach itself are erased. I saw the central forms as monuments to taking a simple stand and the sides as blades evoking conflict, dismemberments, danger and threat.

I wanted to track down whether it was a picture of something always on the beach and not imported by this photographer and discovered on the Web that this is a sculpture by a French artist honoring those Americans. Perhaps it is well known in Europe. I am confident in saying it is little recognized in the United States.

This is what a plaque about this sculpture says::

"The dedication plaque for Banon's "Les Braves" sculpture contains a poignant message: "The memorial consists of three elements: The Wings of Hope, so that the spirit which carried these men on June 6, 1944 continues to inspire us, reminding us that together it is always possible to change the future."
"Rise Freedom!" the inscription continues, "so that the example of those who rose against barbarity helps us remain standing strong against all forms of inhumanity." The third element the inscription describes is "The Wings of Fraternity, so that this surge of brotherhood always reminds us of our responsibility towards others, as well as ourselves. On June 6, 1944 these men were more than soldiers, they were our brothers.""

Maybe the blades look like wings to others or maybe the blades would look like wings if I visited in person. What I heard from the image was something completely different than the intent of the memorial.

So I leave it to this photographer to say if he was shooting for the meaning of the sculpture or shooting for a message of threat. Was he shooting to praise the bravery of past heroes or was he shooting an ethereal anti-war poem.

Or was the photographer, as an amusement, reducing the memorial to look look like the plans for a desert high-rise in a place like Dubai?