The Battle of Vimy Ridge holds an iconic place in Canadian history and is symbolic of one of the founding stories of Canada's nationhood. The Canadian National Vimy Memorial sits on the highest point of the historic battle site in northeastern France.
Dedicated to the memory of Canadian Expeditionary Force members killed in France during the First World War, the Vimy Memorial also serves as the place of commemoration for Canadian soldiers killed or presumed dead in France who at the time had no known grave. Their names are inscribed in stone.
Designed by Walter Allward, and dedicated in 1936 by King Edward VIII, it is now held to be the most revered of the Great War memorials. It has become a touchstone of remembrance for Canadians.
Over the years weather caused severe deterioration of the stone cladding on the monument. Most of the 11,285 names on the walls had decayed beyond recognition. After several years of planning and extensive site work the restoration of the Vimy Memorial was completed in the spring of 2007. Its original and sublime beauty was renewed, and all of the names on its ramparts were once again readable.
On April 9, 2007, Queen Elizabeth II rededicated the monument in a major ceremony marking the 90th Anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. It was a memorable day for Canada and Canadians, but perhaps most importantly for Canadian Veterans who have served.
Blair Ketcheson is a Canadian photographer who shares his energies between commercial architectural commissions and black & white fine-art photography. He has worked for many of Canada’s foremost publications and designers, including Canada's pre-eminent architect Arthur Erickson and the internationally respected urban design and landscape architecture firm PFS Studio. He lived and worked for a number of years in France, photographing landscapes and architecture, where his photographs have been widely exhibited and collected.
Commissioned by the restoration team to document the site in 2007, his ongoing photographic work on the Vimy Memorial has been recognized as a profound and important tribute to its legacy.
< < < Read : The essay "Photographing Vimy" by Blair Ketcheson > > >