Cummins revealed he had received threats by email, over the phone and by letter over his plan to donate £10m ($15.42 million US) raised from the sale of the ceramic poppies to armed services charities. Cummins said, “Even the police got involved.”
The Derbyshire artist feels like people may have felt the charities were somehow “involved in a war,” said the BBC. Officially, the ceramic poppy display was called Blood Swept Lands And Seas Of Red, and was created to commemorate the 888,246 British and Colonial lives lost in World War I.
Six armed forces charities, including the SSAFA, Royal British Legion, Help For Heroes and Combat Stress were designated to receive equal shares of about one-third of the money raised from the sale of the poppies at around £31each. The installation of the poppies in the moat surrounding the Tower of London culminated on November 11, 2014 when the final poppy was planted by 13-year old cadet Harry Hayes from Berkshire.
The highly popular and visible display had an estimated five million visitors, making it one of the UK’s more successful art projects. The Prime Minister and members of the Royal Family were among the many people who helped to plant the poppies. Mr. Cummins is now working on other ceramic projects, including one in Britain and one in “another part of the world.”
