Wreath #1 reimagines the traditional floral wreath, a symbol of remembrance, honour and mourning, by replacing flowers with rolled gauze bandages. In doing so, it transforms a ceremonial object of tribute into one made from the materials of injury and healing, suggesting that remembrance is shaped by wounds that have yet to heal. Made from gauze bandages, iron mesh and sharp blades, the work brings together materials associated with healing, protection and violence, paying homage to the sacrifices of Indian soldiers who served in the British Army during the First and Second World Wars.

The bandages evoke the care of wounded bodies, while the blades piercing through them suggest that healing can never fully erase the trauma of war. The circular form reflects an ongoing cycle of memory, mourning and survival rather than closure. Rather than celebrating military glory, Wreath #1 stands as a quiet memorial to those who served, honouring their resilience and commemorating all those whose lives have been shaped by war across time and borders.

Wreath #1 is part of Baptist Coelho’s ongoing multimedia series Wreath, which reimagines memorial traditions to reflect on remembrance, mourning and loss, and the tension between healing and violence. Wreath #1, was developed during Baptist Coelho’s year-long Artist-in-Residence, supported by and at Fondation Fiminco, Romainville, 2021-22. The residency was also supported by Fonds de Dotation Buchet Ponsoye, Paris; Institut Français, India. The artwork was first exhibited as part of the artist’s solo exhibition, You will never understand what we have gone through at Galerie Saint-Séverin, Paris, from 8 December 2021 to 6 February 2022. The exhibition was curated by Odile Burluraux. Wreath #2 is also part of the series.