In recent years, towering metal figures have been erected across the United Kingdom and parts of Europe. They primarily take the shape of soldiers who served their country in times of historic conflict. The man behind this amazing military art project, aptly called Standing with Giants, is Dan Barton, and he’s made it his mission to pay homage to those who dedicated their lives to fight for what was right.
Born in Bristol, United Kingdom, in 1969, Barton suffered from debilitating dyslexia growing up. However, it took a while for his parents and doctors to settle on this diagnosis, leading the young boy to struggle with paranoia, loneliness and social anxiety. It was before his 16th birthday that Barton was admitted to hospital, then transferred to a specialist children’s unit treating mental health issues.
Upon returning home, the young man completed his schooling and enrolled on a cabinet-making course at a local college, later producing an item for his passing out assessment. The piece caught the attention of the then-Junior Minister of Education, who encouraged Barton to further develop his skills.
Barton and his wife, Janette, later set up their own business, and the pair started Standing with Giants in 2019. Being community minded, Barton also began some charitable projects. Pushing them forward with determination, his first consisted of 101 cutouts in the countryside. Thousands of individuals turned out to see it.
Since then, Barton has erected other displays in the likes of France, the Falklands, Scotland and Ireland, using the positive effects of the condition from which he suffers to drive him and his volunteers to get these various projects set up and open on time. This determination has allowed him to source the materials needed and spread the world of his completed works.
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Since 2023, Standing with Giants has operated as a charity (No. 1205903), with exhibits erected at the likes of the National Trust Stowe, Blenheim Palace and Hampton Court Palace. Further projects are planned for the future.