The devastating tragedy of 9/11 left not only New Yorkers and the nation affected, but the whole world. A day which will live in the minds of all who lived it forever, etched with the pain and sadness felt by an act of terrorism. With the Freedom Tower finally being completed and the 9/11 museum being open to the public, this year’s 9/11 ceremony in honor of those who lost their lives, is sure to be more emotional than ever. This year something new is set to open at the September 11 museum, adding on to the memories of that harrowing day.
Thousands of people in the city were affected much differently than the rest of the world. They were actually living the tragedy and seeing things they would probably never want to see in their lifetime again. Now, 13 artists whom lived or were affected by the horrific events are showcasing their work at the September 11 museum.
The work of the artists is to reflect the pain and suffering they felt the moment of the attack, and also the hours, days, weeks, and years that they had to deal with. The time after is also what many of these artists had to endure. Many secluded themselves trying desperately to remove the grueling scenes they saw, while others relied on their passion, art.
Artists used videos, paintings and sculptures to show the sadness that lived within them. Gustavo Bonevardi, 54, created a painting by his image and memory of the papers falling from the sky. He described it as “beautiful, elegant, and free almost as if they were souls and memories.”
Colleen Mulrenan MacFarlane, created a video in which you see her scrubbing off the dust and dirt off her fathers FDNY uniform shirt. Her father came home three days after working the site. She said she felt sadness, fear, terror, and guilt when cleaning the shirt, while having a radio of first dispatchers in the background.
The art exhibit has been described as a chance for the artists to ‘catch their breaths’. Although life will never be the same, they were able to express some of their anger, sadness, and fear and make it into something beautiful. Their work will be displayed in the 9/11 museum from September 12th into January 2018.
Featured Image Via Wikimedia
