I was planning to use this entry to talk about how I finally got out to indulge in the meme of the moment, Lord of the Rings. This seems more important.
Here is New York, subtitled “a democracy of photographs” is a massive collection of photographs taken during and after September 11th. This online gallery isn’t just for viewing, however - all of the photos are for sale to the public, with the proceeds going to the Children’s Aid Society WTC Relief Fund, to help support children who lost fathers and/or mothers.
As the subtitle infers, this isn’t a closed exhibition. The site allows the public to upload their images to the site, thus opening up the exhibition as a collective experience for all. The photos reflect this openness, organized in categories with names like, “Onlookers”, “WTC- immediate damage”, “Ground Zero”, and “Firemen”. Some are beautifully surreal, some disturbing, some seemingly banal - all are overwhelmingly human.
Almost impossible to believe it’s been four months. For me, the memories, panic, and sadness had started to fade from the forefront of daily thought. An hour spent looking through this amazing collection, and the sadness and loss are right there again; a wound that never seems to completely heal.
