The events of September 11th affected all New Yorkers, some more than others. But NYC has never witnessed such a tragedy as the terrorist attacks that happened on that day. Because it was such an enormous tragedy, September 11th has become almost synonymous with strength and spirit of New Yorkers. Therefore, a lot of art in New York City is reflective of the events of that day, and the many days that followed, when New Yorkers were trying to heal and get their lives back to normal, even though they would never be the same.
The Responders At Work
There is an exhibition currently at the New York City Police Musuem, called “Artist as Witness: The 9/11 Responders,” which focuses on the events that took place long after the attacks. The exhibition consists of 25 sketches and watercolors by Aggie Kenny. Kenny was a courtroom artist when she decided to take her sketchbook to the ground zero site during the Spring 2002 World Trade Center Recovery Operation. She didn’t take any photographs for reference and instead just sketched what she saw. Kenny explains, “After the attacks on 9/11, I was compelled to visit the site with my sketchbook. Sketching the scenes of the aftermath was my attempt to comprehend in incomprehensible.”
Exhausted Responders Resting
Kenny’s sketches focus on the responders, during both heroic and mundane moments. In her sketches, she captures the intense focus and strength of the responders, as well as their exhaustion. I think it’s important to see this exhibit to get a sense of what the responders had to go through. I can only imagine how exhausted, both mentally and physically, the responders must have been everyday after having to sift through all this dark, incomprehensible tragedy. I think that this exhibit can also provide at least some closure to the people who lost their loved ones on September 11th, and is an example of how art can heal. Through Aggie Kenny’s sketches and watercolors, we can honor the brave 9/11 responders, as well as the people who lost their lives on that tragic day.
Very interesting to have a Court Sketch Artist! doing renditions of scenes at the site of Ground Zero. I like the “look” of the court artist’s version of a particular moment. In a way, these water colors provide a way to experience the emotion of the event. The quiet mundane moments she captures hold the enormous potential energy of that moment in time. Just another example of the way an art form communicates emotion.