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Synopsis: |
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Well, New York City in mid-September, 2001. You know what that means. I was home in New Jersey on the day that everything happened, but spent the next day (September 12th) in Manhattan with my friends, as well as my extended family of the entire New York community. You'd have to be there to really understand what I mean. Manhattan is nothing like it's ever been before... I spent a lot of time at Union Square, where a makeshift memorial had been set up, as well as a candlelight vigil at Washington Square Park. I took a lot of photos, which as of now have not been developed. My friend Kerry also took some pictures of the vigil, and these are here now. Kerry used to work at the American Express building in the World Financial Center, across the street from the World Trade Center. Now she's on something of a break from work... Anyway, I'll try to update this more. I have lot more images and words to contribute, but it takes time. I'm still trying to write the full story of my experience in Manhattan, and will put it up when I can.
Update: I just got back from another three days in Manhattan, and have been snapping photos like crazy. It's completely crazy still, of course. The general atmosphere seems to have shifted, though. While at first most of Manhattan was just shocked and grieving over all this, they've now entered a patriotic mode. People are commenting more and more on how this act has been unable to destroy the spirit of New York or America. In some sense the community has been vigourized. American flags are EVERYWHERE: hanging off of stores and corporate buildings, hanging out of peoples' backpacks, off the antennas of cars and taxis, off the helments of rescue workers, on fire trucks, in restaurants and hotels. It's absolutely amazing. Memorials are popping up everywhere, from fire stations and parks to intersections and road constrution areas (imagine a concrete divider with its entire length lined with candles). Union Square continues to be a truly moving experience. The impromptu memorial there has become this organic creature that continually morphs and grows. Now the square looks nothing like it did on Wednesday, and it's been steadily engulfing more and more area (it's now covering about half of all Union Square). Particularly moving are the clusters of "missing person" signs, plastered all over subway stations, phone booths, fences and walkways, sign posts, etc. Hundreds if not thousands of these posters swarm the square, putting a face and a life to so many of the victims from downtown. Stay tuned for another roll of film (which I need to develop).
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