Path to Remembrance - Westfield NJ

 

In the days immediately after 9/11 spontaneous makeshift memorials sprung up not only near Ground Zero but all throughout New York City. As the sad days passed, towns beyond the epicenter that had lost residents also started creating these memorials. However, since these places were public spaces, the memorials could not remain permanently. As time went on they slowly disappeared, remaining only in photographs.

 

10 years after 9/11 a grand public memorial was finally completed on Ground Zero. But that memorial did not satisfy the majority of people in towns across the United States, for that space was either too far away or too loaded with emotion. Considering the magnitude of the loss, permanent memorials were slowly created in individual towns and cities to honor those lost loved ones. The ultimate realized designs depended upon funding and the number of individuals to be remembered. From simple plaques, to multiple plaques, to garden like spaces, to large monuments, these memorials vary greatly.

 

For the last 8 years I, as a digital artist, have photographed and manipulated images of various towns and cities in New Jersey, the state where I reside. I have created 2 pieces of digital art based upon my town of Roselle Park’s memorials. This past year I added the memorial from that of Westfield, New Jersey a few miles away from me. After receiving numerous positive comments about that image, I realized that I was interested in seeking out other memorials in New Jersey and continue my “Discovering New Jersey” series with them as the theme. “A Journey Through Remembrance: New Jersey 9/11 Memorials”, will be the title of a solo exhibit I will have in October at a local gallery.

 

The journey has just started. I don’t yet know what form the final images will take. As I travel around photographing these memorials my heart feels the same sadness that it did years ago when I looked upon and photographed those temporary memorials. Stay tuned, for when I have completed my images, I will post here my comments about this project.